The AI Bookkeeping Template: Stay On Top of the Numbers Without Spreadsheet Dread

The core tracker

Set up a spreadsheet with these columns:

Date | Description | Category | Income | Expense | Payment method | Notes

Suggested categories:
Revenue, Software/Tools, Contractors, Marketing/Ads, Fees,
Equipment, Travel, Meals, Education, Taxes-set-aside, Other

The monthly close routine (15 minutes)

1. Dump transactions for the month into the tracker (export from your bank or card).
2. Categorize with Claude — use this prompt:

Here's a list of transactions: [paste].

Assign each one a category from this list: [your categories].
Flag anything ambiguous as REVIEW instead of guessing.
Return it as a table I can paste back into my sheet.

3. Spot-check the REVIEW rows yourself.
4. Summarize the month with this prompt:

From this categorized data, give me:
- Total income
- Total expenses by category
- Net profit
- The 3 biggest expense categories
Note anything unusual vs. a typical month.

5. Set aside taxes based on your net (talk to a professional for your rate).

Habits that keep it painless

• Weekly, not monthly: five minutes a week beats a dreaded monthly marathon.
• One business account: never mix personal and business — it’s the #1 cause of bookkeeping pain.
• Keep receipts in one folder named by month; let Claude help summarize them at close.

Important

This is an organizational system, not tax or accounting advice. For filing, deductions, and your specific tax rate, work with a qualified accountant — use this to walk in with clean, organized numbers.