How Creatives Can Track Income Without Accounting Software

How Creatives Can Track Income Without Accounting Software

You don't need accounting software to track income. As a creative, you just need a simple system that shows you how much you're making.

This guide shows you how to track income simply — without the complexity of accounting software.

📖 Part of our invoicing guide series: Income tracking complements invoice tracking. For the complete invoicing workflow, see Simple Invoicing for Creatives or How to Invoice as a Designer or Creator.

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Why You Don't Need Accounting Software

What Accounting Software Does

Accounting software includes:

• Expense tracking
• Payroll
• Tax reporting
• Bank reconciliation
• Financial reports
• Inventory management
• And 50 other features

What You Actually Need

For income tracking, you just need:

• List of invoices
• Payment dates
• Amounts received
• Simple totals

That's it. You don't need accounting software for this.

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Simple Income Tracking Methods

Method 1: Spreadsheet (Recommended)

Best for: Most creatives, maximum control

How to set it up:

1. Create spreadsheet (Google Sheets, Excel)

2. Add columns:

   • Date
   • Client
   • Invoice #
   • Amount
   • Payment Date
   • Status (Paid/Unpaid)

3. Add invoices as rows

4. Use SUM formula for totals

Example:

Date	Client	Invoice #	Amount	Payment Date	Status
March 7	Client A	INV-001	$2,000	March 18	Paid
March 10	Client B	INV-002	$1,500	March 20	Paid
March 15	Client C	INV-003	$800	-	Unpaid

Monthly Total: =SUM(Amount column)

Pros:

• Free
• Full control
• Easy to customize
• Works offline

Cons:

• Manual entry
• No automation

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Method 2: Invoicing Tool (Like inv.so)

Best for: Automatic tracking, less manual work

How it works:

1. Create invoices in tool
2. Mark as paid when payment received
3. Tool tracks automatically
4. View income reports/dashboard

Example dashboard:

March 2026 Income:
- Paid: $3,500
- Outstanding: $800
- Total Invoiced: $4,300

Pros:

• Automatic tracking
• Visual dashboard
• No manual entry
• Payment notifications

Cons:

• Costs money ($9/month)
• Less customizable

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Method 3: Simple List (Text File)

Best for: Very simple needs, maximum simplicity

How to set it up:

1. Create text file or note
2. List invoices with payments
3. Update as payments arrive

Example:

INCOME 2026

March:
- INV-001 — Client A — $2,000 — Paid March 18
- INV-002 — Client B — $1,500 — Paid March 20
- INV-003 — Client C — $800 — Unpaid

Total: $3,500 (paid), $800 (outstanding)

Pros:

• Completely free
• Maximum simplicity
• Works anywhere

Cons:

• Very manual
• No calculations
• Can get messy

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What to Track

Essential Information

Minimum:

• Invoice number
• Client name
• Amount
• Payment date (when paid)
• Status (Paid/Unpaid)

That's enough for basic income tracking.

Optional but Helpful

Additional info:

• Project description
• Invoice date
• Due date
• Payment method
• Monthly/yearly totals

Add if helpful, but not required.

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Monthly Income Summary

Simple Monthly Summary

At end of month, calculate:

• Total invoiced
• Total paid
• Total outstanding
• Number of invoices

Example:

March 2026 Summary:
- Invoices sent: 8
- Total invoiced: $12,500
- Total paid: $10,000
- Outstanding: $2,500

Takes 2 minutes to calculate. No complex reports needed.

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Yearly Income Tracking

Simple Yearly Summary

At end of year:

• Total income for year
• Monthly breakdown
• Top clients
• Average invoice amount

Example:

2026 Income Summary:
- Total: $120,000
- Average per month: $10,000
- Top client: Client A ($25,000)
- Average invoice: $2,000

Simple calculation from monthly totals.

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Income Tracking Best Practices

1. Update Regularly

Update when:

• Payment received (mark as paid)
• New invoice sent (add to list)
• Monthly summary (end of month)

Regular updates = accurate tracking.

2. Keep It Simple

Don't overcomplicate:

• Simple list is enough
• No need for complex reports
• Just track what you need

Simple = sustainable.

3. Use Consistent System

Pick one method:

• Spreadsheet
• Invoicing tool
• Simple list

Stick with it. Consistency makes tracking easier.

4. Save Records

Keep:

• All invoices
• Payment confirmations
• Monthly summaries

For tax purposes and your own records.

5. Review Regularly

Check:

• Monthly income
• Outstanding invoices
• Trends over time

Regular review = better financial awareness.

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Income Tracking vs Accounting

Income Tracking (What You Need)

Tracks:

• How much you invoiced
• How much you received
• What's outstanding

Simple, fast, enough for most creatives.

Accounting (What You Don't Need)

Tracks:

• Expenses
• Payroll
• Tax reporting
• Bank reconciliation
• Financial reports

Complex, slow, overkill for income tracking.

You need income tracking, not accounting.

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Using inv.so for Income Tracking

Automatic Tracking

inv.so tracks:

• All invoices
• Payment status
• Payment dates
• Monthly totals

No manual entry needed.

Income Dashboard

View:

• Total invoiced
• Total paid
• Outstanding
• Monthly breakdown

Visual dashboard = easy to understand.

Export for Taxes

Export:

• Invoice list
• Payment records
• Monthly summaries

For tax preparation.

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FAQs

Do I need accounting software to track income?

No. Simple spreadsheet, invoicing tool, or list is enough. You don't need accounting software for income tracking.

How often should I update income tracking?

Update when:

• Payment received (immediately)
• New invoice sent (immediately)
• Monthly summary (end of month)

Regular updates = accurate tracking.

What if I have expenses too?

Track separately:

• Income: Invoicing tool or spreadsheet
• Expenses: Separate spreadsheet or expense app

You don't need accounting software for either.

Can I use this for taxes?

Yes. Simple income tracking is enough for tax preparation. Export your records, give to accountant or use tax software.

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Ready for simple income tracking? Try inv.so free — automatic income tracking, no accounting bloat.