What the ledger includes
The spreadsheet begins with tenant, unit, landlord, lease, rent, and opening-balance fields, followed by a transaction table.
- Transaction date and plain-language description.
- Rent or other amount due.
- Payment or credit received.
- Running balance after each line.
- Notes for payment method, receipt number, or correction context.
How to keep the balance reliable
Enter charges and payments as separate transactions, use the actual effective date, and never overwrite a historical amount silently. Add a correcting line with a note so someone reviewing the ledger can follow what changed.
Keep payment evidence and receipts with the ledger. A spreadsheet is only as reliable as the process used to reconcile it.
When software becomes easier
A template is a practical start for one straightforward tenancy. Connected software becomes useful when you need recurring charges, partial payments, tenant/lease links, receipts, e-Transfer notification matching, and a history across several units.