EXPLAINED… Build your own personal budget spreadsheet
1 Choose a template
Launch Numbers. Choose New Document to show the Template Chooser. Use the categories on the left to navigate the templates, then click on one and press Create. We’ve chosen Personal Budget.
2 Add your budget figures
The Personal Budget template has two tabs: Budget and Transactions. We’ll start by adding data to the Budget column. For each category, type in the max figure you want to spend.
3 Delete template entries
Now, click on the Transactions tab. Select all the cells in the table by clicking and dragging over all the cells in the table and press the left arrow. We’ll use this table to log transactions.
4 Add transactions
Type details into the Date, Description, and Amount columns for each transaction. In the Categories column, click on the arrow that appears when you click on a cell and choose a category from the list.
5 Customize table style
You can change the way the budget table looks. Click on the table, then choose Format in the toolbar. Select the Table tab. Choose from one of the pre–existing styles or use the options.
6 Create a new category
In the Transactions tab, click in a cell in the Categories column. Choose Format > Cell. Under the list of items, press “+”. Type in the name of the category, then drag it into its place in the list.
7 Add the new category
Click on the Budget tab. Ctrl–click in the table, where the new category will go and choose Add Row Below. Type the category name into the Description column, and the amount into Budget.
8 Filter transactions
To see how much you’ve spent on Food, go to the Transactions tab, click the header of column C and click the arrow. Choose Quick Filter, then Food. Other categories will be hidden and you will only see those for Food.
9 Sort transactions
To list items according to how they’ve performed against budget, click in the table, then press Organize, and Sort Choose Sort Entire Table. Click Add a Column > Difference, then Ascending or Descending for the order.