Retainer tracking spreadsheet alternative
A retainer tracking spreadsheet can work for a while.
But it can become hard to keep up to date.
Retainer Tracker gives you a simple dashboard for retainer hours, cost, profit, margin, and status.
See also: client retainer tracker and retainer profitability dashboard.
Why people use spreadsheets for retainers
Spreadsheets are free, familiar, and flexible.
Most retainer trackers start as one tab in a sheet a founder built one weekend.
Where retainer spreadsheets break
- the data goes stale between months
- time is logged in another tool
- delivery cost is calculated by hand
- client status is only in the founder's head
- sharing it with the team creates more versions, not less
What Retainer Tracker shows instead
Retainer Tracker shows every retainer on one screen with hours, cost, profit, margin, and status.
You see which clients are over hours and which clients cost too much to service before the month is over.
Spreadsheet vs Retainer Tracker
| Task | Spreadsheet | Retainer Tracker |
|---|---|---|
| Track included hours | Manual | Built into each retainer |
| Track logged time | Manual | Dashboard view |
| Calculate delivery cost | Formula needed | Calculated for you |
| See client status | Manual check | On Track, Close to Limit, Losing Money |
| Review monthly profit | Manual | Dashboard summary |
When to move from a spreadsheet to Retainer Tracker
When you have more than 3 active retainers, when more than one person needs to see the numbers, or when you stop trusting your own sheet — it is time.
Ready to check your own retainers?
Track included hours, logged time, delivery cost, profit, and status in one simple dashboard.