Childminder spreadsheet: run your business from one Excel file

The Childminder Business Management System is an all-in-one childminder spreadsheet for childminders. Log every job or sale, chase unpaid invoices, run your stock take, plan the rota, keep on top of daily checks, certificates and risk assessments, and see your profit on a live dashboard. It costs £15 once, with no subscription and no app, so you keep your own data in a file you already know how to use.

Why childminders choose a spreadsheet over an app

• One-off £15, not a monthly fee
• Works offline in Excel you already own, or in Excel online with your team
• Your data stays in your file, not on someone else's platform
• Fully editable: add your own checks, stock items, hazards and categories

Built for childminders

• Daily, weekly and monthly checks: adult to child ratios within registration, attendance register with arrival and collection times, only authorised adults collect children, home safety check: gates, sockets, hazards, food prepared safely and allergies checked and more, each showing Up to date, Due soon or Overdue.
• Compliance register with renewal reminders: registration with the childcare regulator, paediatric first aid certificate, safeguarding training, staff background checks, childcare public liability insurance, plus vehicle insurance and roadworthiness test, policies reviewed (safeguarding, behaviour, complaints), food hygiene training and more.
• Risk assessment template: 7 pre-filled hazards with likelihood × severity scoring, Low/Medium/High ratings, controls and 12-month review dates.
• Stock take spreadsheet: pre-loaded with nappies and wipes, snacks and meals, craft and activity supplies, cleaning chemicals and more, showing usage, stock value and reorder alerts.
• Staff rota template: weekly shifts, hours and wage cost.
• Operations tracker: session type, childcare hours, revenue, costs and gross profit on every line, with "next contract / funding review" reminders.
• Key figures for your trade: average revenue per family, childcare hours sold, revenue per hour, activities & other % of revenue.

Money and admin, done for you

• Sales and VAT: net, tax and gross on every sale, at your own tax rate
• Invoice tracker: Paid, Open and Overdue status, with days overdue
• Debtors report: aged debt (1–30, 31–60, 61–90, 90+ days) and a "chase these first" list
• 12-week cash flow forecast with shortfall warnings
• Quarterly VAT summary: tax charged, tax reclaimable, net to pay
• Profit and loss: yearly and month by month, plus budget vs actual
• Pricing calculator for your target margin
• Expenses, staff hours, customers, suppliers, assets and maintenance logs

Dashboard

A one-page dashboard with income, costs, net profit, margin, unpaid and overdue invoices, industry key figures, reminders, cash position, a compliance score (checks up to date, certificates in date, high risks, items to reorder) and month-by-month charts.

Works for you, wherever you are

• 5 languages: English, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
• 25 countries and currencies, for example £, €, $, ¥, kr and R$, with the symbol in the right place
• Excel 2016+, Microsoft 365, Excel for Mac and Excel online. No macros.
• Formulas protected against accidental changes, and you can unprotect with no password

What you get

• Childminder Business Management System (.xlsx), 24 working sheets
• Example data to show how it works, easy to delete
• Start Here guide inside the workbook

Read the full guide: Becoming a childminder

FAQ

Is this a one-off payment? Yes. It costs £15 once. There is no subscription, no app to install and no monthly fee. You keep the Excel file and all of your data.

Does it work in Excel for Mac, Excel online and Microsoft 365? Yes. It works in Excel 2016 or later on Windows and Mac, and in Excel for the web. Save it to OneDrive or SharePoint and your team can edit it at the same time.

Can I use it outside the UK? Yes. Choose from 25 countries and the currency symbol updates everywhere. Labels, lists and results switch between English, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese.

Does it calculate VAT? Yes. Set your VAT, GST or sales tax rate and it works out tax on every sale, plus a quarterly summary of tax charged, tax reclaimable and net tax to pay. Always check figures with your accountant before filing.

What checks and records are included? 12 ready-made checks such as adult to child ratios within registration and attendance register with arrival and collection times, a compliance register with renewal reminders, 7 pre-filled risk assessments, a weekly rota and a stock take. You can edit or add your own.

Is there example data? Yes. Example rows show how everything works and fill the dashboard. They are marked 'Example' so you can delete them before you start.