General Information
If you recognize the need to track valuable data, but you don’t feel comfortable with Excel or realize your ways are time-consuming, these three trackers can help. They provide an easy, efficient way to track your data without wasting valuable time so you can focus on marketing and editing. I enjoyed building these; it was fun and a nice brain exercise (the only kind of exercising I like :p).
Special thanks to:
- Barbara Holten: caught coding bugs on all three trackers before launch and gave ideas to improve features
- Jennifer Bradshaw: tested the ability of an Excel newbie to understand and follow the instructions for the Project Data Tracker
- Tiffany White: tested the Business Finance Tracker and discovered compatibility issues with Mac so I could fix before launch
- Cassie Armstrong: edited my instruction pages (any errors remaining are mine as I added information after she edited them)
Short Message and Tap Dance from the Creator
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Business Finance Tracker
Features
You enter in your income and expenses, and the sheet automatically does the rest. ✔ Displays your gross and net for the month, quarter, and year
✔ Configures your quarterly taxes (or yearly, if you prefer)
✔ Categorizes your expenses
✔ Tracks your mileage
✔ Generates a yearly report with everything you need for your tax form and a list of itemized expenses for your records
✔ Tracks your total-to-date gross, net, taxes, and expenses
✔ Generates a new blank spreadsheet each year
✔ Records invoice fees automatically
At the start, you customize the name of your taxes, what you want withheld, your expense categories, mileage cost, which expense categories you don't want to itemize, and your invoice fees.
Watch the overview video to see what this tracker can do for you.
FREE with code Giveback
Reviews
Project Data Tracker
FREE with code Giveback
Features
Comprehensive program that tracks everything you need in one place. It comes in different versions depending on how you charge.
✔ Calculates your average hire rate
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Displays how often you were contacted and hired from a certain source
✔ Calculates your client's quote based on how you charge and time it took to complete the sample
✔ Tracks each project from start to finish
✔ Keeps track of deadlines
✔ Calculates your editing speed per word and per page for each project, the quarter, and the year
✔ Compares your estimated speed to actual speed
✔ *Calculates your EHR for each project, quarter, and year
✔ Tracks date you sent invoice and date it was paid
✔ Records client interactions, reminding you to take action if needed
*Not a necessary feature if you download the per hour workbook.
At the start, you customize what you charge/want to earn, what services you offer and what to track differently, your client interactions, the sources you get work from, the reasons you may not get hired, and the initial documents you need to start a project.
Reviews
List of Projects Tracker
Features
This workbook is great for responding to ads and for creating and updating your resume. ✔ Displays all finished projects to date
✔ Filters your projects to display only certain genres/materials and/or certain services.
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Configures how many projects you worked on for each material and each service (e.g., how many times you worked on a self-help book or how many times you worked as a copy editor or how many times you worked as a substantive editor.)
*You can also add hyperlinks to your projects.
At the start, you customize your drop-down menus for services you offer, materials you edit, and repeat clients.
Watch the overview video to see this workbook in action.
Reviews
Want to Give Back?
I built these workbooks as a thank you to all the generous editors on EAE and CE-L who have answered my many inquiries, helping me become a better editor. If you find these workbooks helpful and would like to thank me, feel free to give back in any of the ways listed below.
Donate
I do ask that you don't donate what you would fully pay for these workbooks so this can still remain a gift. But if you would like to donate a small sum for my efforts, feel free to do so here.
Provide Feedback
Everyone likes to receive feedback on their work. Let me know what features you like, how these trackers are helping you, and what I can do to improve them. I'd like to hear from you.
Leave a review »If you are having an issue with the program, please report it here.
Report a Bug »
Mentor a New Editor
Find someone who is just starting out, send them a PM, and offer to answer their questions directly for a while. If you live in their area, meet in person and offer encouragement. If you can, help them land their first client, and then direct them to be proactive in finding more on their own. While EAE and CE-L members are a sort of mentorship, it does help to have one person to turn to.
Offer your Talents
Think of your individual strengths and talents and ways you can use them to give back to a group of editors.
✔ Lead and create an accountability group with a few editors
✔ Create an ebook or product to help editors
✔ Contribute to your organization's newsletter
✔ Present at a conference
✔ Answer questions on EAE and CE-L