Free PTO Tracker (Excel & Google Sheets)
What's in the free PTO tracker
The template is a compact workbook, not a single sheet: an Employees tab for up to 5 people, a Requests tab where you log each time-off request, and a Balances tab that pulls it together. Accrued PTO is calculated for each employee from the hire date and your monthly rate (the cell stays editable if you need to override it); the days taken column totals automatically from the requests you've logged, and Left subtracts one from the other.
It's built to be dropped into use immediately - no macros, no add-ins, no setup wizard. The sheets are protected so the formula cells can't be overwritten by accident; you type only in the input cells.
Formulas tested before you ever open the file
Every formula in this tracker — and every other file we publish — runs through a testing pass that checks the math against known scenarios in both the Excel and Google Sheets versions before it ships. That's the difference between a spreadsheet that just looks right and one where the numbers are actually correct.
The accrued figure, the taken total from the request log, the carryover cap and the remaining balance are all calculated, in both formats, every time.
What this free version doesn't do
This is the free tier of a bigger tool. It already calculates monthly accrual from each hire date, with tenure tiers (preset after 2 and 5 years, editable) and a capped carryover, but it covers the PTO policy only (sick and personal balances are not tracked), it's sized for 5 employees, and there is no dashboard.
If you need sick and personal policies alongside PTO, a roster of up to 30 employees, and a dashboard with an annual heatmap, that's what the paid version below is built for.
Who this PTO tracker is for
Small teams that already know their PTO numbers - from payroll, an HR system, or a notebook - and want a clean place to log requests and see balances without opening a subscription. If you track PTO for a handful of people under one policy, this workbook keeps the running totals for you.
It's not built for tracking separate sick and personal leave or for more than 5 employees — for that, see the paid version and the related trackers below.
How to use it
- List your employees (up to 5) in the Employees sheet.
- Enter each employee's hire date and carryover in the Employees sheet; accrued PTO appears in the Balances sheet automatically.
- Log each time-off request in the Requests sheet - taken days total automatically.
- Read the remaining balance in the Balances sheet; it updates as you log requests.
Formula cells are locked so a stray keystroke can't break the math; input cells stay editable. To change a formula or the layout in Excel, go to Review → Unprotect Sheet and enter the password tt.
Download the free PTO Tracker (Excel & Google Sheets)
The offers include our paid versions of the templates. Privacy
PTO & Leave Tracker — with Automatic Accrual
The free file already runs the accrual math for one editable PTO policy and 5 employees. The paid PTO & Leave Tracker ($19) adds sick and personal policies alongside PTO, goes up to 30 employees and adds an annual dashboard, with zero macros.
See the full versionTracking PTO for a whole team?
This sheet works for one person updating balances by hand. For a whole team requesting and approving time off online, LeaveSheet does it as a web app at $1.50 per employee per month.
See LeaveSheet — $1.50/employee/moFrequently asked questions
Can I use this PTO tracker in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the file to Google Drive and open it with File > Save as Google Sheets. The formulas carry over and keep working.
Is this template really free?
Yes. It's free to download, and then it's yours to use with no further cost.
Does it calculate PTO accrual automatically?
Yes. Balances computes each employee's accrued PTO from the hire date and the monthly rate you set, adds the tenure tiers (preset after 2 and 5 years, editable) and caps the carryover. The paid PTO & Leave Tracker adds sick and personal policies and goes up to 30 employees.
Does it track sick or personal leave separately?
No, this sheet tracks one PTO balance per employee. If you need separate banks for vacation, sick and personal days, see the vacation and sick time tracking spreadsheet linked below.
How many employees does it support?
The free workbook is sized for 5 employees with one editable PTO policy. The paid PTO & Leave Tracker extends this to 30 employees across three policies, and LeaveSheet is priced per active employee rather than sized to a fixed sheet.