For freelance interpreters
The calm back office for freelance interpreters.
Log assignments, create invoices, track mileage and expenses, and see where you stand. One spreadsheet for Excel or Google Sheets, with nothing to subscribe to.
Instant download · One-time price · Single-user license
| Date | Client | Type | Mode | Hours | Rate | Total | Paid? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8 | Sample Agency A | Medical | In-person | 2.50 | $50.00 | $145.00 | Yes |
| Sep 10 | Sample Agency A | Community | Phone | 2.00 | $50.00 | $100.00 | Yes |
| Sep 17 | Sample Hospital B | Medical | VRI / Video | 2.00 | $60.00 | $120.00 | No |
| Sep 24 | Sample Law Firm C | Legal | In-person | 4.50 | $80.00 | $395.00 | No |
Sample data shown. Grey cells calculate for you.
Everything in one file.
Eight tabs that work together, so you enter each assignment once.
Assignments log
Date, client, language pair, type, mode (in-person, phone, video), start and end times. Hours and fees calculate automatically.
Minimum blocks
Hourly, minimum-block or flat-fee billing per assignment, with defaults per client.
Printable invoice
Type an invoice number and the lines fill in from your log. Print it or save it as a PDF.
Mileage log
Odometer or typed miles, with one editable per-mile rate that you choose.
Expenses
Log expenses by category, using categories you can rename.
Summary
Monthly and quarterly totals, unpaid invoice aging, and a totals page to hand to your tax preparer.
Free
Start with the lite sheet.
An assignment log with automatic hours, fees, mileage and monthly totals. It is a complete little tracker on its own, free to use. If you outgrow it, the full kit is one click away.
Download free lite sheetSet up in ten minutes.
No add-ons, no macros, no logins.
Download
You get an .xlsx file right after checkout.
Open it
Excel opens it directly. For Google Sheets, use File › Import › Upload.
Make it yours
Enter your details and rates in Settings, clear the sample rows, and start logging.
Full kit
Interpreter Business Kit
$15one time
- 8-tab workbook (.xlsx) for Excel and Google Sheets
- Sample data to learn from, easy to clear
- Printable invoice generator
- Short how-to guide (PDF)
- Single-user license for your own business records
Digital download, delivered instantly. Please read the product description for the refund note before buying.
Free guides.
Plain-language checklists you can use with any spreadsheet.
Mileage log template
The columns to keep, habits that make the log reliable, and what to ask your tax preparer.
How to invoice as an interpreter
A checklist for assignment lines, minimum blocks, travel, payment terms and follow-up.
Income & expense tracker
How to organize billed, paid and spent in one simple workbook.
Questions
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the .xlsx with File › Import and choose to replace or insert sheets. We tested the full kit and the free sheet in Google Sheets: formulas, dropdowns, the invoice and the summary chart all worked. We have not tested the Google Sheets phone app, so we suggest setting the file up on a computer.
Do I need Excel?
No. Google Sheets and LibreOffice work too. The files are standard .xlsx workbooks with no macros. We built them for Excel as well, but our own testing was in Google Sheets and LibreOffice.
Will it tell me what I can deduct, or what mileage rate to use?
No. It does not give tax, legal or financial advice. You enter the per-mile rate you choose, and the summary tab gives you totals to share with your tax preparer, who can tell you what applies to you.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No. It is a file. Your data stays wherever you store the file. Keep client-identifying details out of it (use job reference numbers) and check your agency contracts for their rules.
Can I use it for translation or other freelance work?
It is designed around interpreting assignments (hourly, minimum-block and flat fees). Many people adapt spreadsheets to other work, but it is not designed for per-word translation billing.
Can I share it with colleagues?
The license is for one person’s own use. Please point colleagues to the free lite sheet or this page instead.
Who made this?
Local Shift, a small project that makes simple spreadsheet tools. We are not interpreters: we built this from how interpreters describe their billing, and we welcome feedback on what is missing. Questions: team.localshift@gmail.com
The Interpreter Business Kit is an organizing tool. It is not tax, legal or financial advice, and it makes no promise about income or results. Figures are only as accurate as the information you enter. Ask a qualified professional about taxes, contracts and legal questions.