You want to know, on any day, how much is in the maintenance and emergency fund, where every pound that left it went, and how much to collect each month so the money for painting or the elevator is there when its time comes. The free reserve and emergency fund sheet answers these from two tables you fill in: the movements and the projects.
The problem it solves
An owners' association fund lives between small repeated costs and big items that arrive once every few years, all at once. The fund is usually kept in a notebook or WhatsApp messages, so the balance is hard to state precisely and it is hard to show an owner why a particular amount was withdrawn. Worse, an old elevator gives no warning; if the fund is short when it breaks, a large sum must be collected from every owner within a week. The sheet puts the balance and the plan on one page.
How it works, step by step
- In Settings, write today's date, the fund's opening balance, the monthly contribution set aside for it, and a safe minimum balance.
- In Movements, record each deposit and withdrawal with its date, type, statement, amount, source or beneficiary, and decision or receipt number. Enter them in date order.
- In Projects, write each big maintenance project you plan: its estimated cost, target year and the amount you have earmarked for it.
- Open Summary to see the balance, whether the contribution is enough, and how much of the balance is not earmarked for any project.
What each sheet gives you
- Settings: today's date (type =TODAY() to keep it current), opening balance, monthly contribution and safe minimum.
- Movements: the effect on the balance and the running balance after each line, with the opening and current balance at the top. Withdrawals are shaded yellow and a balance below the minimum turns red.
- Projects: months left, amount still to collect, amount needed per month, the share saved, and a status: collecting, past due or complete.
- Summary: total deposits and withdrawals, current balance, project cost, saved, monthly need and the monthly gap, and how much of the projects' cost the balance covers.
Walk-through with the sample sheet
Everything below comes from the sample sheet for an imaginary building, not from a real association. The fund opens at 120,000 pounds, with 11 deposits totalling 241,000 and 4 withdrawals totalling 49,000 (a water pump, an urgent elevator repair, cameras and a tank leak). The current balance is 312,000, above the safe minimum of 50,000.
The Projects sheet holds six items with a combined estimate of 1,165,000. Take facade painting: 180,000, target 2027, with 40,000 earmarked. Today in the sheet is 1 November 2026, so 14 months remain, 140,000 is still to collect, and the monthly need is 10,000. The elevator replacement (650,000, 2030) needs 12,400 a month. The water tank (90,000, 2026) needs 15,000 a month because only two months remain, and roof waterproofing needs 4,000. Drain pipes were targeted for 2025, so they show "past due", and the emergency generator is complete.
The monthly need totals 41,400 against a 24,000 contribution, a monthly gap of 17,400, and the Summary warns that the contribution is not enough. 216,000 is earmarked, leaving 96,000 not allocated, and the balance covers about 26.8% of the projects' cost.
Why it matters
- Transparency: every withdrawal carries a decision or receipt number, so you can answer an owner quickly.
- Planning before emergencies: you see the monthly amount needed today rather than being surprised when something big fails.
- Decisions backed by a number: if there is a monthly gap, you know its size before proposing a contribution increase to the owners' meeting.
- Priorities stay visible: a project that is past due or close does not get lost among the rest.
The online version
The online version opens on the same example. Edit any white cell and watch the results change, add a movement or a project with a form instead of typing in the grid, and import or export an xlsx file. Your data stays in your browser and no account is needed. To track more of the money flow, try the cash book or the expenses and budget sheet.
Who it suits
The treasurer of a building or small compound association who wants an exact balance and a plan for the big items without complicated software. If the association grows, several people record into the fund, or you need permissions and reports your own way, Softwiro can build custom software: contact us. The template does not replace the association's official books and documents.