Advanced Gig Tracking

By Roger

Published January 2021

In March 2020, we shared a simple spreadsheet to help keep track of work, pay, and employers. It was a basic, straightforward record of what you did (if you used it).

Simple spreadsheets are easy to use & hard to ‘break’. The more complicated the sheet, the more finicky and the easier it is to get #ERROR messages. So we aimed for simplicity.

But a spreadsheet can do a lot more for you, and so I made a more advanced sheet to share. This one is very much like the one I use which I put together across several years, adding functions as I needed them. And, by ‘functions’, I mean formulas. 

A vitally important point to remember: consistency is key. Spreadsheets can be annoying sticklers for detail to the point that “State Theater” is different from “State Theatre.” Little variations will change how (or whether) your formulas work for you.

This sheet has 8 tabs. Each one does different things:

1. “Directions” is an attempt to help you understand the organizational logic at work.
2. “Calendar” is ready to use, with 65 dated lines. The logic is to have one work event per line. If you have more than one work call in a day, copy and insert that row, then adjust the information. Several notes will help remind you of how this sheet works.
3. “Pay” is a place to record all your paychecks & deductions. The yellow columns are the paystub items most of us are likely to use ALL THE TIME.  
4. “Employers” is a place to record the names & contact info of employers you work for. Each employer should appear once on this sheet. A key item here is “ID” which is used on the “Pay report” tab. For ease, this info should be used year to year – just copy the tab and move it to next year’s sheet.
5. “Pay Report” is for tax time and to gauge progress. Reading the notes on this tab is important. Big Deal: there should be one column for each employer in a year. Put the ID number (from “employers”) in the gold row & the formulas do the rest. There are directions for adding new columns. Do this carefully & the formulas will work.
6. “Rate by Venue” records your pay rate for each employer & each position. This is used on the calendar to estimate your earning. If you work for a flat fee, put the fee here. If you are hourly, put the rate here.
   If your rate changes mid-year, you _can_ change the rate (which will affect the entire calendar) or you _can_ insert a new row & add “State Theater New” with the new rate. It’s up to you.
7. “Training” lets you document any training you have & expiration dates. This tab is a ‘stand alone’ and is here for convenience. This tab should be copied year to year as well.
8. “Medical” lets you document any medical costs you have & helps you remember if you’ve been reimbursed. This tab is a ‘stand alone’ and is here for convenience.

Last Advice: Save a copy before making changes.  

The link below leads to a downloadable Google Docs spreadsheet. It should be okay for any platform or your phone. You really should be tracking basic things, for your own protection. Starting a New Year is a great time to get a handle on this part of your work life.