How to Keep Track of Expenses: Digital Expense Tracker

By Branden Bodendorfer  |  Published February 26, 2021

Quick Answer

The Digital Expense Tracker is a Key2Success tile that lets you log and review expenses directly inside your OneNote planner, keeping budget tracking in the same notebook as your daily and monthly planning instead of a separate app.

Tracking expenses usually means opening a separate budgeting app or spreadsheet. The Digital Expense Tracker tile keeps it inside the same OneNote notebook you're already using for planning.

In this video I walk through setting up the tile, logging sample expenses, and reviewing them against a simple monthly budget, all inside OneNote using the same tools you already use for daily planning.

By the end you'll know how to install this tile and start tracking your own expenses without adding another app to your routine.

Video Transcript
Branden Bodendorfer demonstrates the Digital Expense Tracker tile, showing how to log expenses and review them against a budget directly inside a OneNote planner notebook.

A digital expense tracker works best when logging a purchase takes seconds, not minutes, because the moment it becomes a chore you'll stop doing it consistently. Setting up simple categories ahead of time, then just tapping the right one when you spend, keeps a digital expense tracker light enough to actually stick with day after day. The categories matter less than the habit of logging every purchase the same day it happens. For more on building sustainable budgeting habits, see NerdWallet's guide to budgeting basics. Most people see clearer spending patterns within the first month of consistent tracking.

Digital expense tracker page layout for logging purchases

Digital Expense Tracker: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Digital Expense Tracker tile?

It's a Key2Success planner tile that lets you log and review expenses directly inside your OneNote notebook.

Do I need accounting software alongside this tracker?

For basic personal or small business expense tracking, no. For full accounting and tax purposes, you'll still want dedicated accounting software.

Can I customize the categories in the expense tracker?

Yes, the tile is a template you can adjust to match your own expense categories and budget structure.

Does the Digital Expense Tracker sync across devices?

Yes, since it's built inside OneNote, it syncs the same way your notebook does across desktop, tablet, and mobile.

Is this tracker better than a spreadsheet?

It's not necessarily more powerful than a spreadsheet, but it keeps expense tracking in the same place as your planning, which cuts down on switching apps.

Set Up Your Expense Tracker

  1. Install the Digital Expense Tracker tile in your planner notebook.
  2. Log your last five expenses as a test.
  3. Set a weekly reminder to update the tracker.

Get the Digital Expense Tracker Tile

Add expense tracking to your Key2Success Planner and keep your budget in the same notebook as your plans.

Shop Key2Success Tiles

About Branden Bodendorfer

Branden Bodendorfer is the creator of the Key2Success Planner and a productivity coach who has spent over a decade testing digital planning tools, from OneNote and GoodNotes to reMarkable and Samsung Notes. He builds and tests every workflow himself before teaching it.