Schedule C starter categories (free Excel checklist)

Before you fill an expense log, pick a short list of Schedule C–style labels you will reuse all year. Yellowcell’s free starter is a one-sheet category checklist — not a full books system — so you stop inventing a new bucket for every receipt.

What the free starter is for

18 common freelancer-friendly expense labels with rough Schedule C line references
Yellow Use? and Your notes columns so you mark what applies to your trade
A frozen list you copy into your expense log (or keep open beside it)
No macros, no signup — open the .xlsx and edit

It does not replace a running expense register, mileage log, or invoice. Those are separate sheets (free or in the kit).

Line numbers and labels are for record-keeping convenience only. They are not filing instructions or tax advice. Confirm deductible treatment with IRS.gov or a preparer.

How to use it in five minutes

Download the free Schedule C starter magnet
Check Use? for categories you actually spend on
Add a short note for edge cases (e.g. phone: business % method)
Copy the kept labels into your expense log’s category list or data-validation source
Keep mileage in a separate trip log — not mixed into every gas receipt

Get the free files

Yellowcell’s free magnet lives on this site. The shop’s main Gumroad free product is the 2026 IRS mileage log (date-aware July 1 split). Pair both if you track receipts and miles.

Free Schedule C starter Direct .xlsx download Gumroad free mileage

All free downloads · Free expense log · Expense categories deep-dive