Free Borrowed Items Tracker Template
Use this free borrowed items tracker template to record what you lend or borrow, who the other person is and when the item is due back. Download the CSV for Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel or Apple Numbers, or print the blank log and keep it near the place where items change hands.
No form or email is required. The file includes two example rows that you can replace with your own loans.
Choose the format that fits your routine
A spreadsheet is useful when you want to search names, sort by a return date or share the current list with another person. It is also easy to keep old rows as a history after items come back.
Paper is better when lending happens at a workshop, equipment closet or front desk where a computer is not always open. Keep a pen with the sheet and choose one person to move completed pages into a folder.
Either format works if it is updated during the handoff. A perfect tracker that lives in a drawer is less useful than a plain sheet everyone remembers to use.
Open the CSV in Sheets, Excel or Numbers
Download the file first. This CSV contains column headings and two example rows, with no formulas, macros or hidden tabs.
Google Sheets
Create a blank sheet, choose File > Import, select Upload and choose the CSV. Import it as a new sheet. Rename the file, then share it only with people who help manage the items.
Microsoft Excel
Open Excel and choose File > Import, or open the downloaded CSV directly. Save it as an Excel workbook if you want filters, formatting or more than one sheet to persist.
Apple Numbers
In Numbers, choose File > Open and select the CSV. Check that dates appear the way you expect, then save it as a Numbers document before adding formatting.
What each column means
- Item
- Use a recognizable name and include important parts, such as a charger, case or lid.
- Lent to / Borrowed from
- Name the person on the other side of the handoff. Avoid adding contact details or private notes to a widely shared sheet.
- Direction (Lent/Borrowed)
- Choose “Lent” when your item went out and “Borrowed” when someone else's item came to you.
- Date out and Return by
- Use complete dates. In a spreadsheet, the YYYY-MM-DD format sorts cleanly and avoids confusion between month-first and day-first formats.
- Condition notes
- Record existing wear and the parts included. Keep the wording factual and short: “small dent on left side; cable included.”
- Returned on
- Leave this blank while the item is out. Fill it in only when the owner has the item and included parts back.
Set up the sheet so it stays easy to use
Freeze the header row so the column names remain visible as the list grows. Turn on a filter, then you can show only items marked Lent, only items marked Borrowed or the loans with a particular person. Keep one loan per row; putting several items in one cell makes sorting and closing a loan harder.
Enter dates the same way every time. The example file uses YYYY-MM-DD because it sorts correctly, but a consistent written format such as June 14, 2026 also works. Do not type “next week” or “Friday” into a permanent record, since that wording becomes unclear later.
If several people edit the file, agree that the person handling the item updates the row before the handoff ends. Avoid color as the only signal that something is late or returned; words and dates remain understandable when printed and for people who do not perceive every color the same way.
Keep the tracker focused on the loan. A name is usually enough to identify the other person. Store phone numbers, addresses and unrelated personal details somewhere more appropriate, especially when a club or household shares the sheet.
Printable lending and borrowing log
Print in landscape orientation. The printed sheet includes 15 blank rows.
| Item | Lent to / Borrowed from | Lent / Borrowed | Date out | Return by | Condition notes | Returned on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Keep the log current
Add the row while both people are present. Say the return plan out loud and let the other person see what you recorded. The companion guide on how to keep track of things you lend explains a reliable five-part handoff.
Review the open rows at a regular time, such as the start of each week. Send one helpful reminder before the agreed date. If a date changes, replace it with the new agreed date instead of relying on a message buried in a conversation.
When an item returns, check its parts and condition before filling in “Returned on.” Keep completed rows for useful history, or move them to an archive sheet so the active list stays short.
When reminders become hard to manage
A paper or spreadsheet tracker may be all you need. If you are repeatedly checking dates and writing follow-ups, LendLoop can keep the shared record and send return reminders. It is free on iPhone and the web. Share a loan link, and the recipient can open it on the web and sign in to accept.
Move the log out of your head
Track what you lend and borrow with friends, family and neighbors, with one record for both people.
Try LendLoop free