What Can You Safely Customize or Change in the Excel Checkbook?

Customizing the Checkbook – What to Avoid

Please don’t change any of the following as it will break macros and/or break the reports and dashboard.

• Don’t rename the column headings in a register. Doing so will break the reports and dashboards due to Excel’s power query which is looking for the current column names.
• Don’t delete a column that you don’t want. This will also break the reports and dashboard. However, you can safely hide a few columns that you don’t plan to use. See notes below.
• Don’t add (insert) or re-arrange the columns in a register. For example, don’t move the Memo column to a different location. Doing so will break the macros like Split a Transaction, Future Transactions, Transfer, etc., as these macros assume the current column letters are not altered.
• Don’t delete a register worksheet. Doing so will break the reports and dashboard. However, you can safely hide an unused worksheet.
• It is possible to duplicate a register worksheet, but it is technically challenging due to how many steps you have to take (manual update of formulas and additions needed to other areas). See this video.

Customizing the Checkbook – What is Safe to Change

• You can safely rename the tabs (sheet names) at the bottom of the spreadsheet so they say something other than Register1, Register2. I recommend that you do so! Example: PNC Checking, Wells Fargo Savings. Tip: you might want to abbreviate these register names for ease of navigation.
• You can safely change colors and the fonts that are displayed. You can also add currency formatting.
• In a register, you can safely hide the following columns (just don’t delete them): Trx Type, Memo, Category, and Type. To hide a column, right-click on the column letter and choose “Hide”.
• You can insert (add) your own worksheets.
• You can safely copy (duplicate) some of the special worksheets. For example, you can safely duplicate the Dashboard sheet, the Reports sheet, the Subscriptions sheet, and the Future Transactions worksheet. In fact, I recommend that you duplicate the Reports worksheet if you want to customize the pivot table settings. In this way,
• You can customize the categories and sub-categories list. In the 2026 version, you can customize the Frequent Payees list.

If you have additional questions, please feel free to reach out.