Free template
Fixed asset register template
Keep a list of the business's long-lived assets in one place, and let the template work out straight-line depreciation to any as-of date: monthly charge, months in service, accumulated depreciation and net book value.
Download the template
Download the fixed asset register template .xlsx
What’s in the workbook
- As-of date, and up to 150 assets: ID, description, category, location, in-service date, cost, salvage value and useful life
- Monthly straight-line depreciation, months in service (full-month convention), accumulated depreciation and net book value
- Disposal date and proceeds; depreciation stops in the month of disposal
- Totals for cost, salvage, accumulated depreciation and net book value
Blue cells are inputs. Formulas recalculate in Excel, Google Sheets and LibreOffice. The sample data below is already filled in so you can see how it works; replace it with your own.
What the sample looks like
| ID | Asset | In service | Cost | Monthly | Months | Accumulated | Net book value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FA-001 | Laptops (6) | 2026-01-15 | 9,000.00 | 250.00 | 10 | 2,500.00 | 6,500.00 |
| FA-002 | Office furniture | 2025-07-01 | 14,500.00 | 166.67 | 16 | 2,666.72 | 11,833.28 |
| FA-003 | Delivery van | 2024-03-01 | 42,000.00 | 600.00 | 32 | 19,200.00 | 22,800.00 |
| FA-004 | Build-out of leased space | 2025-01-01 | 36,000.00 | 300.00 | 22 | 6,600.00 | 29,400.00 |
| FA-005 | Network equipment | 2026-06-01 | 4,800.00 | 80.00 | 5 | 400.00 | 4,400.00 |
| FA-006 | Forklift | 2023-10-01 | 28,000.00 | 260.42 | 37 | 9,635.54 | 18,364.46 |
| Totals | 134,300.00 | 41,002.26 | 93,297.74 |
How to keep the register
Record each asset when it goes into service
Tag it with an ID, note where it is and who uses it, and record the full cost: price plus delivery, installation and setup.
Set the life and salvage value
Use your accounting policy for each category. The template depreciates on a straight line from the month the asset is placed in service.
Agree the register to the ledger
Total cost and accumulated depreciation should equal the fixed asset and accumulated depreciation accounts.
Count the assets
Check that the items listed still exist and are in use; record disposals with the date and proceeds.
Capitalize or expense?
Most businesses set a capitalization threshold: items below it are expensed when bought. For federal taxes, the IRS de minimis safe harbor lets a business with an applicable financial statement deduct tangible property costing up to $5,000 per invoice or item, and a business without one up to $2,500, if it elects the safe harbor.
Book depreciation in the register is usually different from tax depreciation. For the tax schedule, use the MACRS depreciation calculator and the section 179 calculator; for one asset's book schedule, the straight-line depreciation calculator.
Fixed asset register template: questions
- What is a fixed asset register?
- A detailed list of a business's property and equipment, with each item's cost, date placed in service, useful life, depreciation to date and location. It supports the fixed asset balances in the general ledger.
- Why does depreciation start in the month the asset goes into service?
- The template uses the full-month convention: an asset placed in service on any day of a month gets that whole month's depreciation. Other conventions, such as mid-month or half-year, are also used; follow your policy.
- What happens when an asset is sold?
- Enter the disposal date and proceeds. Depreciation stops, and the gain or loss is the proceeds minus net book value at that date. Remove the asset's cost and accumulated depreciation from the ledger.
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Sources
Official documents read on November 5, 2026. Vendor facts are sourced on each listing.