Import Your Excel Depreciation Schedule and Get Book Values Instantly

By Gregg Hopfeldt · 2025-05-19

Importing an existing depreciation schedule into Simple Fixed Assets converts spreadsheet data into opening depreciation and book values, producing a defensible ledger where every value traces to a verified source. If you've never maintained depreciation, then this is your cheat code...we'll calculate depreciation for all the years you've missed and give your accumulated depreciation and book value at the start of the year.

Why import an existing depreciation schedule?

An imported schedule carries forward the accumulated depreciation you have already calculated, preserving historical accuracy while locking future calculations into governed, repeatable logic. The result is a register that reflects your prior work without requiring row-by-row re-entry or manual reconciliation.

The logic

Simple Fixed Assets derives book values from three core inputs: cost, accumulated depreciation, and configured depreciation rates. The formula is straightforward:

Book Value = Cost − Accumulated Depreciation

When you import a schedule that already contains cost and accumulated depreciation, the system accepts these values and produces the current book value immediately. For ongoing depreciation, the register applies your configured rate and method:

  • Straight Line: Annual depreciation = Cost × Rate

  • Diminishing/Reducing Balance: Annual depreciation = Opening Book Value × Rate

Monthly depreciation divides the annual amount by twelve. When you later adjust rates or methods, historical depreciation remains untouched—new settings apply to future periods only. This separation prevents formula drift while allowing legitimate policy changes.

Before import, confirm your depreciation rates and methods are configured for each category. The register validates incoming rows against these settings.

Founder's note

At 11 PM on the night before an audit, a copied row inherits a broken formula. A rate change applied to half the assets but not the rest. A filter hides six rows that should have been included in the total. The spreadsheet looks correct at a glance, but the underlying logic has drifted. This is not a failure of effort. It is the natural limit of a flexible calculation tool asked to serve as a governed document. Simple Fixed Assets exists to lock that logic down before the drift becomes a liability.

From spreadsheet to defensible register

An Excel depreciation schedule is a reliable starting point. It reflects your accumulated work, your rate assumptions, and your historical calculations. What it cannot provide is enforcement. A spreadsheet permits inconsistent rates, manual overrides, and untraceable edits. Simple Fixed Assets accepts your schedule as input, then converts it into a governed register where depreciation follows configured rules rather than cell-by-cell formulas. The logic that once lived in scattered formulas becomes locked into the register.

The steps

Prepare your Excel schedule for import

  1. Open your existing depreciation schedule in Excel.

  2. Confirm these columns are present: asset name, category, purchase date, cost, and accumulated depreciation.

  3. Apply a single date format throughout the file.

  4. Remove blank rows and check for duplicate asset names.

  5. Verify that each category matches a category configured in your register. Mismatched categories produce incorrect depreciation.

  6. Save the file as CSV format. Simple Fixed Assets imports CSV files with column mapping.

Import the schedule

  1. Open your Fixed Asset Register.

  2. Select Import CSV from the toolbar.

  3. Choose your prepared CSV file.

  4. Map each column to the matching register field. Columns for cost and accumulated depreciation map directly to opening values.

  5. Review the preview and validation results. Rows with missing required fields or category mismatches are flagged.

  6. Import the rows that pass validation.

Verify the result

  1. Scan the register for assets placed in the wrong category.

  2. Confirm that book values display correctly for each imported asset.

  3. Use filters to isolate categories and review depreciation calculations.

  4. Export the register to create a verified backup. See Export your fixed asset register.

The outcome

A sharp, clear ledger with zero ghost assets. Every value traces to a configured source. Opening depreciation and book values reflect your prior calculations, while future depreciation follows governed, repeatable logic. The register is stable, consistent, and audit-ready—quietly confident in its accuracy without requiring last-minute correction.

After import, continue with Review Depreciation Schedules for Audit Readiness to confirm your schedules remain defensible throughout the year. At year-end, use Roll over to a new financial year to close the period and carry opening balances forward.

For the practical steps, see our help guide on importing your existing spreadsheet.

Stay Depreciated,

Gregg