How to use your Karatasi templates

Welcome — you've just bought a template that's ready to use the moment you open it. This page walks you through opening the file, where to put your data, and how to get the most out of it.

1. Opening the file

Your template arrives as an Excel file (.xlsx) attached to your order email. You can open it in:

Microsoft Excel — best experience, full feature support
Google Sheets — upload the file to Drive, double-click to open. Most features work, but a few advanced ones may differ slightly
LibreOffice Calc — free alternative, works well
WPS Office — popular in Kenya, fully compatible
On your phone via the Microsoft Excel mobile app or Google Sheets app

Tip: Make a copy of the original file before you start editing. Save your working version with a name like "My Rental Tracker — 2026.xlsx". That way you always have a clean original to fall back on.

2. Understanding the colours

Most Karatasi templates use a colour code:

Cells with a light blue or yellow tint are inputs. These are where you type your numbers, dates, and text.
Cells with white or shaded backgrounds and bold text are formulas. These calculate automatically — don't overtype them or you'll break the model.
Headers at the top of each sheet explain what each column means.

3. Filling in your data

Most templates have a Setup or Inputs sheet at the start. Begin there. Fill in:

Your business name and details
The current month or financial year
Any reference numbers, tax PINs, or phone numbers

Then move to the main data sheets and start adding your transactions, tenants, employees, or whatever the template tracks.

4. Reading the dashboard

Every Karatasi template has a Dashboard or Summary sheet that pulls everything together. This is where you'll see your totals, KPIs, KRA tax due, and any flags or alerts.

Don't edit cells on the Dashboard — they're all formulas. If a number looks wrong, the issue is usually in your input data, not the dashboard itself.

5. Getting unstuck

If you see #REF!, #VALUE!, or #DIV/0! errors, you've usually deleted a row or column the formulas depend on. Press Ctrl+Z to undo, or open your backup copy and start over.

If something genuinely doesn't work as expected, reply to your order email or contact us via our contact page. Include a screenshot if possible.

6. Updates

When KRA changes a tax rate or a Finance Act passes, we update the affected templates and email you the new version automatically. See our updates policy for details.

7. Sharing with your team

Each template you buy is licensed for use by your business or household. You can use it on multiple devices, share it with your accountant, and back it up to the cloud. You can't, however, resell it or distribute copies as your own product.