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How to Automate Portfolio Rebalancing in Google Sheets (Free Template)

#googlesheets #excel #finance #investing

The Problem

Every retail investor knows they should rebalance their portfolio periodically. But when you have 5+ positions across stocks, bonds, and ETFs — the math gets tedious fast. You end up either skipping rebalances entirely or doing them sporadically with rough estimates.

The Solution: A Smart Rebalancing Spreadsheet

I built a Google Sheets template that does all the calculation work for you. Here's how it works:

How It Works

  1. Set Your Targets — Enter what percentage of your portfolio each asset should represent
  2. Enter Your Holdings — Input current shares and prices
  3. Get Recommendations — The sheet calculates:
    • Current allocation percentage for each position
    • Drift from target (how far off you are)
    • Whether to buy, sell, or hold
    • Exact dollar amounts and share counts to trade

Key Formulas You Can Steal

The core rebalancing logic uses just a few spreadsheet formulas:

  • Current allocation: =CurrentValue/SUM(TotalPortfolio)
  • Drift: =CurrentAllocation - TargetAllocation
  • Action: =IF(Drift>1%,"SELL",IF(Drift<-1%,"BUY","HOLD"))
  • Trade amount: =(TargetAlloc * TotalPortfolio) - CurrentValue

Why This Matters

Systematic rebalancing:

  • Reduces risk by maintaining your target risk profile
  • Forces you to buy low and sell high automatically
  • Removes emotional decision-making
  • Takes 5 minutes instead of 30+ minutes of manual calculation

Get the Template

I've packaged this into a ready-to-use Google Sheets template. It includes:

  • Pre-filled example portfolio (VTI, BND, VXUS, GLD)
  • All formulas pre-built and tested
  • Transaction log with buy/sell tracking
  • Performance dashboard with ROI calculation
  • Step-by-step instructions

Get the Portfolio Rebalancing Tool — Google Sheets - $25

Even if you don't buy the template, try the formulas above — they'll save you hours of manual work. But if you want a polished, ready-to-use version with all the bells and whistles, grab the template and start rebalancing in 5 minutes today.

P.S. I'm releasing more investor tools every month. Follow for spreadsheets that actually make you money by keeping you disciplined.

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