The Ultimate Free Excel Template for Dental Lab Case Tracking

Why We Built This Free Template

We talk to dental lab owners every week. The #1 complaint? "I'm paying $250/month for software I barely use."

So we asked ourselves: what if there was a simpler way? Something that works, costs nothing, and doesn't require a PhD to set up?

That's why we created the SimpleLabOS Free Case Tracker Template: a spreadsheet template (CSV) that opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers and covers the basics a small lab needs.

What's Included in the Template

• Case Tracking: Case ID, patient name, doctor, case type, material, teeth and due date
• Priority: Normal, Rush or Urgent
• Status: Inbox → Design → Production → QC → Ready → Shipped
• Price: Keep track of each case's price for invoicing
• Notes: Shade, special instructions, anything the Rx says
• Sample rows so you can see how a crown, a bridge and a veneer case are filled in

How to Get the Template

We've made it completely free. No email signup required. No hidden catches.

👉 Download Free Template Here

Just enter your lab name (optional, for branding), and click Download.

Set It Up in 10 Minutes

A raw spreadsheet becomes a usable case board with a few built-in features. These steps work in both Excel and Google Sheets.

1. Delete the sample rows and the tip rows at the bottom, then save as .xlsx (Excel) or import into Google Sheets.
2. Freeze the header row (View → Freeze → 1 row) so the column names stay visible as the list grows.
3. Turn on filters (Data → Filter / Create a filter). Now you can show one doctor's cases, or only Rush cases, in two clicks.
4. Add dropdowns for Status, Priority and Case Type (Data → Data validation, list of items). Dropdowns stop "QC", "Q.C." and "qc" from becoming three different statuses.
5. Highlight overdue cases. Add a conditional-formatting rule on the Due Date column that turns the cell red when the date is before today and the status isn't Shipped. Use "custom formula" as the rule type and combine two checks with AND(): the due date is less than TODAY(), and the status cell is not "Shipped".
6. Sort by due date every morning, so the bench works on what is due first.

Use It for Month-End Billing

Because every case carries a doctor, a status and a price, the same sheet can total your month:

• Add a "Shipped Date" column and fill it in when a case goes out.
• Use a pivot table (Insert → Pivot table) with Doctor as rows and the sum of Price as values, filtered to Shipped cases in that month. That is each doctor's statement total.
• Or use SUMIFS on Price by doctor and shipped-date range if you prefer formulas.

Need a proper invoice for a doctor? Our free invoice generator makes a PDF without an account.

Tips That Keep a Spreadsheet Working

• One row per case, never per tooth. Put all the teeth for a case in one cell (for example "8,9" or "18-20").
• One sheet, one owner. If two people edit a copy of the file, you will end up with two versions of the truth. Google Sheets avoids this better than an emailed Excel file.
• Never delete shipped cases. Filter them out instead; you will need them for remakes, warranty claims and billing questions.
• Back it up. A spreadsheet on one PC is one spilled coffee away from gone.

When Spreadsheets Aren't Enough

This template is great for getting organised. But here's the truth: spreadsheets can't do everything.

• They can't turn an incoming case email into a row for you.
• They can't give a doctor a QR code to upload photos straight to the case.
• They can't create the invoice automatically when a case ships, or let the doctor pay it online.
• They don't show you who changed what, which matters when a case goes wrong.

Most labs feel this at around 15 to 20 open cases, or when a second person starts updating the sheet. For a fuller comparison, read Excel vs dental lab software and free vs paid dental lab software. If you are also moving off paper tickets, see what running a paperless lab looks like.

If you ever outgrow the template, SimpleLabOS is here, starting at just $29/month. Think of it as this template, but with superpowers.