Step-by-Step AllChinaBuy Sheet Setup Guide for Beginners

Before You Start: What You Will Need

Setting up your first AllChinaBuy sheet requires exactly three things: a free Google account for Google Sheets access, your most recent AllChinaBuy order invoice for reference data, and about 20 minutes of uninterrupted time. That is it. You do not need any spreadsheet experience, accounting knowledge, or special software. Google Sheets runs in any web browser on any device, and all the formulas we will build together are pre-tested and ready to copy-paste.

If you have multiple past orders handy, even better—having real data to populate your sheet from the start makes the setup feel immediately useful rather than abstract. But one recent invoice is enough to get going. Open a new Google Sheet, name it "AllChinaBuy Tracker," and let us build your tracking system from the ground up.

Step 1: Create Your Column Headers (3 minutes)

In Row 1 of your sheet, type these column headers exactly as listed: A1: Date, B1: Order ID, C1: Supplier, D1: Product Name, E1: Quantity, F1: Unit Price (CNY), G1: Total Product Cost, H1: Domestic Shipping, I1: Platform Fee, J1: International Shipping, K1: Customs Duty, L1: Other Fees, M1: Total Landed Cost, N1: Cost Per Unit, O1: Selling Price, P1: Profit Per Unit, Q1: Profit Margin %.

Freeze Row 1 so your headers stay visible as you scroll down by clicking View > Freeze > 1 row. Apply bold formatting to all headers and give them a light background color using the paint bucket tool. This small visual touch makes your sheet dramatically easier to read, especially when it grows to 50+ rows. Now your skeleton structure is complete—time to add the intelligence.

Step 2: Add Automated Formulas (8 minutes)

This is where your AllChinaBuy sheet becomes smart. In cell G2, enter the formula =E2*F2 to auto-calculate total product cost from quantity and unit price. In M2, enter =G2+H2+I2+J2+K2+L2 to sum all cost columns into total landed cost. In N2, enter =IF(E2>0,M2/E2,"") to calculate cost per unit, dividing total cost by quantity. In P2, enter =IF(O2>0,O2-N2,"") for profit per unit. In Q2, enter =IF(O2>0,(O2-N2)/O2,"") and format as percentage for profit margin.

For currency conversion, create a dedicated cell—say cell R1 labeled "CNY Rate"—and enter the current exchange rate. Then modify your Unit Price formula: =E2*(F2/$R$1) if your prices are in CNY and you want results in USD. The dollar signs in $R$1 create an absolute reference that stays fixed when you copy formulas down to new rows.

Step 3: Test With Real Data and Customize (9 minutes)

Enter your first real order into Row 2. Copy your formulas down through Row 20 using the fill handle (the small blue square at the bottom-right of a selected cell). Verify that every number makes sense—if your cost per unit seems off, trace backward through your formulas to find the issue. Better to catch errors now than after logging 50 orders.

Add conditional formatting to highlight important thresholds: select the Profit Margin column, go to Format > Conditional formatting, and set cells below 15% to red, 15-25% to yellow, and above 25% to green. This visual feedback transforms your sheet from a data repository into an active decision-making tool. You can spot unprofitable products at a glance without reading a single number. For more setup tips, check our Shopping Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions