Free Probation Tracker vs Spreadsheet: When Spreadsheets Become Risky

Most UK SMEs track probation in a spreadsheet. That works fine — until it doesn't. The same spreadsheet that's perfectly reasonable in February 2026 stops being reasonable once ERA 2025 starts on 1 January 2027. This guide is about where the line is.

Where Spreadsheets Stop Working

1. Edit history — most spreadsheets show "last edited", not "edited by whom on which date". 2. Sealing — nothing in a spreadsheet stops a later edit from looking identical to the original. 3. Named reviewer — the cell can say a name; it can't show that name actually wrote the entry. 4. Day count — manual day counters drift; nobody updates them when probation extends. 5. PDF export — spreadsheet PDFs don't look like ACAS-style review records.

What the Upgrade Buys You

• An automatic day counter that doesn't drift.
• Prompts at Day 150, Day 165, and Day 175 — before the threshold.
• ACAS-style review forms that look right to an auditor.
• A sealed PDF for every review, with a SHA-256 hash.
• An evidence ledger that shows the order of records and whether any entry was superseded.

Why £5/Month Is the Founding Price

ProbationWatch Pro is £5/month for the first wave of UK employers. It's a flat price for unlimited active employees and unlimited sealed records. The lower price is on purpose — we'd rather a UK SME use a real tracker than rely on a spreadsheet that won't hold up.

The free tier tracks up to 2 employees with no card required. Pro is £5/month, flat, for unlimited staff. Start free →

When a Spreadsheet Is Still Fine

• If you have one or two staff and nothing concerning is happening.
• If you have a separate dated record (e.g. a HR system) and the spreadsheet is just a reminder.
• If you can credibly show the spreadsheet hasn't been edited.

If two of those don't apply, the spreadsheet is now a risk. The cost of moving off it (in time, money, or migration pain) is genuinely small. The cost of relying on it through a contested dismissal is not.

Note: Every business is different. We are not your lawyer. Use this guide as one input — get legal advice if you're facing a specific decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a spreadsheet enough to track probation legally? There's no statutory requirement for a specific tracker. The question is whether the record holds up if challenged. Spreadsheets without edit history rarely do — but they are not banned.

When should I move from a spreadsheet to a probation tracker? When a probation might cross Day 182 with anything contested on the record. From January 2027, that's effectively every probation that runs the full six months.

Is ProbationWatch really free for 2 employees? Yes. The free tier is the full review workflow, capped at two active employees. No card, no contract, and the standard PDF export is included. Pro (£5/month) adds unlimited staff and the sealed PDF + evidence ledger.