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Log business trips and download an Excel file with the IRS rate applied and the deduction totalled.
A mileage log records every business journey you drive: the date, how far you went, where to and why. The Internal Revenue Service uses it to work out how much of your driving is deductible, at a rate per mile it sets each year.
| Date | Purpose | Destination | Miles | Rate (cents) | Deduction | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $34.95 | ||||||
| $12.69 | ||||||
| $83.60 | ||||||
| $9.42 |
Rates come from the Internal Revenue Service table, 18 periods back to 2011, last checked against irs.gov on 2026-08-24. Current business release: IR-2026-29.
Deduction
$140.66
Miles
188.1
Business rates used
2
The download is a real Excel workbook with three tabs, not a comma separated list with a spreadsheet extension. Every trip you entered is already in it.
1. Mileage log
One row per trip with Date, Purpose, Destination, Miles, Rate and Deduction, in the order you left them in above. Dates are real dates, so sorting and filtering work. The deduction on each row is a formula, not a pasted number.
2. Summary
One row per rate you actually used, each totalled with a SUMIF that reads the log tab. A log spanning 1 July 2026 shows 72.5 cents and 76 cents on separate lines, which is what a return needs.
3. Log details
The log name, the driver, the vehicle, how many trips it covers, the rates used and the date it was generated. This is the part an accountant asks for after the fact.
Header rows are bold on a yellow fill, the header row stays frozen while you scroll, and the column widths are set so nothing arrives as a row of hash symbols.
| Rate | Formula in the file | Miles | Deduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72.5 cents | =SUMIF('Mileage log'!E:E,A2,...) | 65.7 | $47.64 |
| 76 cents | =SUMIF('Mileage log'!E:E,A3,...) | 122.4 | $93.02 |
| Total | =SUM(C2:C3) | 188.1 | $140.66 |
These are the formulas the workbook actually contains. A log that spans 1 July 2026 lists both rates, because each trip is deductible at the rate in force on its date.
Excel
Double click the download. If Excel shows a yellow protected view bar, click Enable Editing so the formulas calculate.
Google Sheets
Upload it to Drive and open it, or use File then Import then Upload inside an existing sheet. Formatting and formulas both carry across.
Numbers on a Mac
Open it directly. Numbers converts the workbook and keeps the totals working, though the yellow header fill may shift slightly.
Formula
Deduction = miles x rate for that date | Rate = 72.5 cents to 30 June 2026, 76 cents from 1 July 2026Miles = Distance driven for business on that trip, excluding commuting
Rate = The IRS business standard mileage rate in force on the date of the trip
SUMIF = Adds only the rows matching one rate, which is how the summary splits a log across the July change
Worked Example
A log either side of the rate change
Did you know? The Internal Revenue Service raised the business standard mileage rate partway through 2026, from 72.5 cents to 76 cents on 1 July, citing fuel costs. Mid-year changes are rare, and a log that applies one rate to the whole year overstates or understates the claim, which is why the rate here follows the date of each trip.
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