What to Track in Your AllChinaBuy Spreadsheet: The Complete Field Guide
Know exactly which data points to log in your allchinabuy spreadsheet. Missing these fields leads to lost orders and surprise fees.
Download the Field Guide TemplateA half-built allchinabuy spreadsheet is worse than no spreadsheet at all. It gives false confidence while hiding critical gaps. This field guide lists every data point worth tracking, explains why each matters, and tells you which ones are optional versus essential. Use it as a checklist when building or auditing your order tracker.
Essential Fields: Never Skip These
Order ID, Seller Name, Item Description, Item Price, Shipping Cost, Total Cost, Tracking Number, and Status are non-negotiable. Without these eight fields, you cannot identify an order, know what you paid, or determine where it is. Every other field builds on this foundation.
The Total Cost field is particularly critical. Many buyers log the item price but forget shipping and fees, then wonder why their bank balance is lower than expected. Always include the all-in number.
Important Fields: Track When Possible
Date Ordered, Shipping Method, Declared Value, Customs Status, Seller Rating, and Notes fall into the important category. You can operate without them, but tracking becomes significantly harder. Date Ordered powers automated aging alerts. Shipping Method enables cost comparison over time. Notes capture verbal agreements and special instructions that no other field handles.
Seller Rating is especially valuable for repeat buyers. After three orders with the same seller, you have enough data to rate reliability, communication speed, and item accuracy. This personal database prevents you from reordering from bad vendors.
| Field | Priority | Why It Matters | When to Skip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order ID | Essential | Unique identifier for disputes | Never |
| Seller Name | Essential | Groups orders by vendor | Never |
| Item Price | Essential | Core cost component | Never |
| Shipping Cost | Essential | Often equals item price | Never |
| Tracking Number | Essential | Enables delivery tracking | Never |
| Status | Essential | Tells you what needs action | Never |
| Date Ordered | Important | Calculates delays automatically | Casual buyers |
| Shipping Method | Important | Compares carrier costs | Single carrier |
| Seller Rating | Important | Builds vendor database | One-time buyers |
| Notes | Important | Captures non-standard details | Simple orders |
Optional Fields: Add as Needed
Category, Resale Price, Profit Margin, Group Buy Members, and Payment Method are optional. Add them only when your volume or business model justifies the extra columns. Resellers obviously need Resale Price and Profit Margin. Group buyers need the Members field. Payment Method helps when disputes arise, but most buyers can look it up in their payment app history.
Avoid the temptation to track everything. Every additional column increases data entry time and reduces the chance you will actually maintain the sheet. Start with essentials, add important fields after two weeks of use, and only then consider optional additions.
Fields That Seem Useful But Are Not
Some buyers track package dimensions, weight, and exact dimensions. Unless you are calculating shipping costs in advance — which most spreadsheet users do not do — these numbers add noise without value. Similarly, detailed product specifications like material, exact color hex codes, and manufacturing dates rarely matter once the item arrives and you verify it visually.
Buyer sentiment fields like "Excitement Level" or "Priority Ranking" are fun for the first week, then abandoned. Track only objective, verifiable data that helps you make decisions or solve problems.
Pro Tips
- 1If you cannot explain in one sentence why a field exists, delete it.
- 2Use dropdown lists for Status and Shipping Method to prevent inconsistent text entries.
- 3Log the declared value separately from the actual price. Customs offices use the declared value, not what you actually paid.
