SampattiTrackTo track a mutual fund SIP properly, record every instalment with its date, amount, NAV and units, value the units at the latest NAV, and measure the result with XIRR rather than a simple percentage gain. A SIP puts money in on many dates, so each instalment has been invested for a different time, and only a dated measure reflects that.
What to record for every instalment
A SIP return can only be as accurate as the records behind it. For each instalment you need four things: the date, the amount, the NAV applied and the units allotted. NAV (net asset value) is the price of one fund unit, and units equal the amount divided by the NAV. At a NAV of ₹40, an instalment of ₹5,000 buys 125 units.
Dates and NAVs matter more than most people expect. The units are allotted at the NAV of the applicable day, which can be a day or more after the money leaves your bank. Copy the figures from your fund house or consolidated account statement instead of estimating them. Fund units are usually allotted to three decimal places, which is why the example below has fractional units.
The current value is total units multiplied by the latest NAV. What you paid is a separate number. Keeping the two apart lets you see both what the holding is worth today and what it cost you.
A worked example: twelve monthly instalments
You invest ₹5,000 on the 5th of every month through 2025. We value the holding on 5 January 2026, when the NAV is ₹50.00. The NAVs are made up for illustration.
| Date | NAV | Amount | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan 2025 | ₹40.00 | ₹5,000 | 125.000 |
| 5 Feb 2025 | ₹41.50 | ₹5,000 | 120.482 |
| 5 Mar 2025 | ₹38.00 | ₹5,000 | 131.579 |
| 5 Apr 2025 | ₹36.50 | ₹5,000 | 136.986 |
| 5 May 2025 | ₹39.00 | ₹5,000 | 128.205 |
| 5 Jun 2025 | ₹42.00 | ₹5,000 | 119.048 |
| 5 Jul 2025 | ₹44.50 | ₹5,000 | 112.360 |
| 5 Aug 2025 | ₹43.00 | ₹5,000 | 116.279 |
| 5 Sep 2025 | ₹45.00 | ₹5,000 | 111.111 |
| 5 Oct 2025 | ₹47.50 | ₹5,000 | 105.263 |
| 5 Nov 2025 | ₹46.00 | ₹5,000 | 108.696 |
| 5 Dec 2025 | ₹48.00 | ₹5,000 | 104.167 |
| Total | ₹60,000 | 1,419.176 |
Your average cost is ₹60,000 ÷ 1,419.176 = about ₹42.28 per unit. Notice that you bought more units when the NAV dipped, in March and April, and fewer when it rose. That is the averaging effect of a SIP. The holding on 5 January 2026 is worth 1,419.176 × ₹50 = ₹70,958.80.
| Measure | Result | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Invested | ₹60,000 | Sum of twelve instalments |
| Current value | ₹70,958.80 | 1,419.176 units × ₹50.00 |
| Gain | ₹10,958.80 | Value minus invested |
| Absolute return | 18.3% | Gain ÷ invested, ignoring time |
| XIRR | 35.2% | Annual rate matching the actual dates |
Absolute return versus XIRR for a SIP
Why is the XIRR almost double the absolute return? The calendar year is not the whole story. The first instalment was invested for 12 months, but the last one for only a month, and on average each rupee was invested for about 6.5 months. An 18.3% gain earned in roughly half a year works out to a much higher annual rate. That is what XIRR reports.
It also shows the weakness of the 18.3% figure. It reads like an annual return, but it is not one. A fair comparison with a fixed deposit rate or with an index needs an annual number, and for a SIP that number is XIRR. The caveat from the XIRR explainer applies here too: a figure annualised from a few months of data can swing wildly, so give it a year or more before you read anything into it. For the formulas and when each measure fits, see XIRR vs CAGR vs absolute return. To check your own cash flows, the XIRR calculator takes dated amounts and returns the rate.
Tracking more than one SIP
Most investors run several SIPs. Track each fund as its own holding, so that each has its own units, cost and XIRR. Then look at the portfolio-level XIRR for the overall picture. If Fund A takes ₹5,000 a month and Fund B takes ₹3,000, your SIPs total ₹8,000 a month.
Do not average the XIRRs of two funds. A fund you started last month and one you started five years ago have very different amounts of money working for different lengths of time, so the portfolio rate comes from combining all the dated cash flows, not from averaging the two percentages. Also expect a young SIP to show an unstable XIRR. It settles as the history lengthens.
Step-up SIPs
A step-up SIP raises the instalment at set intervals, for example by 10% a year. Starting at ₹5,000 a month, you would put in 12 × ₹5,000 = ₹60,000 in year one and 12 × ₹5,500 = ₹66,000 in year two, a total of ₹1,26,000 over two years.
Tracking a step-up needs no special method. Record each instalment at the amount that actually left your bank. XIRR takes every cash flow as it is, so changing amounts are handled automatically. If you use a recurring rule to post the SIP, edit the rule when the amount changes instead of creating a new one. To see what a yearly step-up could mean for the future, try the SIP calculator. It is a projection, not a promise.
Redemptions, switches and dividends
Money coming out is a positive cash flow on the date you receive it. Suppose that on 5 January 2026 you redeem 200 units at ₹50. You receive ₹10,000, you hold 1,219.176 units, and those are worth ₹60,958.80. Cash received plus remaining value is still ₹70,958.80 on the same date, so the XIRR does not change. What changes is how much money is still invested.
On an average-cost basis, those 200 units cost about 200 × ₹42.28 = ₹8,455.61, so the gain on this redemption is about ₹1,544.39. Treat that as a rough guide only. Tax is worked out by lot and by holding period, so it will not match an average-cost figure.
- Switch: a switch is a redemption from one fund and a purchase of another. Record both.
- Dividend payouts: an IDCW payout is cash received, so it is a positive cash flow. A reinvested payout buys extra units instead.
- Exit load: record what actually reached your bank, since the load reduces the proceeds.
How to do this in SampattiTrack
SampattiTrack counts each fund as a Unit and values it as quantity multiplied by the latest price. The full walk-through is in Investments, SIPs and XIRR. In short:
- On Home, tap Add, then Unit, and choose Mutual Fund. Search for the fund or enter the name and scheme code, leave Track Market Price on, and tap Create Unit.
- For each instalment, tap Add, then Transaction. Choose the account the money came from, pick your fund in the unit menu, and enter the Quantity (units) and Price / Unit (NAV). Quantity vs amount explains why both fields exist.
- Open the Portfolio tab. You see current value, invested amount and an overall XIRR, and each holding card shows its own annual return.
- Open Portfolio, then SIPs, to see your recurring monthly investments and their total per month. If a fund is missing, open the holding, tap Edit, switch on SIP and enter the monthly amount.
A few honest limits. XIRR is calculated on your device from the transactions you have recorded, so it is only as good as the cash flows it can see. Record every purchase, redemption and dividend. Prices and fund search need an internet connection, and if a holding has no price yet it shows a dash instead of a return, so check the symbol. To bring in history quickly, use CSV import, and to post a SIP automatically, add a recurring rule.
Common mistakes
- Recording only rupees: without units and NAV, the app cannot value the holding at today's price.
- Using the debit date for the NAV: use the allotment date and NAV from the statement.
- Forgetting a redemption or switch: XIRR will look far too low if money came out and the app did not see it.
- Judging a young SIP: annualising a few months of returns produces a number that says little.
- Mixing up cost and value: a holding is worth units times the latest NAV, not the sum of what you paid.
Key takeaways
- Record the date, amount, NAV and units for every SIP instalment; value is total units times the latest NAV.
- In the worked example, ₹60,000 invested over twelve months grew to ₹70,958.80: absolute return 18.3%, XIRR about 35.2%.
- XIRR is higher here because on average each rupee was invested for only about 6.5 months.
- Track each fund separately, record step-ups at the real amount, and treat every redemption or dividend as a dated cash flow.
- Short histories annualise badly, so give a SIP a year or more before reading much into its XIRR.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to calculate SIP returns?
Use XIRR. It takes the date and amount of every instalment and the current value, and returns the annual rate that matches them. A simple percentage gain ignores how long each instalment was invested.
Why is my SIP's XIRR higher than its absolute return?
Because most of your money was invested for less than a year. The same gain earned over a shorter average period annualises to a higher rate. In the example, an 18.3% absolute return is a 35.2% XIRR.
Do I need to record NAV and units for each instalment?
Yes, if you want an accurate value. Units times the latest NAV gives the current value, and the dates and amounts drive XIRR. Take the figures from your fund statement.
How do I record a partial redemption?
Record the units sold and the money received on the date you received it. It is a positive cash flow, and your remaining units continue to be valued at the latest NAV.
Putting it into practice
SampattiTrack tracks mutual fund holdings in units, detects SIPs from consistent monthly purchases and calculates XIRR on your device from your own transactions. Everything is stored on your device, with optional private iCloud sync and no sign-up. It is available on the App Store.
This article is for educational purposes only. It is not investment, tax, legal or financial advice. Examples use made-up numbers, and past returns do not predict future results.