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Skill points can be tracked, but you'll need to enter each class skills list as 1 (class skill) or 2 (non-class skill). Then it's # of purchased ranks (entry) * class rank cost (a lookup function), and sum them all up.

This gets even messier if you have multiclassing, but to do that *properly* you'd need an entire separate sheet of skill ranks per level. As it is, this was one of the most complex parts of my "let me build a pipe-dream 3E epic character" spreadsheet, in large part because the skills list is not fully defined...Craft, Profession, Knowledge, and Languages are open-ended. Makes it hard to format well.

Note that this is only an issue if you support multiclassing, which is decidedly non-trivial to do.

Oh, and just to be a fly in the ointment...if you go with level-by-level skills, you need level-by-level attributes...to determine skill points earned at each level properly. I also did it to help build hypothetical characters...ok now just *when* did I want to add that +5 inherent bonus? But Int is the only crucial attribute in this regard, as anything else relies only on current value. So, at the top, I had the basic values, which included racial mods. At each level, I had columns for each attribute, and the class I took that level. That let me derive the skill points for that level.

Some things are very hard to include...like the, IIRC, Int evolved class that gives skill points as a class ability. Also, note that Int boosts have to be handled a bit curiously. If you start with a 13 Int (say, a rogue) and want to bump it to a 14 at level 4, remember that you don't get +2 skill points at 4th level...doesn't help until 5th.

I had several side tables and lookups:

--Class name, BABProg, FortProg, ReflProg, WillProg, HDSize, NumSkillPoints
where the Prog's referenced other tables for the BAB and save progressions

--slow, medium, and fast save and BAB progressions

I know I counted the levels too, for multiclassing, to properly index the tables in a multiclassing/PrC setup, so it would correctly develop the BAB and saves for a magister 9/akashic 5. And it counted the levels too...needed that, because I started this for 3E with epic rules, so PrC 11th and base class 21st were very important. (And BAB/save progressions switch at 21st level too, so I hadda only calculate these for the first 20 levels.)

One of the BIGGEST PITAs, tho, is the data entry...specifically, getting the class skills list in, for every class. The skills are in alphabetical order, so getting someone to just read down what the class skills are, while you make whatever notation you have for saying "this is a class skill" will reduce errors and save a great deal of time. The other BIG, BIG PITA is, as I noted, that Knowledge and Perform have applicable types. There's a pretty good set of types for Knowledge...that just makes the tables long, but it's manageable...but there's none such for Perform.

Doesn't matter the order, Invis. The stat value has to be there for the majority of the level. Say you're 18th level, plus 16,000 xp...so most of the way to 19th. You find a tome that'll give you the +4 inherent bonus to Int, and use it right there. (No reason not to.) Your skill points when you make 19th, are still based off the old value.

This also, IIRC, holds true for the common stat-boosting items...which probably triggered this rule. Put on a +4 Int enhancer just before you level...doesn't give more skill points. The Int has to have been there for the majority of the level, or words to that effect.