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Allocate money to a category

Available onAndroidiOSWeb

Allocating is how you give each category its job for the month: you tell the app how much of your money goes to Groceries, Rent or Holidays. You do it in the category's sheet, which opens when you tap the category on the Budget tab.

Allocate to a category​

  1. On the Budget tab, tap the category. Its sheet opens with a keypad.

  2. Type the amount you want this category to have for the month. The keypad starts with what's allocated now, and what you type replaces it: to go from $400 to $450, type 450 (or use the calculator, below).

  3. Tap Done (the tick key) to save. The sheet closes and the category's Available amount and your Ready to allocate update.

To close the sheet without saving, swipe it down. With Decimal input set to Default, the keypad also has a Hide keypad key (the down arrow) that does the same.

When an allocation makes the category reach its target, the app celebrates with a sound.

What the sheet shows​

Under the category's name, a row of amounts for the month:

  • Allocated: what you've given the category this month. For a credit card's or a loan's payment category it reads Extra payments.
  • Spent: what you've spent from it this month (Recent spending for a credit card's payment category).
  • Available: what's left to spend. For a credit card's or a loan's payment category it reads Total to repay.

When the category has subcategories, a Subcategories summary above adds them up: Total allocated, Total spent, Total available, and Total upcoming and Total carried over when there are any. The button next to it shows or hides the subcategories on the Budget tab.

A line under the amounts tells you when Fund any overspending is on for this category, or Fund any overspending on subcategories is on. See Surplus funds overview and Groups and categories.

Income categories in a classic budget​

In a classic budget you also tap income categories to enter the income you expect. Their sheet shows Total Allocated and Allocation percentage: this income category's share of the money you have to allocate this month.

Quick details​

The lightning button shows a row of handy figures above the keypad (last month's allocation and spending, 3-month averages, what a target still needs). Tap one to copy it into the keypad. See Quick category budget.

Warnings on the sheet​

A banner at the top of the sheet tells you when the category needs more:

  • Target: how far the category is from its target, for example "Making progress — Keep going, $50.00 more to reach your target". See Targets.
  • Upcoming transactions: "$120.00 more is needed to cover 2 upcoming transactions". See Future transactions.

Tap the copy button on the banner to put that amount in the keypad, then tap Done.

If the category has both, the sheet shows the one that matters for where you came from (for example the target when you open it from the targets in Allocation suggestions).

When the category is waiting to be archived (for example the payment category of an account you're archiving whose balance isn't zero yet), the sheet says "To proceed the archiving you need to adjust the balance and make sure it is zero."

Use the keypad as a calculator​

The keypad does sums, so you can work an amount out without leaving the sheet:

  • + and −: add to or take away from the amount. For example, type 400, +, 50 and Done to allocate $450.
  • × and ÷: multiply or divide the amount by a number, for example 120 × 4 for four weekly payments.
  • %: a percentage of the amount, for example 2000 % 10 gives $200.
  • =: shows the result so you can keep going. Done works it out and saves in one tap.

You can chain several steps in a row. To change the layout of the keys or how decimals are typed, see Keypad.

The buttons at the top of the sheet​

From left to right (some only show for certain categories):

  • New transaction (a dollar sign with a plus): add a transaction to this category. See Quick category transaction. Not on income categories or categories the app manages for you.
  • View transactions: this category's transactions. Not on income categories.
  • Linked accounts (a chain link): the accounts linked to this category, such as the savings account it saves for or the credit card it pays.
  • Reallocate money: move money between this category and others. See Money reallocation. Not on income categories.
  • Quick details (the lightning): see above.
  • Settings (the gear): opens Category details, with the category's target, notes, reminders and options. See Targets and Groups and categories.
Tip

Tapping an overspent category can open Reallocate money first, so you cover the gap right away. Turn that on or off with Quick reallocate money in More › Settings › Budget Behavior. See Money reallocation.

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