Managing Transactions in Badget

Transactions are the building blocks of your financial data. Badget makes it easy to import, categorize, and analyze all your financial transactions in one place.

Getting Started with Transactions

Automatic Bank Import

Connect your bank accounts for seamless transaction importing:

1. Link Your Accounts: Securely connect checking, savings, and credit card accounts
2. Automatic Sync: Transactions are imported daily
3. Real-Time Updates: See new transactions within hours of posting
4. Multiple Banks: Connect accounts from different financial institutions

Manual Transaction Entry

For accounts that can't be connected automatically:

1. Add Transaction: Click the "+" button in the transactions view
2. Enter Details: Date, amount, description, and category
3. Choose Account: Select the account for the transaction
4. Save: Transaction is immediately added to your records

Transaction Categories

Default Categories

Badget includes comprehensive pre-built categories:

Income Categories:

• Salary & Wages
• Freelance Income
• Investment Returns
• Business Income
• Other Income

Expense Categories:

• Housing (Rent, Mortgage, Utilities)
• Transportation (Gas, Car Payment, Transit)
• Food & Dining (Groceries, Restaurants)
• Shopping (Clothing, Electronics, Personal)
• Entertainment (Movies, Subscriptions, Hobbies)
• Healthcare (Medical, Insurance, Pharmacy)
• Bills & Utilities (Phone, Internet, Insurance)

Custom Categories

Create categories that fit your unique needs:

1. Add Category: Click "Manage Categories" in transaction settings
2. Set Properties: Name, color, icon, and parent category
3. Budget Integration: Link categories to budget line items
4. Rules: Set up automatic categorization rules

Smart Categorization

Automatic Categorization

Badget learns from your categorization patterns:

• Merchant Recognition: Automatically categorizes known merchants
• Pattern Learning: Improves accuracy with each manual categorization
• Rule-Based: Set up rules for specific transaction patterns
• Bulk Actions: Apply categories to multiple similar transactions

Manual Categorization

When automatic categorization needs adjustment:

1. Select Transaction: Click on any transaction
2. Choose Category: Select from dropdown or search
3. Create Rule: Option to apply the same category to similar transactions
4. Split Transaction: Divide single transaction across multiple categories

Advanced Transaction Features

Transaction Splitting

Split single transactions across multiple categories:

1. Select Transaction: Click the transaction to split
2. Choose "Split": Click the split transaction option
3. Allocate Amounts: Assign portions to different categories
4. Save Changes: Confirm the split allocation

Recurring Transactions

Set up automatic transaction entries:

• Subscription Services: Automatically record monthly subscriptions
• Salary Deposits: Regular income entries
• Bill Payments: Recurring expense tracking
• Flexible Scheduling: Weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly

Transaction Search & Filters

Find specific transactions quickly:

• Date Range: Filter by specific time periods
• Amount Range: Search by transaction amounts
• Categories: View transactions by category
• Accounts: Filter by specific accounts
• Merchants: Search by merchant name
• Notes: Find transactions with specific notes

Transaction Analysis

Spending Insights

Understand your spending patterns:

• Category Trends: See spending by category over time
• Monthly Comparisons: Compare spending across months
• Top Merchants: Identify where you spend the most
• Unusual Spending: Detect irregular spending patterns

Income Analysis

Track your income sources:

• Income Trends: Monitor income stability and growth
• Source Breakdown: Understand income diversification
• Seasonal Patterns: Identify income fluctuations
• Tax Categorization: Organize income for tax purposes

Cash Flow Analysis

Monitor money in vs. money out:

• Net Cash Flow: See if you're spending more than earning
• Daily Balances: Track account balances over time
• Projected Balances: Forecast future account balances
• Savings Rate: Calculate your savings percentage

Transaction Management Best Practices

Daily Habits

• Review New Transactions: Check daily imports for accuracy
• Categorize Promptly: Categorize new transactions quickly
• Verify Amounts: Ensure imported amounts match your records
• Add Notes: Include context for unusual or important transactions

Weekly Reviews

• Reconcile Accounts: Compare Badget data with bank statements
• Review Categories: Ensure consistent categorization
• Check for Duplicates: Remove any duplicate transactions
• Update Recurring: Adjust recurring transaction schedules

Monthly Analysis

• Spending Review: Analyze monthly spending patterns
• Budget Comparison: Compare actual vs. budgeted amounts
• Category Analysis: Review top spending categories
• Goal Progress: Check progress toward financial goals

Data Security & Privacy

Bank-Level Security

Your transaction data is protected with:

• 256-bit Encryption: All data encrypted in transit and at rest
• Read-Only Access: Badget can only view, never modify account data
• Secure Connections: Direct, encrypted connections to financial institutions
• Regular Audits: Security practices reviewed by third-party experts

Data Control

You maintain control over your data:

• Export Options: Download your transaction data anytime
• Delete Capability: Remove accounts and data when needed
• Privacy Settings: Control what data is stored and processed
• Account Disconnection: Easily disconnect accounts if needed

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Missing Transactions

If transactions aren't appearing:

1. Check account connection status
2. Verify date range filters
3. Confirm account is actively syncing
4. Contact support if issues persist

Incorrect Categories

For miscategorized transactions:

1. Select the transaction
2. Choose the correct category
3. Create a rule to prevent future miscategorization
4. Use bulk actions for multiple similar transactions

Duplicate Transactions

When you see duplicate entries:

1. Compare transaction details carefully
2. Use the merge transaction feature
3. Check for manual entries that match imports
4. Set up duplicate detection rules

Connection Issues

If bank connections fail:

1. Check bank login credentials
2. Verify two-factor authentication settings
3. Ensure account permissions are set correctly
4. Reconnect the account if necessary

Getting Support

Need help with transaction management?

• Help Center: Search our comprehensive help articles
• Video Tutorials: Watch transaction management guides
• Live Chat: Get real-time help from our support team
• Community Forum: Connect with other Badget users

Effective transaction management is key to financial success. Start with basic categorization and gradually use more advanced features as you become comfortable with the system.