How to categorize transactions
Categorizing transactions is how Aspire knows where your money went. Every transaction needs a category so your Dashboard balances stay accurate and your reports reflect reality.
Assigning a category manually
When you add a transaction on the Transactions tab, select a category from the dropdown in the Category column. The dropdown shows all categories you’ve configured on the Configuration tab.
Pick the category that best describes what the money was for, not where you bought it. For example:
- A grocery run at Walmart → Groceries (not “Shopping”)
- Gas from Costco → Transportation (not “Groceries”)
- A birthday gift from Amazon → Gifts (not “Shopping”)
If a single purchase spans multiple categories (e.g., $80 at Target — $50 household, $30 groceries), split it into two rows with the same date, memo, and account but different amounts and categories.
Using Auto-Categorize
The Aspire Budget add-on includes an Auto-Categorize feature that learns from your past transactions. After you’ve manually categorized transactions for a while, Auto-Categorize can suggest (and apply) categories for new imports.
Auto-Categorize works best when:
- You’ve consistently categorized similar transactions the same way
- Your memos/descriptions are consistent (this is common with CSV imports from banks)
- You’ve logged at least 50–100 categorized transactions as training data
To use it, run Auto-Categorize from the add-on sidebar after importing new transactions. It will fill in categories for any uncategorized transactions that match patterns it recognizes.
Category selection tips
Keep it simple at first. Start with 10–15 broad categories. You can always split them later once you see how you actually spend. “Food” is fine until you decide you want to separate “Groceries” and “Dining Out.”
Use the Category Picker on the Transactions tab. When you select a category in the picker area, it highlights that category’s transactions in the table and shows you the current balance. This helps you see at a glance how much budget remains.
Be consistent. If you categorize your morning coffee as “Dining Out” one day and “Groceries” the next, your reports won’t give you useful insights. Pick a rule and stick with it.
Don’t over-categorize. If two categories have nearly identical spending patterns and you never make decisions differently based on them, merge them into one. Every category should give you information you act on.
Recategorizing a transaction
Made a mistake? Simply click the category cell for that transaction and select a different one from the dropdown. The Dashboard and reports will update immediately.
Special category types
| Category type | When to use |
|---|---|
| Available to budget | For income and inflows |
| ↕️ Account Transfer | For moving money between your own accounts |
| ◘ Credit Card categories | For credit card payments |
| ※ Non-reportable categories | For transactions you don’t want in Spending/Trend Reports |