Common configuration mistakes
Most Aspire issues trace back to a configuration mistake made during setup. Here are the ones we see most often and how to fix them.
1. Deleting or inserting rows
The mistake: Using right-click → Delete row or Insert row to manage data.
Why it breaks things: Aspire’s formulas reference specific cell ranges. Inserting or deleting rows shifts everything, causing #REF! errors, broken conditional formatting, and misaligned data validation.
The fix: Never insert or delete rows. Use the “Add more rows” button at the bottom of tabs when you need more space. To remove data, clear cell contents instead of deleting the row.
If it’s already broken: Use File → Version History to restore a version from before the deletion.
2. Moving data with cut-and-paste
The mistake: Using Ctrl+X (cut) to move data between cells.
Why it breaks things: Cut-and-paste in Google Sheets moves cell references, which can break formulas that point to those cells. It also carries conditional formatting to the new location.
The fix: Use copy-and-paste (Ctrl+C, then Ctrl+V), or retype the data in the new location. After copying, clear the original cells.
3. Editing formula cells
The mistake: Accidentally typing in a cell that contains a formula (Dashboard totals, report calculations, etc.).
Why it breaks things: The formula is replaced with whatever you typed. Calculations stop working.
The fix: Use the “Highlight all editable fields and tables” setting on the Configuration tab to see which cells are safe to edit. If you’ve overwritten a formula, press Ctrl+Z immediately — or find the correct formula in a fresh copy of the Aspire spreadsheet.
4. Renaming categories after logging transactions
The mistake: Changing a category name on the Configuration tab after transactions have been logged against it.
Why it breaks things: Existing transactions still reference the old category name. Dropdowns update, but historical data may become orphaned.
The fix: Aspire uses data validation (dropdowns), so renaming a category should propagate. But if transactions show a category that no longer exists in the dropdown, manually update those transaction rows to the new name. For this reason, it’s best to finalize category names before logging lots of transactions.
5. Using the wrong category type
The mistake: Creating a credit card payment category as ✧ Reportable instead of ◘ Credit Card, or making a tracking-only category Reportable when it should be ※ Non-reportable.
Why it breaks things: It doesn’t technically break anything, but your reports will include data you don’t want (or exclude data you do want).
The fix: Unfortunately, you can’t change a category’s type symbol after creation without recreating it. Create a new category with the correct type, move any balance to it, update recent transactions to use the new category, and hide the old one.
6. Not setting starting balances
The mistake: Adding accounts on the Configuration tab but never creating starting balance transactions.
Why it breaks things: Your account balances in Aspire start at $0, which means every calculation involving account totals is wrong. Available to budget won’t reflect your actual money.
The fix: For each account, go to the Transactions tab and add a starting balance transaction — enter the balance in the Inflow column, categorized to Available to budget, dated the day you started using Aspire.
7. Mixing up category transfers and account transfers
The mistake: Using the Category Transfers tab when you moved real money between bank accounts (or vice versa).
Why it breaks things:
- If real money moved between accounts but you only did a category transfer: your Aspire account balances won’t match your bank
- If you wanted to reallocate budget categories but used ↕️ Account Transfer on the Transactions tab: your category balances are unchanged but account balances are affected
The fix:
- Moved real money? → Add two transactions on the Transactions tab (outflow from source, inflow to destination, both using ↕️ Account Transfer)
- Reallocating budget? → Add an entry on the Category Transfers tab
8. Setting Monthly Amounts that exceed income
The mistake: Setting Monthly Amounts across all categories that add up to more than your actual monthly income.
Why it breaks things: You’ll never be able to fully fund your budget, leaving Available to budget negative or categories underfunded every month.
The fix: Use the Helper Tools at the top of the Configuration tab. Enter your monthly income and watch the “To allocate in budget” number. Keep it at or near zero. If it goes negative, your Monthly Amounts exceed your income — reduce some categories.