Understanding the Dashboard

The Balance dashboard (Budget tab) is your command center for tracking spending and managing your budget. Here’s everything you need to know.

Dashboard Overview

Your dashboard displays four main sections:

1. Current Balance - Top center (shown with eye icon to toggle visibility)
2. Income Card - Top left summary card (green card)
3. Expenses Card - Top right summary card (purple card)
4. Budget Categories - Scrollable list below with progress indicators

Current Balance

What It Shows

The large number at the top of your screen is your Current Balance - the most important number in Balance. This represents:

How much money you have left to spend this month across all categories

How It’s Calculated

Current Balance = Budgeted Income - Actual Income + Budgeted Expenses - Actual Expenses

Or more simply:

Current Balance = What You Planned to Have - What You've Actually Spent

Color Indicators

• Green - You’re on track! Keep up the good spending habits
• Yellow - Getting close to your budget, be careful with spending
• Red - You’ve exceeded your budget, time to review spending

Example

• You budgeted $5,000 income and $4,500 expenses = $500 surplus expected
• You earned $5,200 (good!) and spent $4,200 (also good!)
• Current Balance = $1,000 (you have $1,000 left for the month)

Income Card

What It Shows

The Income card displays:

• Top number - Actual income received this month
• Bottom number - Budgeted (expected) income

Understanding Income Tracking

Example:

$4,850    ← Actual income received
Out of    
$5,000    ← Budgeted income

This means you’ve received $4,850 of your expected $5,000 income so far this month.

When to Check

• After payday - Verify your paycheck amount
• Mid-month - See if you’re on track for expected income
• End of month - Compare actual vs. expected

Income Sources

Your income might come from:

• Salary/wages
• Business income
• Investment income
• Side hustle
• Other sources

Expenses Card

What It Shows

The Expenses card displays:

• Top number - Actual expenses spent this month
• Bottom number - Total budgeted expenses

Understanding Expense Tracking

Example:

$2,145    ← Actual spent
Out of
$4,500    ← Total budget

This means you’ve spent $2,145 of your $4,500 monthly budget.

Progress Indicators

The progress changes as you spend:

• Early month - Should be low (haven’t spent much yet)
• Mid-month - Should be around 50% spent
• Late month - Should be approaching 100% (but not over!)

What’s Included

All categorized expenses from:

• Groceries
• Dining out
• Rent/mortgage
• Utilities
• Transportation
• Entertainment
• And all other expense categories

Budget Categories

Category Display

Each category card shows:

1. Category Name - e.g., “Groceries”
2. Icon - Visual identifier
3. Amount Spent - How much you’ve spent
4. Budget Amount - Your monthly budget
5. Progress Bar - Visual spending indicator

Progress Bar Colors

• Green (0-80%) - On track, within budget
• Yellow (80-100%) - Approaching limit, be cautious
• Red (100%+) - Over budget, review spending

Category Example

🛒 Groceries
$345 of $500
[████████░░] 69%

This means:

• Category: Groceries
• Spent: $345
• Budget: $500
• Remaining: $155
• Status: On track (69%)

Interactive Elements

Manage Button

Located in the top-right of the category section:

Functions:

• Edit category names
• Adjust budget amounts
• Add new categories
• Delete unused categories
• Reorder categories

Category Cards

Tap any category to:

• View all transactions in that category
• See spending trends
• Edit the category budget
• Add transactions

Profile Picture

Tap your profile picture to:

• Switch between your and your partner’s profiles
• Access settings
• Manage profiles
• View subscription
• Log out

Monthly View

How It Works

The dashboard always shows the current month:

• Resets monthly - Categories reset to $0 spent on the 1st
• Historical data - Previous months are saved
• Forward planning - Can’t view future months

Changing Months

To view past months:

1. Go to Transactions tab
2. Tap the month/calendar button
3. Select a previous month
4. View transactions and spending from that period

Note: The Budget dashboard always shows the current month.

Understanding Your Financial Picture

Healthy Budget Signs

✅ Current Balance is positive
✅ Most categories are green or yellow
✅ Income meets or exceeds budget
✅ Spending is below budget

Warning Signs

⚠️ Current Balance is negative
⚠️ Many categories are red
⚠️ Income below expected
⚠️ Consistent overspending

Taking Action

If you see warning signs:

1. Review spending - Check which categories are over
2. Adjust budgets - Maybe some categories need more (and others less)
3. Communicate - Talk with your partner about spending
4. Make changes - Update budgets or change habits

Tips for Using the Dashboard

Daily Check-ins

Spend 2-3 minutes daily:

1. Check Current Balance
2. Categorize new transactions
3. Review any red categories
4. Discuss concerns with partner

Weekly Reviews

Spend 10 minutes weekly:

1. Review all category progress
2. Project end-of-month spending
3. Adjust plans if needed
4. Add any manual transactions

Monthly Planning

Spend 30 minutes monthly:

1. Review last month’s performance
2. Adjust category budgets
3. Set goals for the new month
4. Update income expectations

Dashboard Customization

Reordering Categories

To change category order:

1. Go to Budget tab
2. Tap “Manage”
3. Drag categories to reorder
4. Important categories at top

Tip: Put frequently used categories at the top for quick access.

Category Icons

Categories have default icons, but you can:

• Choose from preset icons
• Use emoji icons (custom)
• Keep defaults

Common Dashboard Questions

Why is my Current Balance negative?

This means you’ve spent more than budgeted. Common reasons:

• Forgot to budget for an expense
• Unexpected expenses occurred
• Income was less than expected
• Budgets need adjustment

Why don’t my numbers match my bank?

The dashboard shows:

• Categorized transactions only
• Current month only
• Budget vs. spending (not account balances)

For actual account balances, check the Accounts tab.

How often does it update?

• Transactions - Sync 1-2 times daily
• Categories - Update immediately when you categorize
• Current Balance - Updates in real-time as you categorize

Can my partner see the same dashboard?

Yes! Both partners see:

• Same Current Balance
• Same income/expenses
• Same categories
• Same transactions

Changes made by either partner appear for both.

Advanced Dashboard Features

Quick Actions

• Swipe right on category - View transactions
• Long press category - Edit options
• Pull down - Refresh data

Filtering Categories

View specific category types:

• All categories (default)
• Income only
• Expenses only
• Specific types

Troubleshooting

Dashboard not updating

Try:

1. Pull down to refresh
2. Check internet connection
3. Log out and back in
4. Update the app

Numbers seem wrong

Check:

1. All transactions are categorized
2. Viewing correct month
3. No duplicate transactions
4. Categories are set up correctly

Can’t see categories

Make sure:

1. You’ve created categories
2. You’re logged into the correct profile
3. App is fully loaded
4. Internet connection is active

Next Steps

Master these dashboard-related topics:

• Managing Your Budget - Edit categories and budgets
• Budget Progress Tracking - Analyze spending trends
• Categorizing Transactions - Keep your dashboard accurate
• Switching Between Profiles - View your partner’s perspective

Need help? Contact our support team for assistance!