Your First Login

Welcome to Balance! After logging in for the first time, here’s what you’ll see and how to navigate the app.

The Main Navigation

Balance uses a tab-based navigation system with three main sections:

1. Budget Tab (Home)

This is your main dashboard showing:

• Current Balance - How much money you have to spend this month
• Income Card - Total income received vs. budgeted income
• Expenses Card - Total spent vs. budgeted expenses
• Budget Categories - All your spending categories with progress bars
• Profile Button - Tap your profile picture to access settings

2. Transactions Tab

View all your financial transactions:

• Filter Options - Filter by date, category, account, or amount
• Monthly View - Select different months using the calendar button
• Transaction List - See all transactions with amounts and categories
• Add Button - Floating button to manually add transactions
• Uncategorized Badge - Shows number of transactions needing categorization

3. Accounts Tab

Manage your connected bank accounts:

• Total Balance - Sum of all connected account balances
• Account List - All your linked banks and credit cards
• Account Details - Tap any account to view details
• Add Account Button - Connect new financial institutions
• Error Indicators - Red dots show accounts needing re-authentication

Understanding the Interface

The Budget Dashboard

Your main screen shows three key metrics:

Current Balance

• The number at the top shows how much you have left to spend this month
• This updates in real-time as you spend and categorize transactions
• Green = you’re on track, Yellow = getting close, Red = over budget

Income Card

• Shows total income received this month
• Compares against your budgeted income
• Helps you track if you’re earning as expected

Expenses Card

• Shows total spent this month
• Compares against your total budget
• Updated as you categorize transactions

Category Cards

Each budget category shows:

• Category Name - e.g., “Groceries”, “Dining Out”
• Amount Spent - How much you’ve spent so far
• Budget Amount - Your monthly budget for this category
• Progress Bar - Visual indicator of spending (green, yellow, or red)
• Tap to View - Click any category to see detailed transactions

Top Navigation Elements

Profile Picture

Located in the top-left corner of the dashboard (shown in screenshot above):

• Tap to open profile selection modal
• Switch between profiles (yours and your partner’s)
• Access profile settings

Step 1: Open Profile Menu

Tap your profile icon to open the profile selection modal (shown in screenshot above).

Step 2: Access Settings

From the profile selection modal, you can:

• Tap a profile to switch
• Tap “Manage Profiles” to access the profile settings page (shown in screenshot above)

From the profile settings page, you can access:

• Manage Profiles - Add or edit profiles
• Biometric Login - Enable FaceID/TouchID/Fingerprint
• Change Password - Update your password
• Plan & Subscription - Manage your billing
• Help & Support - Contact our team
• Log Out - Sign out of your account

Mobile vs. Web Interface

Mobile Apps (iOS/Android)

• Tab bar at the bottom for easy thumb access
• Swipe gestures for quick navigation
• Pull-to-refresh to update transactions
• Biometric login for security

Web App

• Sidebar navigation on the left
• Larger view of transactions and categories
• Keyboard shortcuts available
• Best for detailed budget management

Common First-Time Tasks

After logging in, most users:

1. Connect a Bank Account - Add your first financial institution
2. Create Budget Categories - Set up income and expense categories
3. Categorize Transactions - Assign categories to imported transactions
4. Add Partner Profile - Invite your partner to join
5. Set Monthly Budgets - Allocate amounts to each category

Quick Tips for Navigation

Keyboard Shortcuts (Web)

• B - Go to Budget tab
• T - Go to Transactions tab
• A - Go to Accounts tab
• P - Open Profile menu
• ? - View keyboard shortcuts

Gesture Controls (Mobile)

• Swipe right on transaction - Quick delete
• Pull down - Refresh transactions
• Long press on category - Edit options
• Swipe between tabs - Navigate quickly

Getting Help

In-App Help

• Look for ? icons throughout the app for contextual help
• Hover over elements to see tooltips (web)
• Tap and hold for more information (mobile)

Tour Mode

First-time users will see helpful tooltips pointing out key features. You can:

• Click “Next” to proceed through the tour
• Click “Skip” to explore on your own
• Restart the tour from Settings > Help

What’s Next?

Now that you understand the interface:

1. Connect Your Bank Accounts - Start importing transactions
2. Create Your First Budget - Set up categories
3. Understanding the Dashboard - Learn more about the main screen
4. Add Your Partner - Budget together

Troubleshooting

App Looks Different

• Make sure you’re logged into the correct profile
• Check if you’re on the latest app version
• Try refreshing the page (web) or restarting the app (mobile)

Can’t Find Something

• Use the search feature (if available)
• Check the appropriate tab (Budget, Transactions, or Accounts)
• Visit our Help Center for detailed guides

Need more assistance? Contact our support team - we’re here to help!