Editing Transaction Details

Balance allows you to edit certain aspects of your transactions, but what you can change depends on whether the transaction came from your bank or was manually entered. Understanding these differences helps you know what’s editable and what’s locked for data integrity.

Two Types of Transactions

Bank Transactions (Auto-Synced from Plaid)

Transactions automatically synced from your connected bank accounts through Plaid.

Identifying features:

• No “Manual” badge
• Shows bank/institution name
• Shows account number
• Cannot delete

Source: Your bank’s transaction feed

Manual Transactions (User-Created)

Transactions you manually added through the + button.

Identifying features:

• “Manual” badge visible
• Shows “Manual” as source
• Edit icon visible (top-right)
• Can delete

Source: You created these

What You Can Edit: Bank Transactions

For transactions synced from your bank, you have limited editing capabilities to maintain data integrity with your bank records.

✅ You CAN Edit

1. Category Assignment

Step 1: Open transaction details

Tap the transaction to open the transaction details page (shown in screenshot above).

Step 2: Edit category

1. Tap “Category” section
2. Category selection page opens
3. Select different category
4. Save

Why this matters: Categories are your interpretation of spending, not bank data.

2. Category Split Amounts

Divide the transaction across multiple categories:

1. Tap transaction
2. Tap “Category”
3. Add multiple categories
4. Assign amounts to each
5. Ensure total matches transaction amount
6. Save

Learn more about splitting →

3. Transfer Status

Mark whether this is a transfer between your accounts:

1. Tap transaction
2. Toggle “Transfer” switch
3. Saves automatically

Why: Transfers shouldn’t count toward budget since you’re just moving money between your own accounts.

4. Notes

Add personal notes to any transaction:

1. Tap transaction
2. Tap “Notes” section
3. Enter or edit notes
4. Tap away to save

Use for:

• Reminders about returns
• Context about the purchase
• Splitting details with partner
• Receipt reference numbers

❌ You CANNOT Edit

1. Transaction Amount

The dollar amount is set by your bank and cannot be changed.

Why: Must match your bank statement for accurate reconciliation. If the amount is wrong, contact your bank.

Workaround: If amount is truly wrong on bank side:

• Mark transaction as Transfer
• Create manual transaction with correct amount

2. Transaction Date

The date comes from your bank and is locked.

Why: Must align with when the transaction actually occurred per bank records.

3. Merchant Name/Description

The business name or transaction description cannot be changed.

Why: This is how your bank reported it. Changing it could cause confusion when reconciling.

4. Delete Transaction

You cannot delete bank-synced transactions.

Why: These are actual financial records that must remain for accuracy.

Workaround: Mark as Transfer if you don’t want it counting toward budget.

What You Can Edit: Manual Transactions

For transactions you manually created, you have full control over all fields.

✅ You CAN Edit EVERYTHING

1. Transaction Name/Description

1. Tap transaction
2. Tap edit icon (top-right)
3. Change “Transaction Name” field
4. Tap “Save”

2. Amount

Note: Based on the code review, manual transactions created through AddTransactionPage appear to inherit the amount assignment through category selection, not a direct amount field. For manual transactions, the amount is controlled by what you assign to categories.

3. Transaction Date

1. Tap transaction
2. Tap edit icon
3. Tap date field
4. Select new date from calendar
5. Tap “Save”

4. Transaction Type (Income/Expense)

1. Tap transaction
2. Tap edit icon
3. Toggle between Expense and Income
4. Tap “Save”

5. Notes

1. Tap transaction
2. Either edit from details view or edit mode
3. Change notes field
4. Save

6. Categories

1. Tap transaction
2. Tap “Category” section
3. Modify categories and amounts
4. Save

7. Transfer Status

1. Tap transaction
2. Toggle Transfer switch
3. Saves automatically

8. Delete Completely

1. Tap transaction
2. Tap edit icon (top-right)
3. Scroll to bottom
4. Tap “Delete Transaction” (red text)
5. Confirm deletion
6. Transaction permanently removed

How to Edit Transactions

Editing Categories Only

For both bank and manual transactions:

1. Go to Transactions tab
2. Tap the transaction
3. Transaction details page opens
4. Tap “Category” section
5. Category selection page opens
6. Make your changes:
   • Tap different category to replace
   • Tap additional categories to split
   • Tap selected category to remove
   • Adjust amounts if splitting
7. Tap “Save Transaction”
8. Returns to transactions list

Editing Manual Transaction Details

For manual transactions only:

Step 1: Open transaction details

1. Go to Transactions tab
2. Tap the transaction
3. Transaction details page opens (shown in screenshot above)

Step 2: Enter edit mode

From the transaction details page, tap the edit icon (pencil) in the top-right corner (shown in screenshot above).

Step 3: Edit transaction

The Edit Transaction page opens (shown in screenshot above). Modify any fields:

• Transaction Type (Income/Expense)
• Transaction Name
• Date
• Notes
• Transfer toggle

Step 4: Save changes

1. Tap “Save” at bottom
2. Returns to transaction details
3. Changes are immediately reflected

Visual cue: Edit icon (pencil) only appears for manual transactions.

Editing Transfer Status

For both types:

1. Tap transaction
2. Transaction details page opens
3. Find “Transfer” section at bottom
4. Toggle the switch ON or OFF
5. Saves automatically (no save button needed)

Info banner explains: Transfers won’t be included in income/expense calculations.

Adding/Editing Notes

For both types:

1. Tap transaction
2. Transaction details page opens
3. Tap “Notes” section
4. Enter or modify notes
5. Tap outside field to save

Or from edit mode (manual transactions):

1. Tap edit icon
2. Edit notes field
3. Tap “Save”

Common Editing Scenarios

Scenario 1: Wrong Category Assigned

Problem: Miscategorized a transaction

Solution:

1. Tap transaction
2. Tap “Category”
3. Select correct category
4. Save
5. Budget updates immediately

Scenario 2: Should Be Split

Problem: Put entire Target purchase in Groceries, but half was household items

Solution:

1. Tap transaction
2. Tap “Category”
3. Add “Household” category
4. Distribute amounts: $60 Groceries + $40 Household
5. Save

Scenario 3: Manual Transaction Wrong Date

Problem: Entered cash purchase with wrong date

Solution:

1. Tap transaction
2. Tap edit icon
3. Tap date field
4. Select correct date
5. Save

Scenario 4: Duplicate Manual Entry

Problem: Created manual entry, then bank transaction synced

Solution:

1. Find manual transaction (has “Manual” badge)
2. Tap it
3. Tap edit icon
4. Scroll down
5. Tap “Delete Transaction”
6. Confirm

Alternative: Mark bank transaction as Transfer, keep manual entry with your notes.

Scenario 5: Transfer Not Detected

Problem: ATM withdrawal or transfer counting as expense

Solution:

1. Tap the transaction
2. Scroll to Transfer section
3. Toggle Transfer ON
4. Transaction no longer affects budget

Scenario 6: Bank Amount Wrong

Problem: Bank shows $50, but you actually spent $45

Solution (rare - usually bank is correct):

1. Verify with receipt
2. Contact bank if truly incorrect
3. In Balance: Mark as Transfer
4. Create manual transaction for correct amount
5. Or wait for bank to correct it

Visual Indicators

Edit Icon (Pencil)

Appears: Only on manual transactions
Location: Top-right of transaction details page
Function: Opens edit mode for full transaction editing

If you don’t see it: Transaction is from bank (limited editing)

Transaction Badges

Manual Badge:

• Shows on transaction list
• Indicates user-created transaction
• Means fully editable

Pending Badge:

• Bank transaction not yet cleared
• May change amount when it clears
• Still limited editing (it’s a bank transaction)

Account Number:

• Shows which account
• Helps identify bank vs manual
• Example: “#1234”

Best Practices

For All Transactions

✅ Do:

• Edit categories as soon as you notice errors
• Add helpful notes for context
• Mark transfers appropriately
• Use splits when purchases cross categories
• Discuss category changes with partner

❌ Don’t:

• Leave incorrect categories for long periods
• Forget to split significant mixed purchases
• Delete manual transactions before checking for bank duplicates
• Change categories randomly without reason

For Manual Transactions

✅ Do:

• Keep names descriptive and clear
• Delete when bank transaction syncs
• Use consistent naming conventions
• Double-check amounts and dates
• Add notes to explain unusual entries

❌ Don’t:

• Use vague names like “Store”
• Forget you created pending manual entries
• Leave duplicates in system
• Change dates arbitrarily

Partner Considerations

When editing transactions:

Communicate about:

• Category changes on shared expenses
• Why you’re re-categorizing something
• Splits on large purchases
• Deleted manual entries

Both partners see edits immediately:

• Real-time sync
• Changes reflect across devices
• Budget updates for both
• No delay or refresh needed

Good practice:

• Add note indicating who made edit: “Sarah recategorized - this was actually groceries”
• Discuss splits before applying
• Establish category conventions together

Limitations and Restrictions

Bank Transaction Restrictions

Why so limited?

• Data integrity: Must match bank records
• Reconciliation: Need to match statements
• Audit trail: Historical accuracy
• Plaid sync: Bank controls this data

Your control is in interpretation:

• How you categorize (your budget view)
• Whether it’s a transfer (your account structure)
• Notes you add (your context)

Manual Transaction Freedom

Full control because:

• You created it
• It’s your record, not bank’s
• You can delete without affecting bank history
• You decide all details

Troubleshooting

Edit Icon Doesn’t Appear

Cause: Transaction is from bank, not manual

Solution: You can still edit categories, notes, and transfer status from details view

Can’t Change Amount

Cause: Bank transaction (amount locked)

Solution:

• Amount is correct per bank
• Contact bank if truly wrong
• Create manual transaction if needed

Categories Won’t Save

Check:

• For splits, do amounts equal transaction total?
• Network connection working?
• Try again or restart app

Deleted Wrong Transaction

If manual:

• Unfortunately, cannot undo delete
• Re-create the transaction

If bank:

• Can’t delete bank transactions
• If marked as transfer, unmark it

Changes Not Syncing to Partner

Usually:

• Changes sync within seconds
• Both try refreshing
• Check internet connection
• Restart app if needed

Next Steps

Now that you understand editing transactions:

• Transaction Types - Income vs Expense vs Transfer
• Split Transactions - Divide across categories
• Adding Manual Transactions - Create your own entries
• Categorizing Transactions - Assign to budget

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