I) Setup Wizard
II) Transaction Categories
III) Keywords
IV) Transactions import
V) Transaction Categorization
VI) Auto-sort/Categorization
VII) Reports and Graphs
VIII) Reports Time Range
IX) Category Cloud
X) Transactions import management
XI) Keyword Suggestion tool
XII) User settings and preferences
XIII) Dividing transactions over categories
XIV) Reminders setup

I) Setup Wizard

In order to properly start using clearBudget, you need to go through a few steps. A wizard is built-in as to help you go through this process. It is not mandatory to use it but provides a much easier way to perform a correct setup.

The necessary steps

1. Creating categories (read more)
2. Adding transactions (read more)
3. Adding Keywords (read more)
4. Sorting transactions over the categories (read more)

As you fill in a mandatory step, the next one will be made available to you. ^Top

II) Transaction Categories

You should setup categories in order to be able to sort your transaction and to group them up. To do so, please click on the 'Tools' tabs and then on 'Edit categories'.

1. Input a category name
2. Pick a color from the list
3. Input a maximum amount per month (Optional)
4. Click on 'Save'

A category is composed of a Name, a Color and an allowed monthly maximum amount.

Categories: Each and every transactions should belong to a specific category and only one at any given time. The categories are representative of the way you want to classify your financials. You may, for example, choose to have only a few categories as 'Leisure', 'Health', 'Food', 'Others'...or as many as you can think of. The tool will use the categories to follow your expenses. It will group transactions by categories to show you the trends.

Category color: The color is used in the graphs and charts in order to visualy find it quickly.

Allowed monthly maximum amount: You can assign a monthly maximum amount for each category. This is the amount you think is the maximum per month for this category of transactions. For example, you may think that you should not spend more than $200 per month in gas. You can then create a 'Gas' category and set the maximum amount to $200. Of course, the system will let the total amount for this category to go over this amount but it will warn you once you reach this trigger.  ^Top

III) Keywords

In order to automate as much as possible your work and to let you focus on the important things, Clearbudget can automaticaly sort your transactions to their respective category. In order to do that, you need to setup the necessary keywords and to specify which category is related to it. To do so, please click on the 'Tools' tab and then on 'Edit Keywords'.

1. Input a keyword (can be composed of many words)
2. Pick a category
3. Click on 'Save'

A keyword is composed of one or many words and a category.

Keyword: Can be one or many words that may be found in your transactions summary

Category: The category to assign any transation to when the Keyword is found

Keywords are unique! the system won't let you create 2 keywords identical as this does not make any sense :-)

Use our Keyword suggestion tool as to find the most reccurent words in your transaction  ^Top

IV) Transactions import and manual entry

Clearbudget aims to make your budget management as easy as possible. Therefore, you simply have to upload you bank transactions to load all your transactions...no need for any manual entry!

As a first step you must download your bank transactions in the QIF or QFX format (also call Quicken or MSMoney). Check with your Bank but their online interface should offer you this option.

Once you have the file on your computer:

1. Go to Clearbudget and go to the 'Tools' tab and then choose 'Load new transactions'
2. Click on the 'Load QIF file' or on the 'Load QFX file' link (Depending on your file, obviously!)
3. Click on the 'Browse' button and choose your file
4. For QIF file: If you know it, choose the Date format (if not, leave the default choice)
5. Click on the 'Send' button
6. Check all imported records in the result window

Clearbudget will report the imported and duplicate records count. The duplicates are records you already imported (thus not imported again).

The system will check for many things and report any errors. On error, you may retry with a different date format or a different file.

Clearbudget also gives you the ability to create transactions using a manual entry form. This can be useful if you have transaction done in cash, if your bank does not provide QIF or QFX files, or for any other reasons you may have.

1. Go to Clearbudget and go to the 'Tools' tab and then choose 'Load new transactions'
2. Click on the 'Add transactions manual' link
3. Pick the date of the transaction on the Calendar
4. Indicate the transaction amount (numbers only)
5. Choose if it is a credit or a debit
6. Indicate a comment and a memo (memo is optional)
7. Optional: Choose a category where this transation should belong to
8. Click on the 'Save' button

You can always reset the form by clicking on the 'reset' link

Transaction added manualy will appear in the Transaction import managment screen aggregated by calendar day.  ^Top

V) Transaction Categorization

Once you have uploaded some transactions, you should categorize them.

1. Click on 'Overview' on the top menu bar
2. A default category named 'Uncategorized' will appear in the summary tables
3. Click on the 'Uncategorized' link or on any corresponding monthly amount
4. For each transaction, Select the category you wish this transaction to be categorized in
5. Click on the corresponding 'Save' button

You need to repeat these tasks for each transations. If you see that many transactions are labeled the same way and should belong to the same category, then it would be easier to use the Keyword functionnality.  ^Top

VI) Auto-sort/Categorization

clearBudget goal is to ease your life so it will try to automaticaly categorize your transactions for you.

1. First of all, you should have set some 'Keywords' as described in paragraph III.
2. Click on the 'Tools' tab and then on 'AutoSort Transactions'

The system will report the number of transactions that got auto-categorized. It won't modify already categorized items.  ^Top

VII) Reports and Graphs

1. Access to report

The home page of clearBudget is the report page. It is also accessible via the 'Overview' link on the top navigation bar

2. Report structure

The report are composed of 6 sections: The overall status, the customized reports list, The graphs, the debits analytical table, the credits analytical table and the overview table

1. The overall status

Display your overall balance (all credits minus all debits), the total number of transactions stored, the overal credits sum and the overall debits sum.

2. The customized reports list

Display all custom report you have defined. A simple click on the name will adjust your the report display to your preset settings.

By default, 3 settings are defined: last 3 month, last 6 month and last 12 month. You are free to edit them or to add new ones.

3. The graphs

4 graphs are automaticaly generated: a categorization distribution pie chart, a category monthly distribution bar graph, a category monthly evolution lone chart and a credit vs debit monthly bar graph.

Any changes in your data is reflected automaticaly to the graphs

4. The debits analytical table

This table provides a detailed overview of your debits for the time range you selected. From each table cell, you can access the detailed list of related transactions.

A category cloud is displayed on top of this table where the font size is proportionnal to the spending in the category.

5. The credits analytical table

This table provides a detailed overview of your credits for the time range you selected. From each table cell, you can access the detailed list of related transactions.

6. The overview table

This table provides an overview of your credits vs debits on a monthly basis.

3. Report Printing

A small Print icon (a small printer) let you start a print of the currently dislayed report. The reports format is changed as to print nicely and effectively.

4. Custom reports

2 icons are available to manage reports: Edit or Add.

While on the report page, a click on the Edit or Add icon will display the report settings edit screen. On this screen you will be able to define:

1. The report name
2. The transaction type to include: Debit only, Credit only or both
3. The time range*: Month range or specific date range
4. The categories to include: all or a specific list

* The time range cannot exceed a 12 month span.

The Edit icon will pre-fill the screen with the current report settings while the Add icon will let you define a new report.

The reports and graphs are the most usefull tools to help you manage your budgets. You can follow you expenses and detect where you are spending too much monay. ^Top

VIII) Reports Time Range

The reports are by default computed over the past 12 calendar month.

You can change this by clicking any of the choices on top of the Overview page. Your choice will be saved for your futur visit but you can change it as much as you want.

You can also define your own report settings (categories, debit vs credit, date range...) by using the Edit or Add icon on the top left of the report page.  ^Top

IX) Category Cloud

On the report page, above the Debits table, the category list is visualy sorted by their related debit amount.

This is a great way to visualy see where your money goes to.

Putting your mouse pointer on top of a category name, will highlight the related row in the detailed table.  ^Top

X) Transactions import management

You can manage all your imported transaction and go back to any previously imported file.

This is very useful in order to manage your records and to check the raw data stored by Clearbudget.

1. Go to the 'Tools' tab and then choose 'Manage Uploaded files'
2. A detailed list of imports will appear
3. Click on the Zoom icon to see the list of transactions
4. Click on the Trash icon to delete all associated transactions

 ^Top

XI) Keyword Suggestion tool

clearBudget can find out the most commonly used words based on your transactions.

This is very useful in order to set your keywords and to save you some times.

1. Go to the 'Tools' tab and then choose 'Keyword suggestions'
2. A list of the most used word will appear
3. Mouse hovering on top of the words will indicate the percentage of time this word appears

If no suggestion have been found it may mean you do not have enough transactions to find anyting meaningful.

 ^Top

XII) User settings and preferences

You can change your user settings and preferences using the "settings" tab.

You can edit the value of the following fields:

• Username: The username use to secure the site
• Password: The password associated with the username
• Secure site: Switch to require username/password in order to use the application or not
• Language: The language to display the interface with
• Currency: The currency in which the transactions will be labeled in
• Initial balance: The initial balance from which clearBudget will compute your current balance

If the "Secure site" setting was already ON, you will be required to enter your current password for any changes to be applied. This is done as to secure the application from being changed by someone else.

 ^Top

XIII) Dividing transactions over categories

clearBudget offers the capability to distribute a single transaction into many in order to choose the correct category with the correct amount.

This is necessary as you may sometime have a single transaction from your bank while in fact it is different items. For example you may have a single $200 transaction at WalMart where you bought an LCD screen and some food. the food and the screen should not be counted toward the same goal so you should break this transaction up.

On the transaction list (coming from the overview page or from a search), use the break icon on the right of the transaction summary. This will open a screen with this transaction information and 5 empty slots. You simply can enter data in the empty fields and set the correct category. The system will check the sum for you as it has to be equal to the original transaction.

The original transaction will not appear anymore in any listing of transactions. You can still reach it by editing one of its child by using the same way.

In order to delete children (or all to go back to the original state), you simply use the same method but delete all children information and submit. ^Top

XIV) Reminders setup

It is quite handy to be recall of some important upcoming events...even more when you try to stick to a budget!

clearBudget offers the capability for you to set monthly reminders for upcoming charge (or income) and it will warn you during the 5 days before the event date.

You can set reminders from existing transactions by using the reminder icon on the right side of each transaction summary, or you can also create reminders from scracth using the reminder icon on top of the overview page.

• Memo: some text describing the reminder
• Amount: The amount (plus or minus) for this reminder
• Reminder Day: The day at which this event will happen.

If you are using the commercial version, you can also choose a specific date for your reminders and choose to be warn by Email or/and SMS

All reminders are monthly reminders. ^Top