Introduction to the Transaction Register
The Transaction Register is the primary place where imported transactions can be reviewed and where they are named and categorised. Modifications if necessary are also performed in this screen.
The Budgets GetReal system works on the principle of importing your transactions from an Internet banking or other financial site. Many months of transactions can be very quickly downloaded and imported, which is a huge time saver. The imported transactions are visible on the left hand side of the transaction screen.
Transactions can also be manually entered in batches to match paper statements. This is done if the electronic statements are unavailable (too old), and also for store accounts where electronic statements are not available. Learn more about manual entry.
Before proceeding to name and categorise transactions you may wish to adjust imported transactions for any import errors or to manually add any missed transactions. You may wish to add or maintain any unpresented cheques that you have written at the Cheque Register. You may also wish to reconcile your imported transactions against the printed statements issued by your bank, optionally locking your reconciled transactions.
After a quick process of checking that all your transactions have imported correctly, you can proceed to assign the transactions to various categories.
Named and categorised transactions are visible on the right hand side of the transaction screen. If you are using the Business Pack, you can also assign Biz codes to your transactions. All versions have the ability to assign job codes to transactions to identify some transactions for taxation purposes such as dividends, costs associated with a rental property, work related expenses or any other purpose you want. Learn more about Naming, Learn more about Categorising and learn more about Reminders.
Transaction Register
You can reach this screen several ways, including selecting Transaction (main sidebar menu) and choosing View Register.
Transaction 1 shows an imported transaction that has been named and categorised.
Transaction 2 shows an imported transaction that has not yet been named and categorised.
Transaction 3 has the date in bold because it has been changed. The transaction has been categorised to several categories and the largest value category shows. The red dot indicates several categories.
Transaction 4 is a manually imported transaction. Note the green date colour.
Viewing your Transactions/Modes of Operation
Select an Account from the main drop-down menu. For each account there are 8 options possible.
Last Import
- Shows all transactions included in the last import for this account. Excluded transactions are shown separately. Shows the transaction date range but does not allow selection nor hiding of categorised transactions. The Clear Statement icon will display if Last Import selected.
- Clear Statement facility allows to remove all transactions associated with the last Import and any naming, categorisation, inclusion/exclusions since that import. Click > Confirm Deletion Request Screen > Type “Yes” to delete.
- Imported statements can be removed successively for each account in import order. This is used if you have imported the wrong statement into the wrong account or if you set up the amount sign incorrectly in the configuration. Simply clear the Statement, change the configuration and re-import.
By Date
- Shows all transactions (for all imports) selected by date range nominated. Both From and To date can be specified blank - meaning no restriction.
- In addition results can be filtered to show only the Uncategorised transactions (not fully named and categorised).
Cheques / Checks
- Provides a register of all imported Cheque transactions as well as Unpresented (or Stopped) cheques that have been manually entered. When Import encounters an unpresented cheque with the same number as a transaction it wishes to import, the unpresented cheque is removed and replaced by the imported entry. The name and categorised account is used for the imported cheque.
- Where there is a discrepancy between the amount of the unpresented cheque and the importing entry, or the cheque is marked as stopped, an Disputed memo is generated an added to the imported entry. This immediately appears in the Operations monitor. Learn more about cheques features
Additional
- Choose Additional to view one-off transactions that have not been imported nor entered as manual entry batches. One-off Additional transactions are entered by using the [+] button on the upper right hand side of the Transaction Register screen. This button displays only in By Date display mode. You can only enter Additional transactions in the specified date range showing in your transaction screen. Learn more about adjusting imported transactions
Excluded
- It is not uncommon for Credit Card statements to include entries designed to indicate that a purchase has been authorised but not yet debited against the account. These are used to calculate the “available balance” - which Budgets GetReal does not use. These most frequently display at the end of the statement period. Budgets GetReal is set up to exclude such transactions.
- However, banks can change their standards without notice and if such transactions are appearing, they may need to be manually excluded. To avoid any loss of transactions ALL excluded transactions are recorded in an Excluded register. All transactions can be Included / Excluded at any time. Learn more about adjusting imported transactions
- Shows any imported transactions for which the date has been changed. Such transactions can be recognised in other register views because the date is shown in bold. Dates are changed by clicking on the date of the relevant transaction so that the Change Current Display Date Window opens. Learn more about adjusting imported transactions
- You may wish to change Dates because of occasional differences between paper and electronic statements from the bank. This will assist in reconciliation against printed statements. Dates may also need to be changed to assign the transaction to the appropriate financial year.
Manual Entry
- Allows you to manual entry transactions if no electronic download is available for import. Simply enter the transactions to match those on your printed bank statements. Learn more about manual entry
- Allows you to reconcile the entries in the Transaction register against those shown on the printed statements provided by your bank. Once reconciled you can lock transaction earlier than a preset date against further import, manual entry or any change that would invalidate this reconciliation. Locking transactions does not prevent you changing their naming and categorisation. Learn more about statement reconciliation.
Job codes and Biz Codes.
Where the Business Pack has been installed and registered, column 5 will display the reminder code and either the Job code or Biz code.
Whether Job Codes or Biz Codes display is controlled by the links visible in the lower right hand corner of the screen. These links will only appear where the Business Pack has been installed and registered. Biz codes are particularly useful for tracking GST or VAT obligations. Learn more about Business codes. Learn more about Job codes
Visual elements
In the Transaction Register there are a number of visual elements that you might find useful.These elements signify something special about a particular transaction, usually because you have set an extra option.
The following show in the Date and Transaction columns:
Green date indicates a Manual Entry batch. Status of Manual Entry is shown below the date in green as a second line - Incomplete or Change. No status will show if the batch is internally reconciled i.e. Locked.
Red date and transaction: Indicates a one-off Additional entry (added by using the [+] button). Listed as Additional.
Date bold black. Date of this imported transaction has been changed. Listed as Changed Date.
X before a date. Transaction is locked against change in Columns 1, 2 and 3. You can still name and categorise the transaction.
Greyed entries: Show only at the Statement Register. Indicate the transaction has been Excluded.
The following show in the Name & Account and Memo & Job columns:
before category in Column 4. Indicates that multiple or split categories have been set for the transaction.
R A Reminder has been set for that transaction (Remind After Date)
W A Warranty Reminder has been set for that transaction
E Extra Notes reminder has been set for this transaction
D Transaction has been marked as a Disputed Transaction
Blue category name: The categorisation was automatically set on import for the recognised name. Several combinations exist for the name, and the most frequently used one has been selected. Blue is to indicate that other choices exist.
Green category name: A reserved category associated with a $TFR name i.e. is set to a linked account.
Lock Before Date - Locking transactions against change
You can lock all transactions from further import, manual entry or modification by setting a Lock Before Date at the Statement register. This is of particular use in preventing change to these transactions once they have been reconciled against your printed statements.
Setting a Lock Before Date will not does not prevent you changing their naming and categorisation. It only effects the Date, Transaction and Amount columns. Lock Before Date has no effect on your entering and maintaining unpresented cheques. Once the cheques present on import they can be locked.
Setting the Lock Before Date may prevent you using the Statement Clear facility. If so you will need to set the Lock Before Date prior to the earliest date in the import batch you wish to clear.
If you have entered transactions using the Manual entry facility, the Lock Before Date cannot be set after the opening date of the earliest unlocked (unreconciled) manual batch. You must first finalise Manual entry batches, ensure these balance and are correct, and then lock these using the “Reconcile All” button. Learn more about manual entry
Sorting Displayed Results
You can sort your transactions in addition to any other groupings. You can sort the results for each account without having specified any additional criteria.
Sorting allows you to determine the order of display for your results. You can sort in ascending and descending order, through a number of different options.
All sorting controls exist within these headings.
Clicking on the name of a heading will allow you to sort, based on that particular column. You can sort using the columns Date, Transaction, Amount, Name, Account, Memo and Job. When a header is selected as the current sort option its name is underlined In this case we are sorting by ‘Date’
You can switch between ascending and descending order using 
This works with each header that you can select (a selected header will display with the name underlined).
UNDO/REDO + CANCELLING AN ACTION
All Naming and Categorisation tasks (that potentially effect multiple entries) have access to an Undo/Redo facility. This applies only to the last task performed and is cancelled by any subsequent modification - may have its own Undo/Redo.
This does not apply to major tasks like Including / Excluding a transaction, or changing its status as a cheque entry.
X facility enables you to remove the name or category applied to that transaction.
X will appear next to any names or categories that can be removed, this includes cash and transfers. If categorised, you must remove the category before you can remove the name.
