Monthly/Yearly Summaries
Understanding summary calculations and comparisons across time periods
1
Monthly Summaries
View monthly spending summaries in the Category Spending Breakdown pie chart:
- Use the Viewing: dropdown to select a month
- Shows category breakdown for that month
- Total spending displayed at bottom
- Available: Current month + last 11 months
2
Yearly Summaries
View yearly spending summaries in the Yearly Spending Chart bar chart:
- Use the Year: dropdown to select a year
- Shows all 12 months of spending
- Footer displays total spending, budget status, and month counts
- Available: Current year + last 4 years
3
How Totals Are Calculated
All summaries are calculated in real-time from your transaction data:
Monthly Total
Sums all expense transactions for the selected month, grouped by category
Yearly Total
Sums spending for each of 12 months, compares to budget limits
Budget Status
((Total Spending - Total Budget) / Total Budget) × 100
4
Comparing Periods
To compare spending across different periods:
- Select one month/year and note the totals
- Select a different month/year to compare
- Look for patterns like seasonal spending or trends
- Compare category distributions in pie chart
5
Using Summaries for Planning
Use summary data to make informed financial decisions:
- Identify trends: See if spending is increasing or decreasing
- Set realistic budgets: Base limits on past actual spending
- Plan for seasonal expenses: Compare same month across years
- Track financial goals: Monitor yearly totals
- Prepare for taxes: Quick yearly spending reference