Adding an Expense
Learn how to record expense transactions in Personal Finance Tracker
Recording expenses helps you track where your money goes and maintain accurate account balances. You can add expenses manually, use voice input, or scan receipts.
Fill in Required Fields
Complete all required fields marked with an asterisk (*):
- Amount: Enter the expense amount as a positive number (e.g., 45.99)
- Description: Brief description of the expense (e.g., "Grocery shopping")
- Paid To: Name of the merchant or person (e.g., "Walmart")
- Account: Select which account this expense is from
- Date: When the transaction occurred (defaults to today)
Add Optional Details
Enhance your expense tracking with optional information:
- Category: Categorize the expense (e.g., Food and Dining, Transportation, Housing)
- Status: Transaction status - Completed (default), Pending, Cancelled, or Failed
Use Voice Input (Optional)
Click the "Voice Input" button to speak your transaction instead of typing. The system will automatically extract:
- Amount from your speech
- Merchant name
- Category (if mentioned)
- Date/time information
Review and adjust the auto-filled fields before saving.
Speak naturally: 'I spent forty-five dollars at Walmart for groceries today'
Scan Receipt (Optional)
Click the "Scan Receipt" button to use your camera to capture a receipt. The system will attempt to extract:
- Total amount
- Merchant name
- Date
- Category (based on merchant type)
Save the Expense
Once you've filled in the required fields, click the "Save Transaction" button. The expense will be recorded and your account balance will be automatically updated.
Click "Cancel" if you want to discard the expense without saving.
Quick Access from Dashboard
You can quickly add an expense from the dashboard using the "Add Expense" button in the Quick Actions card, or click "Scan Receipt" to go directly to the receipt scanner.