Categorizing transactions

Accurate categories power budgets, reports, and insights. Fiscal Flowcast offers several ways to categorize — none of them use external machine learning or train models on your data.

Manual categorization

When adding or editing a transaction, pick a category from the dropdown. Save to update reports and budgets.

Bulk categorize

On Transactions, select multiple rows with the checkboxes.
Click Bulk categorize.
Choose a category and optionally update the description for all selected items.
Review the list and apply.

Category rules (server-side)

For automatic matching by keyword or merchant text, set up rules under Settings → Category Rules (or Category Rules in the app). Rules run when transactions are imported or created and apply on the server for your account.

Transactions auto-categorized by a rule show a Auto badge in the transaction list. You can still manually change the category at any time.

Suggestions from past choices (this browser only)

When you assign a category to a transaction, we may suggest the same category next time you enter a similar description on this device and browser. This is stored in local storage — not shared with other browsers, phones, or teammates. It is not artificial intelligence and does not learn across your whole account on the server.

If you see "Suggested from your past choices (this browser)" on the transaction form, that hint refers to this local memory.

Category precedence

When a transaction is created or imported, categories are applied in this order:

Server-side category rules — Automatic matching by keyword or merchant (highest priority)
Browser memory suggestions — Local suggestions from your past choices on this device
Manual selection — Categories you assign directly when creating or editing a transaction

You can always override any automatically assigned category by editing the transaction manually. Category rules persist across all your devices and browsers, while browser memory suggestions are device-specific.

What we do not offer

No AI that trains on your transaction history
No automatic sync of personal categorization habits across devices

For future governed AI categorization, see our product roadmap — until then, use category rules and bulk categorize for speed.

Recording TransactionsLearn how to record income, expenses, transfers, and investment transactions.
Search-first transaction workflowUse search, keyboard shortcuts, and bulk actions to categorize transactions faster on desktop.
Merchant spend by payeeSee where you spend most by payee (Merchant field or Description fallback) on the Dashboard and Transactions Merchants tab.
Plans and Feature LimitsUnderstand what each plan includes, why a feature might be locked, and how to upgrade.

Categorizing transactions