Tidy User Manual

1. Try Before You Connect: Sample Data Mode

The first time you open Tidy, you can immediately explore its features without connecting any accounts. Simply click Load Sample Data. This will populate the app with a fictional budget, allowing you to try adding transactions, viewing reports, and managing pots in a safe, temporary environment.

2. Connecting Your Data Source

When you're ready to start for real, you'll need to connect a data source. This determines where your budget_data.json file is stored. You have two main options, which can be managed in the System Settings menu.

1. Local Folder (Recommended for simplicity): Click Connect to a Folder and choose a folder on your computer. This is simple, requires no accounts, and is completely offline. On mobile devices, the app will remember your choice, allowing you to reconnect with a single click.
2. Google Drive (Recommended for syncing): Go to System Settings and connect your Google account. This stores your data file in a private, hidden folder in your own Google Drive that only Tidy can access. The app will remember your sign-in, keeping you connected automatically across sessions.

3. The Main Interface

Once connected, you'll see the main screen. Here's a quick tour of the main navigation tabs:

• Monthly View: Your primary workspace for day-to-day transaction management.
• Dashboard & Reports: Get a high-level view of your finances with charts and searchable transaction lists.
• Pots: A dedicated space to manage your savings goals and earmarked funds.
• Categories: Analyze your spending habits and track against budgets.

The Top Bar: Sync & Settings

The bar at the very top of the app provides at-a-glance information and access to key settings.

• Sync Status: On the left, an icon shows your connection type (Folder or Google Drive) and a coloured light indicates the status:
  • Green: Connected and saved.
  • Blue: Syncing in progress.
  • Red: Connection or saving error.
  • Grey: Not connected.
• Financial Setup (Wallet Icon): This is where you create and manage your Pots, set up monthly Category Budgets, and view/edit all your Recurring Items in one place.
• System Settings (Gear Icon): Manage your data connection, toggle autosave, set your default view and theme (Light/Dark), and clear local browser data.

Monthly View

This is where you'll spend most of your time. You can navigate between months using the arrow buttons. On the left, you'll find your Summary and Pots panels.

• Summary Panel: This shows your "Available Funds" (money not in pots) and your "Total in Pots". It also features a Closing Balance with a toggle between `Cleared` (actual balance) and `Planned` (forecast). The summary will also show amber "chips" for categories that are close to their budget limit, giving you a proactive warning.
• Budget Items (List View): Transactions are grouped by category, making it easy to see where your money is going and track your progress against category budgets.
• Budget Items (Calendar View): See your transactions on the days they occurred. You can also toggle a "Running Balance" to see how your account balance (both planned and cleared) changes day by day.

Adding & Managing Transactions

Click the large + button to add a new income or expense item. Key features to speed up your workflow include:

• Payee Memory: Tidy remembers the categories you use for specific payees. Type a known payee (e.g., "Tesco") and the app will automatically suggest the "Groceries" category.
• Templates: For common but irregular purchases (like "Petrol" or "Takeaway"), you can save them as a template from the transaction form. Next time, just select it from the "Load Template" dropdown to pre-fill the details.
• Live Budget Feedback: As you fill out the form, a new status section will appear, showing you in real-time how the current transaction will affect your budget for the selected category.
• Cleared Status: To mark a transaction as cleared (i.e., it has left your bank account), simply click the checkmark circle next to it in the list view.
• Make Recurring: For items like salaries or rent, check this box to have them automatically appear in future months.

Dashboard & Reports

This view gives you powerful insights. Set a date range and use the search bar to filter all your transactions. The charts will automatically update, and hovering over the spending chart will now show budget information in the tooltip for a quick comparison.

Pots Tab

"Pots" are virtual containers for your money, perfect for savings goals. This tab gives you an overview of all your pots, and if you've set a goal with a target date, it will show a hint for how much you need to save each month to stay on track.

Daily Examples

Example 1: Planning for Car Costs

1. The Plan (Pot): You create a Pot called "Car Maintenance" and transfer £50 into it each month.
2. The Event (Transaction): Your car needs new tyres from Kwik-Fit for £280.
3. The Action (In Tidy): You add a new expense, categorise it as `Car Costs`, and assign it to the `Car Maintenance` Pot.
4. The Result: Your reports show £280 spent on `Car Costs`, and the balance of your `Car Maintenance` pot decreases.

Example 2: The Weekly Grocery Shop

1. The Plan (Pot): You create a Pot called "Monthly Groceries" with an "Endless Goal". You transfer your £350 budget into it.
2. The Event (Transaction): You do your weekly shop at Asda for £85.30.
3. The Action (In Tidy): You add the expense, categorise it as `Groceries`, and assign it to the `Monthly Groceries` Pot.
4. The Result: The pot balance instantly updates, showing exactly how much you have left for groceries for the rest of the month.