> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.chainbook.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Categories

> Organize transactions with custom categories for better reporting

Categories help you classify transactions for reporting, analysis, and accounting purposes.

## What are Categories?

Categories are labels you assign to transactions to organize them by type or purpose. Examples include:

* **Revenue** - Income from clients or sales
* **Operating Expenses** - Day-to-day business costs
* **Trading** - Buy/sell activity
* **Transfers** - Movements between your own wallets
* **Subscriptions** - Recurring payments

## Default Categories

New accounts include these default categories:

| Category | Suggested Use                  |
| -------- | ------------------------------ |
| Income   | Received payments and revenue  |
| Expenses | Outgoing payments and costs    |
| Trading  | Exchange and swap transactions |
| Transfer | Internal wallet transfers      |

<Tip>
  Customize these defaults or create new categories that match your workflow.
</Tip>

## Managing Categories

### Creating a Category

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Settings">
    Navigate to **Settings** from the sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open Categories">
    Click on the **Categories** tab or section.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Add Category">
    Click the **Add Category** button.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter category details">
    | Field     | Description                                |
    | --------- | ------------------------------------------ |
    | **Name**  | Category name (e.g., "Consulting Revenue") |
    | **Color** | Optional color for visual distinction      |

    <Check>
      Keep names short but descriptive for easy selection.
    </Check>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Create** to add the category.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Editing a Category

1. Go to **Settings** → **Categories**
2. Find the category you want to edit
3. Click the **Edit** button (pencil icon)
4. Modify the name or color
5. Click **Save**

<Note>
  Editing a category name updates it on all previously assigned transactions.
</Note>

### Deleting a Category

<Warning>
  Deleting a category removes the categorization from all transactions that used it. The transactions themselves are not deleted.
</Warning>

1. Go to **Settings** → **Categories**
2. Find the category to delete
3. Click the **Delete** button (trash icon)
4. Confirm the deletion

## Assigning Categories

### Manual Assignment

Assign categories to individual transactions:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Transactions">
    Navigate to **Transactions** from the sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select a transaction">
    Click on the transaction you want to categorize.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a category">
    Click the category dropdown and select from your categories.

    <Check>
      The category is saved automatically.
    </Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Bulk Assignment

To categorize multiple transactions at once:

1. Filter transactions (e.g., by contact or date range)
2. Select multiple transactions using checkboxes
3. Click **Bulk Actions** → **Set Category**
4. Choose the category to apply

<Tip>
  Use filters to find similar transactions, then bulk assign to save time.
</Tip>

## Auto-Categorization

Chainbook can automatically assign categories based on patterns you've established.

### Enabling Auto-Categorization

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Settings">
    Navigate to **Settings** from the sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find Auto-Categorization">
    Locate the **Auto-Categorize** toggle.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable the feature">
    Turn on the toggle.

    <Note>
      Auto-categorization uses AI to learn from your existing categorization patterns.
    </Note>
  </Step>
</Steps>

### How It Works

When auto-categorization is enabled:

1. Chainbook analyzes your existing categorized transactions
2. It identifies patterns (e.g., transactions from address X are usually "Revenue")
3. New transactions matching patterns are automatically categorized
4. Auto-assigned categories are marked so you can review them

### Reviewing Auto-Assignments

Transactions with auto-assigned categories show an indicator:

* Look for the "auto" badge next to the category
* Review and adjust if the AI made a mistake
* Your corrections help improve future suggestions

<Tip>
  The more transactions you manually categorize, the better auto-categorization becomes.
</Tip>

### Disabling Auto-Categorization

If you prefer manual control:

1. Go to **Settings**
2. Toggle off **Auto-Categorize**
3. Existing auto-assignments remain, but no new ones are made

<Warning>
  Disabling auto-categorization also removes existing auto-assigned categories. Manually assigned categories are preserved.
</Warning>

## Category Best Practices

### Keep Categories Consistent

Create a category structure that works for your needs:

**For personal use:**

* Income
* Expenses
* Savings/Investment
* Transfers

**For business use:**

* Revenue
* Operating Expenses
* Payroll
* Taxes
* Capital Expenses
* Internal Transfers

### Use Specific Names

<Tip>
  Specific category names make reports more useful.
</Tip>

✅ Good names:

* "Client Payments"
* "Software Subscriptions"
* "Exchange Withdrawals"

❌ Avoid vague names:

* "Misc"
* "Other"
* "Stuff"

### Match Your Accounting

If you use accounting software:

* Mirror your chart of accounts in Chainbook
* Makes export reconciliation easier
* Consistent reporting across systems

### Regular Review

Set a routine to categorize transactions:

* Daily: Categorize new transactions
* Weekly: Review uncategorized transactions
* Monthly: Audit category assignments

## Using Categories in Reports

Categories power several reporting features:

### Dashboard Charts

The "Chart by Categories" shows:

* Transaction distribution by category
* Largest categories by value
* Uncategorized transaction percentage

### Filtered Views

Filter transactions by category to:

* View all income transactions
* Review specific expense types
* Find uncategorized transactions

### Exports

Category information is included in CSV exports:

* "Category" column shows the assigned category
* Use for accounting import
* Filter in spreadsheets by category

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I have the same transaction in multiple categories?">
    No, each transaction can only have one category. If you need multiple classifications, consider:

    * Using more specific category names
    * Tracking in separate systems for different purposes
    * Using the description field for additional notes
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens to transactions when I delete a category?">
    Transactions lose their category assignment but are not deleted. They become "uncategorized" and can be assigned to a different category.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I import categories from another system?">
    Currently, categories must be created manually. For bulk creation, contact support for assistance with larger category lists.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How many categories can I create?">
    There's no limit on the number of categories. However, we recommend keeping your list manageable (10-20 categories) for easier selection and reporting.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>