> ## 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
* **Subscriptions** - Recurring payments

<Note>
  New accounts start without any categories — create the ones that match your workflow.
</Note>

## Managing Categories

Categories are managed from the **New Category** modal on the Transactions page. It lists all your categories and lets you create, edit, and delete them in one place.

### Creating a Category

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

  <Step title="Click New Category">
    Click the **New Category** button in the toolbar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter category details">
    | Field | Description |
    | - | - |
    | **Name** | Category name (e.g., "Consulting Revenue") |
    | **Icon** | An emoji picked from the built-in emoji picker |

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

  <Step title="Save">
    Save to add the category. It's immediately available in every category dropdown.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Editing a Category

1. Open the **New Category** modal from the Transactions toolbar
2. Find the category in the list and click its **Edit** button
3. Change the name or emoji icon
4. Save your changes

<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. Open the **New Category** modal from the Transactions toolbar
2. Find the category in the list and click its **Delete** button
3. The category is removed

## Assigning Categories

Assign categories to individual transactions:

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

  <Step title="Click the category cell">
    Click the category directly in the transaction's row, or open the transaction's details panel.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a category">
    Select from your categories in the dropdown.

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

<Tip>
  Use the **Uncategorized** filter in the filter drawer to find transactions that still need a category.
</Tip>

## Auto-Categorization

Chainbook can automatically categorize transactions based on your contacts. Each contact can have a **default category** — when auto-categorization is enabled, transactions with that contact as the counterparty receive the contact's default category.

### Enabling Auto-Categorization

<Steps>
  <Step title="Set default categories on contacts">
    On the **Contacts** page, assign a default category to the contacts you want auto-categorized.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Turn on the toggle">
    Enable **Auto-Categorize** in **Settings → Preferences**, or use the toggle on the Transactions page.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### How It Works

When auto-categorization is enabled:

1. Existing uncategorized transactions matching your contacts are backfilled with each contact's default category
2. New transactions from those contacts are categorized automatically as they sync
3. Categories you assigned manually are never overwritten

<Note>
  On a shared wallet, auto-categorization uses the wallet owner's contacts and default categories.
</Note>

### Disabling Auto-Categorization

If you prefer manual control, turn off **Auto-Categorize** in **Settings → Preferences** or on the Transactions page.

<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

**For business use:**

* Revenue
* Operating Expenses
* Payroll
* Taxes
* Capital Expenses

### 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 **By Categories** chart on the dashboard shows how your transactions are distributed across categories, so you can see your largest categories at a glance.

### Filtered Views

Filter transactions by category to:

* View all income transactions
* Review specific expense types
* Find uncategorized transactions with the **Uncategorized** filter

### Exports

Category information is included in CSV exports:

* The "Category" column shows the assigned category (or "Uncategorized" if none)
* 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>


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