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Monies User Guide and FAQ

1. Getting Started

monies is a Google Sheets add-on that helps you manage your personal finances by automatically importing and categorizing transactions from your bank and credit card statements. Simply upload your PDF statements, and monies will extract the transaction data, organize it in your Google Sheet, and help you categorize expenses for better financial tracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I install the monies add-on?

  1. Visit the Google Workspace Marketplace and search for "monies"
  2. Click "Install" and grant the necessary permissions
  3. Open Google Sheets and create a new spreadsheet or open an existing one
  4. Find monies in the Extensions menu (Extensions > monies)
  5. Click on the monies menu to open the add-on sidebar

What does the free trial include?

  • 30-day free trial with full access to all features
  • No credit card required to start your trial
  • All uploaded data remains yours - you keep everything even after the trial ends
  • Continue using your Google Sheet - your financial data stays accessible even without the add-on

What happens after the free trial?

  • Annual subscription: Available to continue using the add-on
  • Your data stays: All transactions and categories remain in your Google Sheet
  • No data loss: You can still view and edit your financial data manually in Google Sheets
  • Reactivate anytime: Subscribe later to regain add-on functionality

How do I sign in?

  1. Open the monies add-on from the Extensions menu
  2. Click "Sign In with Google" when prompted
  3. Start using monies - the add-on will automatically set up your initial set of sheets

2. Core Features Overview

The monies add-on transforms your Google Sheet into a powerful financial management tool by automatically categorizing and organizing your finances.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sheets does monies create automatically?

monies creates four essential sheets in your workbook:

  • Categories Sheet: Defines how your transactions are classified (e.g., "Groceries", "Salary")
  • Settings Sheet: A hidden sheet that stores data required for the add-on to work (please do not edit this sheet!)
  • Rules Sheet: Contains your rules for automatically categorizing transactions
  • Transactions Sheet: Holds all your imported transaction data

How do I navigate the add-on?

The add-on appears as a sidebar on the right side of your Google Sheet when you launch the monies add-on.

Can I use my Google Sheet normally while using monies?

Yes! monies works alongside your normal Google Sheets usage:

  • View and edit data in any of the created sheets except the Settings sheet
  • Add manual transactions directly to the Transactions sheet
  • Create charts and pivot tables using your financial data
  • Share your sheet with others (they won't need the add-on to view the sheet)

What happens to my data if I stop using monies?

Your financial data remains completely accessible:

  • All transaction data stays in your Google Sheet
  • Categories and rules remain visible and editable
  • No data is lost or becomes inaccessible
  • Continue manual entry if desired
  • Export data to other formats anytime

3. Supported Banks and Statements

monies supports PDF statements from major banks and financial institutions. Your uploaded statements are processed securely and deleted immediately after parsing - no transaction data is stored by monies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which bank account statements are supported?

monies currently supports PDF statements from these banks:

  • DBS Bank
  • UOB (United Overseas Bank)
  • OCBC Bank
  • Standard Chartered Bank
  • Maybank
  • MariBank

Which credit card statements are supported?

monies supports credit card statements from:

  • DBS Credit Cards
  • UOB Credit Cards
  • OCBC Credit Cards
  • Standard Chartered Credit Cards
  • Maybank Credit Cards
  • MariBank Credit Cards
  • Citibank Credit Cards

What file formats are accepted?

  • PDF files only - statements must be in PDF format
  • Original bank PDFs work best (scanned or photocopied documents are not supported)
  • Password-protected PDFs are not supported
  • File size limit is typically 10MB per statement

How is my data protected during upload?

  • Immediate deletion: PDF files are deleted from our servers immediately after processing
  • No data storage: monies does not store any of your transaction data
  • Local processing: All data goes directly to your Google Sheet
  • Secure transmission: Files are encrypted during upload and processing

What if my bank isn't supported?

  • Request support: Email hello@monies.sg with your bank account name
  • Manual entry: You can still use monies by manually entering transactions
  • Future updates: We regularly add support for new banks based on user requests

4. Uploading Bank Statements

The upload statement feature allows you to quickly import years of transaction data with a simple drag-and-drop action.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if upload fails?

If your statement doesn't upload successfully:

  • Check the file format - ensure it's a PDF from a supported bank
  • Verify file size - large files exceeding 10MB may take longer or fail
  • Try a different statement - some statement formats may not be supported yet
  • Contact support at hello@monies.sg with details about the error

How does monies handle duplicate transactions?

  • Automatic detection: monies compares new transactions with existing ones
  • Duplicate alerts: You'll be notified if duplicates are found
  • Manual review: You can choose to import or skip duplicate transactions
  • Smart matching: Uses date, amount, description, and account name to identify duplicates

Can I upload multiple statements at once?

Yes! You ma upload multiple statements at the same time.

What information is extracted from statements?

monies extracts these key details from each transaction:

  • Date: When the transaction occurred
  • Description: Merchant name and/or transaction details
  • Amount: Transaction amount
  • Account: Which bank/account the transaction came from

5. Managing Categories

Categories are the foundation of your financial organization in monies. They help you classify your transactions into meaningful groups like "Groceries", "Salary", or "Entertainment", making it easy to understand your spending patterns. The add-on automatically creates a Categories sheet in your workbook and populates it with common categories to get you started.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Categories sheet and how is it structured?

The Categories sheet contains three columns that work together to organize your transactions:

  • Category: The specific name of the expense or income category (e.g., "Groceries", "Salary", "Entertainment")
  • Group: A broader grouping for related categories (e.g., "Food & Dining", "Income", "Lifestyle")
  • Type: Indicates whether this is an "Expense" or "Income" category

What default categories are provided?

monies automatically sets up common categories to get you started:

Income Categories:

  • Salary (Income, Salary)
  • Bonus (Income, Salary)
  • Investment Returns (Income, Investment)

Expense Categories:

  • Groceries (Food & Dining, Expense)
  • Restaurants (Food & Dining, Expense)
  • Gas & Fuel (Transportation, Expense)
  • Public Transport (Transportation, Expense)
  • Utilities (Bills & Utilities, Expense)
  • Internet (Bills & Utilities, Expense)
  • Entertainment (Lifestyle, Expense)
  • Shopping (Lifestyle, Expense)
  • Healthcare (Healthcare, Expense)

The complete list of default categories will be visible in your Categories sheet after installation.

How do I add new categories?

Adding new categories is simple:

  1. Open the Categories sheet in your Google Sheets workbook
  2. Find the next empty row below the existing categories
  3. Fill in the three columns:
    • Category: Type your new category name (e.g., "Travel")
    • Group: Assign it to an existing group or create a new one (e.g., "Food & Dining")
    • Type: Enter either "Expense" or "Income"

Example:

  • Category: "Gym Membership"
  • Group: "Health & Fitness"
  • Type: "Expense"

What's the difference between Category, Group, and Type?

  • Category: The specific classification for your transaction (e.g., "Groceries", "Gym Membership")
  • Group: A broader collection of related categories that helps with analysis (e.g., "Food & Dining" might include "Groceries", "Restaurants", "Coffee Shops")
  • Type: Simply identifies if money is coming in ("Income") or going out ("Expense")

How should I organize my groups?

Groups help you analyze spending patterns across related categories. You can:

  • Use the existing groups like "Food & Dining", "Transportation", "Bills & Utilities"
  • Create new groups that match your lifestyle (e.g., "Pet Care", "Education", "Travel")

Can I have duplicate category names?

No, each category name must be unique. If you need similar categories, use descriptive names like "Groceries - Supermarket" and "Groceries - Convenience Store".

6. Creating and Managing Rules

Categorization rules are powerful automation tools that automatically assign categories to your transactions based on criteria you define. Instead of manually categorizing hundreds of transactions, you can create rules that do the work for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are categorization rules and why should I use them?

Categorization rules automatically assign categories to transactions based on patterns you define. For example:

  • Rule: If description contains "NTUC" → Category: "Groceries"
  • Rule: If description contains "SALARY" and amount > $1000 → Category: "Salary"
  • Rule: If amount equals $50 and description contains "GYM" → Category: "Health & Fitness"

This saves hours of manual work and ensures consistent categorization.

How do I create my first rule?

  1. Open the monies add-on and click "Create Rule" in the navigation
  2. Choose a category from the dropdown (categories are taken from the Categories sheet)
  3. Set up conditions that identify which transactions should get this category:
    • Description contains: Enter text that appears in transaction descriptions
    • Amount conditions: Set minimum, maximum, or exact amounts
  4. Preview the rule to see which existing transactions would be affected
  5. Choose rule settings: Apply to all transactions or only uncategorized ones
  6. Save the rule - it will be stored in your Rules sheet

What types of conditions can I set?

Description Conditions:

  • Contains: Transaction description includes specific text (e.g., "STARBUCKS")
  • Multiple terms: Use AND/OR logic (e.g., "COFFEE AND SHOP")
  • Case insensitive: Rules work regardless of capitalization

Amount Conditions:

  • Exact amount: Transaction must equal a specific value
  • Minimum amount: Transaction must be at least this amount
  • Maximum amount: Transaction must not exceed this amount
  • Amount range: Combine minimum and maximum for a range

How does the rule preview work?

The preview feature shows you:

  • Matching transactions: Which existing transactions would be categorized by this rule
  • Transaction count: Total number of transactions that match
  • Sample transactions: Examples of what would be categorized

This helps you refine your rule before saving it.

What's the difference between "Apply to All" and "Apply to Uncategorized"?

  • Apply to All: The rule will categorize ALL matching transactions, even if they already have a category
  • Apply to Uncategorized: The rule will only categorize transactions that don't already have a category assigned

Most users prefer "Apply to Uncategorized" to avoid overwriting manual categorizations.

How do I manage multiple rules?

  • Rule priority: Rules are applied in the order they appear in your Rules sheet from top to bottom
  • View all rules: Check the Rules sheet to see all your saved rules
  • Edit rules: Modify rules directly in the Rules sheet or create new ones in the add-on
  • Delete rules: Remove rows from the Rules sheet to delete rules

What are some examples of effective rules?

Income Rules:

  • Description contains "SALARY" → Category: "Salary"
  • Description contains "DIVIDEND" → Category: "Investment Returns"

Expense Rules:

  • Description contains "GRAB" → Category: "Transportation"
  • Description contains "NTUC" OR "FAIRPRICE" → Category: "Groceries"
  • Amount equals $2.50 AND description contains "MRT" → Category: "Public Transport"

Subscription Rules:

  • Amount equals $15.98 AND description contains "NETFLIX" → Category: "Entertainment"
  • Amount equals $12.99 AND description contains "SPOTIFY" → Category: "Entertainment"

What happens if multiple rules match the same transaction?

  • First match wins: The first rule that matches will be applied
  • Rule order matters: Arrange rules in your Rules sheet from most specific (at the top) to most general (at the bottom)
  • Manual override: You can always manually change a category after rules are applied

Can I test rules without affecting my data?

Yes! Use the preview feature to see what would happen before saving the rule. The preview shows you exactly which transactions would be affected without making any changes to your data.

7. Transaction Management

The Transactions sheet is where all your imported financial data lives. This sheet becomes your central hub for viewing, analyzing, and managing your financial transactions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Transactions sheet contain?

The Transactions sheet includes these columns for each transaction:

  • Date: When the transaction occurred
  • Description: Merchant name and/or transaction details from your bank statement
  • Amount In: Money received (income, refunds, transfers in)
  • Amount Out: Money spent (expenses, transfers out)
  • Bank: Which bank or financial institution the transaction came from
  • Account: Specific account or card used for the transaction
  • Category: The assigned category (either from rules or manual assignment)

Can I manually categorize transactions?

Yes! To manually assign categories:

  1. Open the Transactions sheet
  2. Find the transaction you want to categorize
  3. Click on the Category cell for that transaction
  4. Type or select a category from your Categories sheet
  5. Press Enter to save the change

The category must exist in your Categories sheet for it to be valid.

How do I add transactions manually?

If you have cash transactions or want to add transactions manually:

  1. Go to the next empty row in your Transactions sheet
  2. Fill in the required columns:
    • Date: Enter the transaction date
    • Description: Describe the transaction
    • Amount In/Out: Enter the amount in the appropriate column
    • Bank: Enter "Manual" or your preferred identifier
    • Account: Enter the account type (e.g., "Cash", "Wallet")
    • Category: Assign an appropriate category

What's the difference between "Amount In" and "Amount Out"?

  • Amount In: Money you received (salary, refunds, transfers to your account, investment returns)
  • Amount Out: Money you spent (purchases, bills, transfers from your account)
  • Never both: A transaction should have an amount in either "Amount In" OR "Amount Out", not both

Can I edit transaction details?

Yes, you can edit any transaction details directly in the Transactions sheet:

  • Correct descriptions: Fix merchant names or add details
  • Adjust amounts: Correct any parsing errors
  • Update categories: Change categorization as needed
  • Add notes: Use empty columns to add personal notes

How do I search for specific transactions?

Use Google Sheets' built-in features:

  • Filter function: Filter by date range, amount, or category
  • Search box: Use Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) to search for specific text
  • Sort columns: Click column headers to sort by date, amount, or category
  • Conditional formatting: Highlight transactions based on criteria

What should I not modify in the Transactions sheet?

While you can edit most data, be careful with:

  • Column headers: Don't change the header row structure
  • Date formats: Keep dates in a consistent format
  • Sheet structure: Don't delete or move columns that monies expects

8. Automation and Categorization

The categorization feature helps you automatically organizing hundreds of transactions in seconds based on the rules you've created.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I run categorization on my transactions?

  1. Open the monies add-on and go to the Home page
  2. Locate the "Categorize Transactions" section
  3. Choose your categorization setting:
    • Apply to uncategorized transactions only (recommended)
    • Apply to all transactions
  4. Click "Categorize" and wait for processing

What happens during the categorization process?

When you run categorization, monies:

  • Reads all your rules from the Rules sheet
  • Scans your transactions in the Transactions sheet
  • Applies matching rules based on your chosen settings
  • Updates categories for qualifying transactions
  • Provides a summary of the categorization results

Why weren't all my transactions categorized?

Common reasons for uncategorized transactions:

  • No matching rules: The transaction doesn't match any of your rule conditions
  • Already categorized: If using "uncategorized only" setting, transactions with existing categories are skipped
  • Invalid categories: Rules pointing to categories that don't exist in your Categories sheet

How can I improve categorization results?

Create more specific rules:

  • Add rules for frequently occurring merchants
  • Use partial text matches (e.g., "STARBUCKS" instead of full merchant name)
  • Create amount-based rules for recurring payments

Review uncategorized transactions:

  • Look for patterns in uncategorized transactions
  • Create new rules based on these patterns
  • Update existing rules to be more inclusive

Can I undo categorization?

There's no automatic undo, but you can:

  • Manually change categories in the Transactions sheet
  • Clear categories by deleting the category cell contents
  • Re-run categorization with different settings
  • Restore from Google Sheets version history File → Version history → See version history

What's the difference between the categorization settings?

  • Apply to uncategorized only: Safer option that preserves manual categorizations and only fills in blank categories
  • Apply to all transactions: More aggressive option that will overwrite existing categories if rules match

Most users should use "uncategorized only" to avoid accidentally overwriting manual work.

9. Data Management and Best Practices

Proper data management ensures your financial tracking remains accurate, organized, and useful over time. Following these best practices will help you get the most out of monies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I never modify manually?

Avoid changing:

  • Settings sheet: Contains important configuration data
  • Column headers: Don't rename or reorder columns in main sheets
  • Sheet structure: Don't delete or move the main sheets
  • Formulas: If you add formulas, don't modify the data columns monies uses

What's the best way to analyze my spending?

Analysis techniques:

  • Pivot tables: Create pivot tables to summarize spending by category or month
  • Charts: Use Google Sheets charts to visualize spending trends
  • Monthly summaries: Create separate sheets with monthly breakdowns
  • Category analysis: Group by category groups to see high-level spending patterns

10. Troubleshooting

In cases where you encounter issues with the monies add-on, this section covers the most common problems and their solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

My PDF statement won't upload

Upload troubleshooting:

  • Check file format: Ensure the file is a PDF (not image or other format)
  • Verify bank support: Confirm your bank is in the supported list
  • Check file size: Large files (>10MB) may fail to upload
  • Try a different statement: Test with a statement from a different month
  • Check internet speed: Slow connections may cause upload timeouts

No transactions were extracted from my statement

Extraction issues:

  • Verify statement format: Ensure it's an original PDF from your bank, not a scan
  • Check statement type: Confirm it's a transaction statement, not a summary or notice
  • Try different months: Some statement formats may vary by month
  • Contact support: Send the details about the issue to hello@monies.sg

Categorization isn't working properly

Categorization troubleshooting:

  • Check your rules: Verify rules exist in the Rules sheet and are properly formatted
  • Validate categories: Ensure all rule categories exist in the Categories sheet
  • Review rule conditions: Check that rule conditions match your transaction descriptions
  • Test with preview: Use the rule preview feature to test before applying
  • Check for typos: Verify spelling in rule conditions and category names

How do I report a bug or technical issue?

When contacting support:

  • Email: hello@monies.sg
  • Include details: Describe what you were trying to do when the issue occurred
  • Attach screenshots: Visual information helps diagnose problems

11. Privacy and Security

Your financial data is sensitive, and monies is designed with privacy and security as top priorities. Understanding how your data is handled helps you use the add-on with confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What data does monies collect and store?

Data monies does NOT store:

  • Transaction details: No transaction data is stored on monies servers
  • Bank statements: PDF files are deleted immediately after processing
  • Account numbers: No bank account or credit card numbers are retained
  • Personal financial information: All financial data stays in your Google Sheet

Data monies does collect:

  • Authentication information: Google account details (email, name) for sign-in
  • Usage analytics: Anonymous data about feature usage to improve the service
  • Error logs: Technical information to help diagnose and fix issues

Where is my transaction data stored?

Your data location:

  • Google Sheets: All transaction data is stored in your personal Google Sheet
  • Your Google account: Data is associated with your Google account and Google's security
  • No external storage: monies does not maintain copies of your financial data
  • You control access: You decide who can view or edit your Google Sheet

How are uploaded statements processed?

Statement processing flow:

  1. Upload: PDF is temporarily uploaded to secure servers
  2. Processing: Text is extracted and transactions are parsed
  3. Transfer: Transaction data is sent directly to your Google Sheet
  4. Deletion: PDF file is immediately deleted from our servers
  5. No retention: No copies of your statement are kept

Can monies employees see my financial data?

  • No access: Employees cannot view your transaction data
  • No data storage: Since data isn't stored on our servers, there's nothing to access
  • Support limitations: Even for support, we cannot see your specific transaction details unless you choose to share them with us

What happens if I stop using monies?

Data retention after cancellation:

  • Your data remains: All transaction data stays in your Google Sheet
  • Full access: You retain complete access to all your financial information
  • No data deletion: monies doesn't delete or modify your data when you cancel
  • Export capability: You can export your data anytime from Google Sheets

How do I delete my data?

Data deletion:

  • Google Sheet data: Delete your Google Sheet to remove all transaction data
  • Account data: Contact hello@monies.sg to request account deletion

12. Support and Contact

Getting help with monies is straightforward. Our support team is ready to assist with technical issues, questions about features, and guidance on using the add-on effectively.

  • Email: hello@monies.sg
  • Response time: 1-2 business days for most inquiries
  • Business hours: Monday-Friday, 9 AM - 6 PM SGT (Singapore Time)

The monies team is committed to helping you succeed with your financial management. Don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns - we're here to help!