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[GH-ISSUE #4454] [Feature] Goals with the possibility to spend #116275

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opened 2026-06-11 09:27:05 -05:00 by GiteaMirror · 6 comments
GiteaMirror commented 2026-06-11 09:27:05 -05:00
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Originally created by @diegofede on GitHub (Feb 25, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/actualbudget/actual/issues/4454

Verified feature request does not already exist?

  • I have searched and found no existing issue

💻

  • Would you like to implement this feature?

Pitch: what problem are you trying to solve?

The problem is that currently goals recalculate if you spend while trying to reach a goal, leading to spending more than planned. The problem can be understood by identifying 2 different types of goals, "balance goal" or "spending goal", each behaving differently.

  • "balance goal" is the current implementation where it will try to reach/maintain that balance, this is useful for things like an emergency fund.
  • "spending goal" where one wants to be able to spend while the balance is being filled and does not want to spend above that, this is useful for things like vacation fund, where vacations during the year can use up some of the saved balance.

Describe your ideal solution to this problem

Probably a new term can be added to the template to identify these 2 types of goals. Eventually this would be better if its a property of a category and not part of the template system.

Teaching and learning

No response

Originally created by @diegofede on GitHub (Feb 25, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/actualbudget/actual/issues/4454 ### Verified feature request does not already exist? - [x] I have searched and found no existing issue ### 💻 - [ ] Would you like to implement this feature? ### Pitch: what problem are you trying to solve? The problem is that currently goals recalculate if you spend while trying to reach a goal, leading to spending more than planned. The problem can be understood by identifying 2 different types of goals, "balance goal" or "spending goal", each behaving differently. - "balance goal" is the current implementation where it will try to reach/maintain that balance, this is useful for things like an emergency fund. - "spending goal" where one wants to be able to spend while the balance is being filled and does not want to spend above that, this is useful for things like vacation fund, where vacations during the year can use up some of the saved balance. ### Describe your ideal solution to this problem Probably a new term can be added to the template to identify these 2 types of goals. Eventually this would be better if its a property of a category and not part of the template system. ### Teaching and learning _No response_
GiteaMirror added the featureneeds votes labels 2026-06-11 09:27:06 -05:00
GiteaMirror commented 2026-06-11 09:27:08 -05:00
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@github-actions[bot] commented on GitHub (Feb 25, 2025):

✨ Thanks for sharing your idea! ✨

This repository uses lodash style issue management for enhancements. That means enhancement issues are automatically closed. This doesn’t mean we don’t accept feature requests, though! We will consider implementing ones that receive many upvotes, and we welcome contributions for any feature requests marked as needing votes (just post a comment first so we can help you make a successful contribution).

The enhancement backlog can be found here: https://github.com/actualbudget/actual/issues?q=label%3A%22needs+votes%22+sort%3Areactions-%2B1-desc+

Don’t forget to upvote the top comment with 👍!

<!-- gh-comment-id:2683428049 --> @github-actions[bot] commented on GitHub (Feb 25, 2025): :sparkles: Thanks for sharing your idea! :sparkles: This repository uses lodash style issue management for enhancements. That means enhancement issues are automatically closed. This doesn’t mean we don’t accept feature requests, though! We will consider implementing ones that receive many upvotes, and we welcome contributions for any feature requests marked as needing votes (just post a comment first so we can help you make a successful contribution). The enhancement backlog can be found here: https://github.com/actualbudget/actual/issues?q=label%3A%22needs+votes%22+sort%3Areactions-%2B1-desc+ Don’t forget to upvote the top comment with 👍! <!-- feature-auto-close-comment -->
GiteaMirror commented 2026-06-11 09:27:08 -05:00
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@wasinski commented on GitHub (May 31, 2026):

This would also be useful for recurring contributions to off-budget investment accounts.

Example:

  • Category: Investment contributions
  • Goal: contribute $30,000 during 2026
  • Transactions: monthly transfers from a checking account to an off-budget investment account

With the current balance-based behavior, the category's Available amount returns to $0 after each transfer. As a result, templates/goals treat the target as still unfunded, even though the contribution was already made.

For this use case, cumulative outflows from the category during the target period should count as progress toward the goal. The goal is not to accumulate $30,000 in Available, but to contribute/spend $30,000 from that category over the year.

<!-- gh-comment-id:4585342979 --> @wasinski commented on GitHub (May 31, 2026): This would also be useful for recurring contributions to off-budget investment accounts. Example: - Category: Investment contributions - Goal: contribute $30,000 during 2026 - Transactions: monthly transfers from a checking account to an off-budget investment account With the current balance-based behavior, the category's Available amount returns to $0 after each transfer. As a result, templates/goals treat the target as still unfunded, even though the contribution was already made. For this use case, cumulative outflows from the category during the target period should count as progress toward the goal. The goal is not to accumulate $30,000 in Available, but to contribute/spend $30,000 from that category over the year.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-06-11 09:27:08 -05:00
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@StephenBrown2 commented on GitHub (May 31, 2026):

Does the spend keyword for the By template not do that?

https://actualbudget.org/docs/experimental/goal-templates/#by-spend

<!-- gh-comment-id:4586722478 --> @StephenBrown2 commented on GitHub (May 31, 2026): Does the spend keyword for the By template not do that? https://actualbudget.org/docs/experimental/goal-templates/#by-spend
GiteaMirror commented 2026-06-11 09:27:09 -05:00
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@Juulz commented on GitHub (May 31, 2026):

Does the spend keyword for the By template not do that?

https://actualbudget.org/docs/experimental/goal-templates/#by-spend

The long-term goal does not.

Image

Note: screenshot taken with automation in use so "Long" is now "Goal"

<!-- gh-comment-id:4586891440 --> @Juulz commented on GitHub (May 31, 2026): > Does the spend keyword for the By template not do that? > > https://actualbudget.org/docs/experimental/goal-templates/#by-spend The long-term goal does not. <img width="562" height="129" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/a7cc8ebf-ece7-41e8-83d0-8c51972c6622" /> Note: screenshot taken with automation in use so "Long" is now "Goal"
GiteaMirror commented 2026-06-11 09:27:09 -05:00
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@StephenBrown2 commented on GitHub (May 31, 2026):

Does the spend keyword for the By template not do that?

https://actualbudget.org/docs/experimental/goal-templates/#by-spend

The long-term goal does not.

Image

Note: screenshot taken with automation in use so "Long" is now "Goal"

Good to know. Would probably be easiest to add as a checkbox once the UI is built out rather than adding to the template language in the short term.

<!-- gh-comment-id:4587104916 --> @StephenBrown2 commented on GitHub (May 31, 2026): > > Does the spend keyword for the By template not do that? > > > > https://actualbudget.org/docs/experimental/goal-templates/#by-spend > > The long-term goal does not. > > <img width="562" height="129" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/a7cc8ebf-ece7-41e8-83d0-8c51972c6622" /> > > Note: screenshot taken with automation in use so "Long" is now "Goal" Good to know. Would probably be easiest to add as a checkbox once the UI is built out rather than adding to the template language in the short term.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-06-11 09:27:10 -05:00
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@Juulz commented on GitHub (May 31, 2026):

Does the spend keyword for the By template not do that?
https://actualbudget.org/docs/experimental/goal-templates/#by-spend

The long-term goal does not.
Image
Note: screenshot taken with automation in use so "Long" is now "Goal"

Good to know. Would probably be easiest to add as a checkbox once the UI is built out rather than adding to the template language in the short term.

OTOH, is there a reason we need it? The spend from works well and would work in @wasinski 's scenario.

<!-- gh-comment-id:4587229729 --> @Juulz commented on GitHub (May 31, 2026): > > > Does the spend keyword for the By template not do that? > > > https://actualbudget.org/docs/experimental/goal-templates/#by-spend > > > > > > The long-term goal does not. > > <img alt="Image" width="562" height="129" src="https://private-user-images.githubusercontent.com/29179457/600602787-a7cc8ebf-ece7-41e8-83d0-8c51972c6622.png?jwt=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.FSUQUWk-FyUvU6KwU7wRk2M-3L2LTSWFPMzvSSjHYm4"> > > Note: screenshot taken with automation in use so "Long" is now "Goal" > > Good to know. Would probably be easiest to add as a checkbox once the UI is built out rather than adding to the template language in the short term. OTOH, is there a reason we need it? The `spend from` works well and would work in @wasinski 's scenario.
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Reference: github-starred/actual#116275