github-starred/actual
2
0
Fork 0
mirror of https://github.com/actualbudget/actual.git synced 2026-07-15 22:54:03 -05:00
Code Issues 3.0k Packages Projects Releases 58 Wiki Activity

[GH-ISSUE #7677] CSV import preview shows false updates for unresolved categories #117538

New Issue
Closed
opened 2026-06-11 12:46:14 -05:00 by GiteaMirror · 0 comments
GiteaMirror commented 2026-06-11 12:46:14 -05:00
Owner
Copy Link

Originally created by @tekumara on GitHub (May 2, 2026).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/actualbudget/actual/issues/7677

This was generated by AI during triage.

Description

The CSV import preview can show matched transactions as “updated” when the only difference is unresolved CSV category text.

This makes the preview hard to trust for large imports: users may see many matched transactions flagged for update even though final import would drop the unresolved category and apply no meaningful category change.

Steps to reproduce

  1. Have an existing transaction with the same date, amount, imported payee/payee details, and notes as a CSV row, but no category:

    {
  date: "2025-10-13",
  amount: 500000,
  imported_payee: "Example Payee",
  notes: "Example note",
  category: null
}

  2. Import a CSV containing a matching row whose Category value does not exist as an Actual category:

    Date,Payee,Notes,Debit,Credit,Category,SubCategory
13/10/2025,Example Payee,Example note,,5000.00,Deposits,Deposit

  3. In the CSV import UI, map the Category column to Actual’s category field.

  4. View the import preview.

Actual result

The transaction is shown as matched and updated / not ignored.

The apparent update is caused by unresolved raw category text being sent to reconciliation, for example:

category: "Deposits"

Expected result

The transaction should be shown as ignored/no-op because the unresolved category should be treated as null, matching final import behavior.

Suspected cause

Preview and final import appear to handle unresolved category mapping differently.

Preview appears to only replace the raw CSV category when resolution succeeds:

const category_id = parseCategoryFields(trans, categories);

if (category_id != null) {
  trans.category = category_id;
}

Final import appears to always assign the resolved value:

const category_id = parseCategoryFields(trans, categories);
trans.category = category_id;

So when category resolution fails, preview keeps raw CSV text while final import sets category to null.

Suggested fix

Normalize categories the same way for preview and final import. The preview path should probably assign the resolved category result even when it is null:

const category_id = parseCategoryFields(trans, categories);
trans.category = category_id;

Version

Observed against Actual 26.4.0.

Originally created by @tekumara on GitHub (May 2, 2026). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/actualbudget/actual/issues/7677 > *This was generated by AI during triage.* ### Description The CSV import preview can show matched transactions as “updated” when the only difference is unresolved CSV category text. This makes the preview hard to trust for large imports: users may see many matched transactions flagged for update even though final import would drop the unresolved category and apply no meaningful category change. ### Steps to reproduce 1. Have an existing transaction with the same date, amount, imported payee/payee details, and notes as a CSV row, but no category: ```js { date: "2025-10-13", amount: 500000, imported_payee: "Example Payee", notes: "Example note", category: null } ``` 2. Import a CSV containing a matching row whose `Category` value does not exist as an Actual category: ```csv Date,Payee,Notes,Debit,Credit,Category,SubCategory 13/10/2025,Example Payee,Example note,,5000.00,Deposits,Deposit ``` 3. In the CSV import UI, map the `Category` column to Actual’s category field. 4. View the import preview. ### Actual result The transaction is shown as matched and updated / not ignored. The apparent update is caused by unresolved raw category text being sent to reconciliation, for example: ```js category: "Deposits" ``` ### Expected result The transaction should be shown as ignored/no-op because the unresolved category should be treated as `null`, matching final import behavior. ### Suspected cause Preview and final import appear to handle unresolved category mapping differently. Preview appears to only replace the raw CSV category when resolution succeeds: ```ts const category_id = parseCategoryFields(trans, categories); if (category_id != null) { trans.category = category_id; } ``` Final import appears to always assign the resolved value: ```ts const category_id = parseCategoryFields(trans, categories); trans.category = category_id; ``` So when category resolution fails, preview keeps raw CSV text while final import sets category to `null`. ### Suggested fix Normalize categories the same way for preview and final import. The preview path should probably assign the resolved category result even when it is `null`: ```ts const category_id = parseCategoryFields(trans, categories); trans.category = category_id; ``` ### Version Observed against Actual `26.4.0`.
Sign in to join this conversation.
No Branch/Tag Specified
Branches Tags
Labels
Clear labels
AI generated
API
bank sync
budgeting
bug
can’t replicate
dependencies
docker
documentation
electron
experimental feature
feature
feedback
goal templates
good first issue
help wanted
importers
maintenance
needs info
needs testing
needs triage
needs votes
openid
payees
pull-request
Mirrored from GitHub Pull Request
 regression
reports
responsive
rules
schedules
server
✨ merged
split transactions
tech debt
tech-support
theme
transaction import
transaction reconciliation
transactions
translations
upstream
user interface
✅ approved
wontfix
No Label
Milestone
No items
No Milestone
Projects
Clear projects
No project
Assignees
Clear assignees
GiteaMirror ninjasurge
No Assignees
1 Participants
Notifications
Due Date
No due date set.
Dependencies

No dependencies set.

Reference: github-starred/actual#117538
Delete Branch "%!s()"

Deleting a branch is permanent. Although the deleted branch may continue to exist for a short time before it actually gets removed, it CANNOT be undone in most cases. Continue?