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[Feature] Set category to Transfer when transferring to an off-budget account #1890

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opened 2026-02-28 19:57:26 -06:00 by GiteaMirror · 7 comments
GiteaMirror commented 2026-02-28 19:57:26 -06:00
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Originally created by @annis-souames on GitHub (Feb 23, 2025).

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?

Unlike transferring to other On-budget account which sets the category to Transfer, if you transfer an amount to an off-budget account it keeps the transaction uncategorized.

This can be useful for those who use off-budget account to track investing. Imagine that you transfer 500$ monthly to an investment account for stocks, ETFs, etc. This account is off-budget. The transaction between main account to the off-budget investement account should be categorized as Transfer.

Describe your ideal solution to this problem

Categorize transfers between On-budget to off-budget as transfer.

Teaching and learning

No response

Originally created by @annis-souames on GitHub (Feb 23, 2025). ### 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? Unlike transferring to other On-budget account which sets the category to Transfer, if you transfer an amount to an off-budget account it keeps the transaction uncategorized. This can be useful for those who use off-budget account to track investing. Imagine that you transfer 500$ monthly to an investment account for stocks, ETFs, etc. This account is off-budget. The transaction between main account to the off-budget investement account should be categorized as Transfer. ### Describe your ideal solution to this problem Categorize transfers between On-budget to off-budget as transfer. ### Teaching and learning _No response_
GiteaMirror added the feature label 2026-02-28 19:57:26 -06:00
GiteaMirror commented 2026-02-28 19:57:26 -06:00
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@github-actions[bot] commented on GitHub (Feb 23, 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 👍!

@github-actions[bot] commented on GitHub (Feb 23, 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 2026-02-28 19:57:27 -06:00
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@youngcw commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2025):

How would you signal that the funds left your budget if there isn't a category?

@youngcw commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2025): How would you signal that the funds left your budget if there isn't a category?
GiteaMirror commented 2026-02-28 19:57:27 -06:00
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@annis-souames commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2025):

@youngcw That's a valid point indeed. Maybe we could have a way to not classify some categories or transactions as expenses (ignore them from the expense chart). Because if you move a certain amount to an investment account that is off budget and categorise it, it would count as an expense.

@annis-souames commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2025): @youngcw That's a valid point indeed. Maybe we could have a way to not classify some categories or transactions as expenses (ignore them from the expense chart). Because if you move a certain amount to an investment account that is off budget and categorise it, it would count as an expense.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-02-28 19:57:27 -06:00
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@youngcw commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2025):

Reports all can be filtered to remove specific categories. The Expense report already breaks transfers out as their own thing.

From the perspective of the budget, those transfers are expenses. Money left the budget, thus an expense. Reports can be tailored a lot with the filters, or the settings in custom reports.

@youngcw commented on GitHub (Feb 24, 2025): Reports all can be filtered to remove specific categories. The Expense report already breaks transfers out as their own thing. From the perspective of the budget, those transfers are expenses. Money left the budget, thus an expense. Reports can be tailored a lot with the filters, or the settings in custom reports.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-02-28 19:57:28 -06:00
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@vangorra commented on GitHub (Oct 29, 2025):

+1 For this feature.

Scenario:

  • I have an off-budget brokerage account for "Taxes" where I save $200 monthly. Let's call this account "Savings".
  • Each quarter
    • I transfer $800 from the taxes off-budget account to checking. This produces 2 transactions which are linked as a transfer.
    • Pay the tax bill from checking.

Here's that the transactions would look like:

Account Description Category Payment Deposit
Checking Transfer to tax savings Taxes 200
Savings Transfer from checking Taxes 200
Savings Transfer to checking Taxes 800
Checking Transfer from taxes Taxes 800
Checking Tax bill Taxes 800

Results:

  • If these are all categorized, then the budget erroneously reports $1800 spent on taxes. The real amount is $1000.
  • If they are not categorized, then I have uncategorized transactions.
  • If the transfers are marked as transfer, then the amount spent on taxes would be $800.

If I were to make the "Taxes" account on-budget. Then I run into the issue where buying mutual funds looks like spending and there is no good way to account for it in the budget because it's an investment account.

@vangorra commented on GitHub (Oct 29, 2025): +1 For this feature. Scenario: - I have an off-budget brokerage account for "Taxes" where I save $200 monthly. Let's call this account "Savings". - Each quarter - I transfer $800 from the taxes off-budget account to checking. This produces 2 transactions which are linked as a transfer. - Pay the tax bill from checking. Here's that the transactions would look like: | Account | Description | Category | Payment | Deposit | | -------------------------- | ------------------------------ | ----------------------- | ------------------------- | -------------------------- | | Checking | Transfer to tax savings | Taxes | 200 | | | Savings | Transfer from checking | Taxes | | 200 | | Savings | Transfer to checking | Taxes | 800 | | | Checking | Transfer from taxes | Taxes | | 800 | | Checking | Tax bill | Taxes | 800 | | Results: - If these are all categorized, then the budget erroneously reports $1800 spent on taxes. The real amount is $1000. - If they are not categorized, then I have uncategorized transactions. - If the transfers are marked as transfer, then the amount spent on taxes would be $800. If I were to make the "Taxes" account on-budget. Then I run into the issue where buying mutual funds looks like spending and there is no good way to account for it in the budget because it's an investment account.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-02-28 19:57:28 -06:00
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@youngcw commented on GitHub (Oct 29, 2025):

+1 For this feature.

Scenario:

  • I have an off-budget brokerage account for "Taxes" where I save $200 monthly. Let's call this account "Savings".

  • Each quarter

    • I transfer $800 from the taxes off-budget account to checking. This produces 2 transactions which are linked as a transfer.
    • Pay the tax bill from checking.

Here's that the transactions would look like:

Account Description Category Payment Deposit
Checking Transfer to tax savings Taxes 200
Savings Transfer from checking Taxes 200
Savings Transfer to checking Taxes 800
Checking Transfer from taxes Taxes 800
Checking Tax bill Taxes 800
Results:

  • If these are all categorized, then the budget erroneously reports $1800 spent on taxes. The real amount is $1000.
  • If they are not categorized, then I have uncategorized transactions.
  • If the transfers are marked as transfer, then the amount spent on taxes would be $800.

If I were to make the "Taxes" account on-budget. Then I run into the issue where buying mutual funds looks like spending and there is no good way to account for it in the budget because it's an investment account.

There is no built in transfer category, things marked as transfer is in place of a category, not a category itself. If you want to not include on->off budget transfers in your tax category, then make a new category to handle the moving of funds to make the reporting match what you are wanting to show better.

@youngcw commented on GitHub (Oct 29, 2025): > +1 For this feature. > > Scenario: > > * I have an off-budget brokerage account for "Taxes" where I save $200 monthly. Let's call this account "Savings". > * Each quarter > > * I transfer $800 from the taxes off-budget account to checking. This produces 2 transactions which are linked as a transfer. > * Pay the tax bill from checking. > > Here's that the transactions would look like: > > Account Description Category Payment Deposit > Checking Transfer to tax savings Taxes 200 > Savings Transfer from checking Taxes 200 > Savings Transfer to checking Taxes 800 > Checking Transfer from taxes Taxes 800 > Checking Tax bill Taxes 800 > Results: > > * If these are all categorized, then the budget erroneously reports $1800 spent on taxes. The real amount is $1000. > * If they are not categorized, then I have uncategorized transactions. > * If the transfers are marked as transfer, then the amount spent on taxes would be $800. > > If I were to make the "Taxes" account on-budget. Then I run into the issue where buying mutual funds looks like spending and there is no good way to account for it in the budget because it's an investment account. There is no built in transfer category, things marked as transfer is in place of a category, not a category itself. If you want to not include on->off budget transfers in your tax category, then make a new category to handle the moving of funds to make the reporting match what you are wanting to show better.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-02-28 19:57:28 -06:00
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@vangorra commented on GitHub (Oct 29, 2025):

I've experimented with the concept of creating "transfer" category for these situations. The problem is doing this balloons the spent column of the budget so it effectively becomes useless and that impacts the visuals of the next month too.

@vangorra commented on GitHub (Oct 29, 2025): I've experimented with the concept of creating "transfer" category for these situations. The problem is doing this balloons the spent column of the budget so it effectively becomes useless and that impacts the visuals of the next month too.
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