ZxBudget

Coming soon to the App Store.

Guide

Import an existing budget

Moving from another budgeting app? ZxBudget can import that budget. Save the export as two CSV files in the YNAB export format: a register and a plan.

In Settings, and in the File menu on Mac, choose Import from YNAB. You give it a Register CSV and a Plan CSV.

Register

The register is one row for each transaction. The first line names the columns.

Account,Flag,Date,Payee,Category Group/Category,Category Group,Category,Memo,Outflow,Inflow,Cleared

ZxBudget treats the file as a register when that header includes Account and Cleared. A blank column stays in the row, so the commas stay too.

  • Account is the account’s name.
  • Flag is Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, or Purple, a name of your own, or blank. During import you match any name that is not already one of those colors.
  • Date is the day, written 2019-04-03. A date after today comes in as a one-time upcoming transaction.
  • Payee is who was paid, or who paid you. A transfer is written Transfer : plus the other account’s name, and each account has its own row. Starting Balance is the opening amount: Inflow when the account holds money, Outflow when the amount is owed. Reconciliation Balance Adjustment is a difference found while reconciling.
  • Category Group/Category repeats the group and category as Everyday: Groceries. ZxBudget reads the next two columns instead.
  • Category Group and Category are where the money is categorized. Income uses the group Inflow and the category Ready to Assign. A tracking account can leave Category empty. A name can begin with an emoji, which ZxBudget keeps as the icon.
  • Memo is a note. A split is two or more rows with the same date and account. The memo starts with Split (1/2), Split (2/2), and so on. The payee on each of those rows can differ.
  • Outflow and Inflow are the amount, written $41.15. The side that was not used is $0.00.
  • Cleared is Uncleared, Cleared, or Reconciled.

A register in this shape looks like this. These rows are not from a real budget.

Account,Flag,Date,Payee,Category Group/Category,Category Group,Category,Memo,Outflow,Inflow,Cleared
Chequing,,2019-04-03,Market Day,Everyday: Groceries,Everyday,Groceries,,$41.15,$0.00,Reconciled
Chequing,,2019-04-07,Northwind,Inflow: Ready to Assign,Inflow,Ready to Assign,,$0.00,$880.00,Reconciled
Cash Card,,2019-04-11,Weekday Fare,Everyday: Transport,Everyday,Transport,,$8.05,$0.00,Cleared
Cash Card,Yellow,2019-04-16,Lunch Counter,Everyday: Dining Out,Everyday,Dining Out,,$5.55,$0.00,Uncleared
Chequing,,2019-04-21,Hardware Store,Household: Repairs,Household,Repairs,Split (1/2) Paint,$64.10,$0.00,Reconciled
Chequing,,2019-04-21,Paper Goods,Household: Supplies,Household,Supplies,Split (2/2) Paper,$33.33,$0.00,Reconciled
Chequing,,2019-02-02,Transfer : Rainy Day,,,,,$128.40,$0.00,Reconciled
Rainy Day,,2019-02-02,Transfer : Chequing,,,,,$0.00,$128.40,Reconciled
Chequing,,2019-02-02,Starting Balance,,,,,$0.00,$440.00,Reconciled
Cash Card,,2019-02-02,Starting Balance,,,,,$33.33,$0.00,Reconciled
Chequing,,2019-04-03,Reconciliation Balance Adjustment,,,,,$0.00,$41.15,Reconciled
Cash Card,,2027-04-04,Studio Rent,Household: Shelter,Household,Shelter,,$75.25,$0.00,Uncleared

Plan

The plan is what was assigned to each category in each month. The first line names the columns.

Month,Category Group/Category,Category Group,Category,Assigned,Activity,Available

ZxBudget treats the file as a plan when that header includes Month and Assigned.

  • Month is written Mar 2019, or with the full month name, March 2019.
  • Category Group/Category repeats the group and category, the same way as in the register.
  • Category Group and Category name the category that received the assignment. A category under Credit Card Payments with the same name as an account marks that account as a credit card. A category under Hidden Categories with the same name as an account marks that credit card closed.
  • Assigned is the amount for that month, such as $880.00, or -$22.00 when money was moved out of the category. A $0.00 row is left out.
  • Activity and Available may be in the file. ZxBudget does not use them.

A plan in this shape looks like this. These rows are not from a real budget.

Month,Category Group/Category,Category Group,Category,Assigned,Activity,Available
Mar 2019,Everyday: Groceries,Everyday,Groceries,$880.00,,
Mar 2019,Everyday: Dining Out,Everyday,Dining Out,-$22.00,,
Mar 2019,Household: Paper Goods,Household,Paper Goods,$0.00,,
Mar 2019,Credit Card Payments: Cash Card,Credit Card Payments,Cash Card,$128.40,,