Setting Up Recurring Transactions
Many business expenses (and some income) repeat on a regular schedule. Recurring transactions let you set an entry up once and have the system generate future entries automatically, without re-typing them each period.
What Are Recurring Transactions?
A recurring transaction is a regular entry that repeats on a schedule:
Monthly subscriptions
Quarterly fees
Annual renewals
Regular income streams
You set it up once, and the system creates future entries on the schedule you choose.
How the Master and Instances Work
This is the key concept to understand:
The original recurring entry you create is the master.
Each entry the system generates from it is an instance — an independent, standalone transaction row with its own date and payment status.
Editing any row only changes that row. There is no separate template screen, and no "this instance vs. all future instances" pop-up.
Once an instance is generated, it stands on its own. Changing it doesn't touch the master or any other instance, and changing the master doesn't rewrite instances that already exist.
What this means in practice
Edit the master → only the master row changes. It doesn't rewrite instances that already exist.
Edit an instance → only that one instance changes.
To change the amount going forward (e.g. a price increase), edit the next upcoming instance — future instances are then generated at the new amount.
This keeps every transaction accurate to what actually happened, rather than forcing a single shared value across every period.
Reading the Recurring Column
In the transactions table, the Recurring column tells you which row is the source:
The master shows its frequency — "Recurring: Monthly," "Recurring: Quarterly," etc.
Generated instances show "No." They're standalone rows that happen to have been auto-created, so they aren't themselves recurring.
This lets you spot the original entry at a glance versus the copies it produced.
Common Recurring Transactions
Expenses (Monthly)
TradingView subscription
VPS hosting
Data feed fees
News subscriptions
Trade journaling software
Expenses (Annual)
Software licenses
Domain renewals
Professional memberships
Annual platform fees
Income (Monthly/Quarterly)
Retainer fees from clients
Regular affiliate payments
Subscription-based income
Coaching packages
Setting Up a Recurring Transaction
Navigate to Transactions
Click Add Transaction
Fill in the standard details (name, type, amount, category, currency)
Enable the Recurring toggle
Set:
Frequency: Monthly, Quarterly, or Annually
Start Date: When the first occurrence is
End Date (optional): When the recurring should stop (see "Two Ways to Stop" below)
Save
This entry becomes the master. The system generates instances from it on the schedule you set, up to the end date — or ongoing if you leave the end date blank.
Frequency Options
Monthly
Repeats every month on the same date. Example: TradingView subscription billed on the 15th.
Quarterly
Repeats every 3 months. Example: a quarterly coaching payment.
Annually
Repeats once per year. Example: an annual software license renewal.
Custom Intervals (if available)
Some versions allow other intervals (e.g. every 2 weeks, every 6 months).
Where Recurring Entries Appear
The Recurring Tab
The Recurring filter tab shows your master entries only — the originals you set up. This gives you one place to manage your recurring subscriptions: edit the amount, change the end date, or toggle one off, without the generated instances cluttering the view.
All Transactions
Generated instances appear in All Transactions, sorted by date alongside every other transaction. They behave like any normal transaction row once created — you can edit, mark Paid, or delete them individually.
So: masters live in the Recurring tab; the actual dated entries they produce live in your main transaction list.
Generated Instances Start as Unpaid
When the system generates an instance:
It starts as Unpaid by design — the system doesn't assume you've paid yet.
When the payment actually happens (or income arrives), mark that instance Paid.
Only then does it affect your financial metrics.
Your workflow:
An instance appears as Unpaid
You confirm the payment occurred and mark it Paid
The instance now counts toward your totals
Editing Recurring Transactions
Because there's no separate template screen, editing is simple:
To change one period only
Find that instance in All Transactions and edit it directly. Only that row changes — useful when a single period was different (e.g. a one-off discount).
To change the amount from now on
Edit the next upcoming instance to the new amount. Future instances are generated at that amount going forward. You don't edit the master to do this.
Example: your VPS goes from $50 to $60 — edit the next $50 instance to $60, and the ones after it come through at $60.
Two Ways to Stop a Recurring Transaction
You have two options, depending on whether the stop is planned or immediate. Open the original (master) entry, then:
1. End Date (planned stop)
Set an End Date on the master. The recurring transaction automatically stops generating instances once that date passes. Use this when you already know when something will end (e.g. a fixed-term subscription).
2. Toggle Off (immediate stop)
Switch the master's recurring toggle off. Generation stops right away. Use this when you've cancelled something now and want it to stop immediately.
In both cases, instances that were already generated remain as standalone rows. If you don't need them, delete them individually.
Recurring vs. Manual Entry
Use Recurring When:
The amount is the same (or close) each period
The schedule is predictable
You want the entries created for you automatically
Use Manual Entry When:
Amounts vary significantly each time
Timing is irregular
It's a one-time or occasional expense
Best Practices
Review Monthly
At the start of each month, review generated instances: mark completed payments as Paid, adjust any that changed, and delete any that didn't occur.
Use Clear Naming
Name recurring entries clearly — "TradingView Pro - Monthly" ✓, not "Software" ✗. Instances inherit the name, so a clear master keeps your whole list readable.
Set End Dates When You Know Them
If you already know a subscription's end date, set it on the master so you don't have to remember to toggle it off later.
Match Billing Dates
Set the start date to your actual billing date so generated instances line up with your statements for easy reconciliation.
Troubleshooting
"I have duplicate transactions"
You may have entered a transaction manually and also have a recurring master generating one for the same period. Review and delete whichever is the duplicate.
"I changed one month's amount but the others are still old"
Editing an instance only changes that instance — each period is independent. If the change is permanent (a price increase), edit the next upcoming instance; future ones generate at the new amount.
"I stopped a subscription but instances keep appearing"
Open the master and either set an End Date or toggle it off. Already-generated instances stay in your list and need to be deleted manually if you don't want them.
"I deleted a recurring entry — what happens to the copies?"
When you delete a master, the system asks whether you also want to delete the entries that were automatically created from it. You can remove them all at once, or keep the existing ones and only stop future generation.
"A generated date looks wrong"
The system uses the day of the month from your start date. If that day doesn't exist in a given month (e.g. the 31st in February), it may adjust. Edit that individual instance if needed.
"I don't see a recurring option"
Check that your platform version supports recurring transactions.
Summary
The original entry is the master; generated entries are independent instances
Editing any row changes only that row — no template screen, no two-option pop-up
The Recurring tab shows masters only; instances appear in All Transactions by date and show "No" in the Recurring column
To raise an ongoing amount, edit the next upcoming instance — not the master
Instances start Unpaid until you mark them Paid
Stop recurring two ways: End Date (planned) or toggle off (immediate)