Entering and Editing TransactionsEntering and editing transactions is now done directly in the transaction list, whether or not the transaction form is displayed.
The fields in the input area match the fields in the transaction list. Additional fields include the Memo field, for a more detailed description or information related to the transaction, and a Category selection. The Split button allows you to split the transaction into multiple categories.
To enter a new transaction into the ledger, you can either click the empty entry at the bottom of the ledger list, press Ctrl+Ins, or select the → menu item. To edit an existing transaction, use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate through the list. After pressing Enter or double-clicking an entry, the transaction list displays the fields required to enter or edit the transaction.
Note that the layout of the transaction entry area has been revised in KMyMoney 5.2. Whether a new transaction is a deposit, withdrawal, or transfer is determined by the data you enter in the amount and category fields. You do not need to explicitly choose a specific tab or specify To: or From:.
To move through the fields press the Tab key and when done press Enter to save the changes or Esc to cancel.
In case the option Use Enter to move between fields is selected, the Enter key moves to the next field just as the Tab key except for the last entry field where it saves the data.
Enter the information using the following notes on the available fields. Note that many fields have “Auto Completion” turned on. That is, if you start typing, KMyMoney will offer alternatives matching the characters you begin to enter. To select the matching content simply click the entry or press the appropriate keyboard keys. If the entry is not listed finish typing the content to add the new value. The next time you type the content, KMyMoney will find it for you as you begin to enter the initial characters.
Note also that the actual fields displayed for a transaction depend on the type of account. For example, Investment Account transactions include fields for activity type, security, and other investment specific items.
This is who the money comes from or goes to. If the payee is a new entry KMyMoney will ask if you wish to add this to the list of Payees. Any other information related to a payee or payer, such as address, phone number and account number as well as notes can be updated in the Payees View.
This specifies an income or expense category for accounting and reporting purposes, and enables you to group certain transactions. Type the name of the category into the defined field. If you have entered the category and it does not exist then KMyMoney will ask if you want to create a new one. If you select Yes KMyMoney will then open a dialog box that allows for the further definition of the category based on General, Hierarchy, and Tax characteristics.
For Transfer transactions, you select the other account in the Category field.
If you wish to associate parts of the transaction with different categories, KMyMoney can handle this need. An example might be a cash withdrawal of 50, of which you use 10 on food, 20 on beer, and 20 as cash. The transaction will therefore be assigned three categories: Food, Beer, and Cash. To do this, you need to use Split Transactions, which is described in more detail below.
See the special section on KMyMoney fields for some additional information on how to use this field.
Tags are similar to Categories, and can be used to maintain an orthogonal view to Categories. They provide the ability to group transactions within a Category based on your defined needs. This need could be defined by a specifics to Person, Place, or Thing. For example, you might have a Category for each different type of automotive expenses, and then have a Tag for each vehicle. As with Categories, you can select from the dropdown list, or type a new Tag name, and be prompted if you want to create a new Tag with that name. Within the Tag field KMyMoney will allow for multiple tags entered within a single transaction. Also, you can enter tags on an individual split.
A single or multi-line memo can be entered if you wish to record any further details of the transaction.
The transaction number can be entered if needed. Note that the check number field can be made visible or invisible in the ledger list if desired. This is configured in the Ledger Settings dialog. While this is most commonly used for a Check Number in a Checking account, it can be used in any type of account, in any way you might want to number your transactions.
The transaction's date must be entered to specify when the transaction took place. See the special KMyMoney fields section for more information on how the date input field can be used to make entering dates quicker and easier. For transactions in checking and credit card accounts, it is your choice whether to use the actual date (when you wrote the check or made the purchase) or the posting date as reported by the bank or credit card company. Using the actual date can help you track when you made the purchase, for example, but the statement or downloaded data from the bank is more likely to use the posting date. KMyMoney automatically keeps the date the transaction was entered into the ledger, but this is in a different field, which is optionally displayed in the ledger list.
Note you cannot explicitly enter the Entry Date, which is the date the transaction is actually entered into the ledger. This is always set by KMyMoney
Finally, enter the transaction amount into either the Payment or Deposit field. Note that a simple calculator can be displayed, either by clicking the icon to the right of the field, or by entering the % character into the field, or by entering any of these mathematical symbols: + - * / in a formula, as in 12 + 3. When entering the plus sign, the calculator will be opened. Note that only the final result of any calculation will be saved as the Payment or Deposit amount of the transaction.
When you are satisfied that all the fields have been adequately filled in, click . If you accidentally press or click before you have finished entering all the data, click to resume entering the data.