Set Up Your Cash Foundation

Bank accounts are the backbone of your financial picture in Violet Codex. Add your checking and savings, log transactions, move money between accounts, and watch your spending patterns emerge. This 8-minute walkthrough covers everything from your first account to advanced features like split transactions and CSV imports.

What you'll learn

  • Add checking and savings accounts with accurate balances
  • Log expenses, income, and transfers with categories
  • Transfer money between your own accounts and track the movement
  • Set target balances and savings goals for individual accounts
  • View spending breakdowns and net flow reports
  • Bulk-add transactions or import from CSV

Step 1: Add Your First Account

Navigate to the Bank Accounts section and click Add Account. Enter the account name (e.g., "Chase Checking"), account type (checking or savings), currency, and current balance. Start with your primary spending account — the one your paycheck goes into.

Step 2: Set a Target Balance

For savings accounts, set a target balance to track progress visually. For example, set your emergency fund target to $2,500 by year-end. The account view tracks your progress with a visual indicator that makes saving feel tangible.

Step 3: Transfer Money Between Accounts

Use the Transfer feature to move money between accounts. Select source and destination, enter the amount, and choose whether to adjust the balance on each side independently using the Adjust Balances checkboxes.

Step 4: Log Transactions

Click Add Transaction to log expenses, income, or transfers. Categories are fully customizable — create ones that match your spending habits. You can also split a single purchase across multiple categories for accurate tracking.

Step 5: Track Spending and Net Flow

The spending breakdown shows where your money went over the last 30 days by category. The Net Flow view shows money in vs. money out — positive means you're building wealth.

Step 6: Bulk Add and CSV Import

Use Bulk Add to enter multiple transactions at once, or import from CSV if you have a bank statement download. Drop the file, map the columns, and import everything in one shot.

Next up: Track Every Dollar Coming In. Or learn how to Design Your Spending On Purpose with the Money Blueprint.