Bank Statements and Plaid

Brief

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Adding transactions to BreadBudget

BreadBudget works best when your income and expenses are kept up to date. You can add transactions manually, import a bank statement, or use optional Plaid Sync to automatically bring in transactions from connected bank and card accounts.

Each option has a different purpose. Manual entry gives you the most control, bank statement import can save time, and Plaid Sync is helpful when you want transactions imported automatically.

Option 1: Manual entry

Manual entry means you type each income or expense into BreadBudget yourself. This is a good option when you are just getting started, when you only have a few transactions, or when you want to understand your spending more closely.

Manually entering transactions can also help you learn your categories and build better budgeting habits. It takes more time, but it gives you a clear connection to where your money is going.

Option 2: Bank statement import

Bank statement import lets you download a file from your bank and upload it into BreadBudget. This can be helpful if you want to add many transactions at once without typing each one by hand.

The exact steps may vary depending on your bank, but the general process is:

• Log in to your bank or credit card website.
• Find the option to download or export transactions.
• Choose the date range you want to import.
• Download the statement file.
• Import the file into BreadBudget.
• Review the imported transactions and categories.

After importing, it is a good idea to review the transactions. Banks do not always describe or categorize transactions perfectly, so you may want to adjust categories to better match your budget.

Option 3: Plaid Sync

Plaid Sync is an optional feature that lets you connect bank and card accounts so BreadBudget can automatically import transactions. This can save time and help keep your budget more up to date.

Plaid Sync is billed separately because connected account syncing has ongoing costs. BreadBudget charges $1 per connected account per month for Plaid Sync. The standard budgeting tools can still be used without Plaid.

How Plaid Sync works

When you choose to connect an account, BreadBudget uses Plaid to guide you through the connection process. Once connected, BreadBudget can sync transactions from that account and add them to your income and expenses.

If you change the number of accounts included in your subscription, BreadBudget may stop syncing accounts that are over your selected account limit. The accounts are not automatically deleted, but disabled accounts may stop importing new transactions until your account limit is increased or another account is disabled.

Reviewing imported transactions

Whether transactions come from a bank statement or Plaid Sync, you should still review them. Imported data is helpful, but it may not always match the way you personally budget.

For example, a store might be categorized one way by your bank, but you may want it in a different BreadBudget category. Adjusting categories helps your reports, budget details, and dashboard charts become more useful.

Duplicate and pending transactions

Some banks may show pending transactions before they fully post. Because of this, imported transactions can sometimes look similar or appear more than once. BreadBudget tries to help identify possible duplicates, but it is still a good idea to review your transactions after importing or syncing.

Which option should I use?

• Manual entry: Best when you want full control or are just starting out.
• Bank statement import: Best when you want to add a batch of past transactions.
• Plaid Sync: Best when you want automatic transaction syncing going forward.

Privacy reminder

BreadBudget is built to keep your financial information private and protected. Sensitive stored data, including transaction details, is encrypted where appropriate, and account syncing is handled through Plaid. BreadBudget only uses your information to power the budgeting, syncing, and reporting features you choose to use. We do not sell your personal financial data.

Tips for better results

• Start with a few clear categories before importing a large number of transactions.
• Review imported transactions after each import or sync.
• Fix categories that do not match your real budget.
• Mark duplicates or incorrect transactions when needed.
• Use Plaid Sync only for the accounts you actually want to track in BreadBudget.

Keeping transactions organized is one of the most important parts of budgeting. The cleaner your transaction history is, the more useful your reports, budgets, and dashboard cards will be.