Automatically split reoccurring transactions

Is there a way to automatically split reoccurring transactions across multiple categories? For example, my cable bill includes phone and internet charges. I would like to have this bill automatically split into three categories (cable, phone, internet) each month when it is posted.

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:wave: @brewer.05,

That is a great suggestion. I’d recommend you also add this to our feature requests list. I could see it being a nice addition to AutoCat’s functionality.

https://community.tillerhq.com/c/feature-requests

We don’t have a way to automatically do it right now, and I’m guessing you’ve already seen the Tiller Transaction Splitter?

Let me know if you need more help.

Heather

The AutoCat feature is a handy way to solve this. But another option would be to create a new sheet for your split reoccurring transactions to hold a template.

Create a new sheet for storing Template transactions.

Copy the rows of a transaction you already split into the new sheet. For example, your cable, phone and internet rows.

When you get a new bill, insert 3 rows in your transactions sheet. (Don’t worry about where you do this, since when you add the correct date, it will get auto-sorted when updated.)

Go to your Template sheet and copy the 3 rows for the transaction and paste them into the Transactions sheet where you have the empty 3 new rows.

Let us know if that works for you.

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So, @jono, the idea is that the “template” is a set of rows (matching the Transactions sheet columns) that have been properly split, categorized and labeled? All that needs updating is the transaction date?

Rather than running the splitter on each new charge, I would just copy in the pre-formatted set of rows?

Do you imagine overwriting the transaction that comes from Tiller’s feeds with the new rows or creating offsets in the “template” that properly net out the categorized values?

Randy

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So, @jonorlin, the idea is that the “template” is a set of rows (matching the Transactions sheet columns) that have been properly split, categorized and labeled? All that needs updating is the transaction date?

Yes, that is the idea: a pre-built set of rows for a recurring split transaction.

This is especially helpful if you want to split something that has lots of rows, like a paycheck with different withholding and deductions. That way you don’t have to enter the Description and Categories each time like you would using AutoCat.

Sometimes the date is the only thing that needs changing. But, you might need to change amounts for certain transactions, say a mortgage payment that splits interest and principle differently each month.

Rather than running the splitter on each new charge, I would just copy in the pre-formatted set of rows?

Correct

Do you imagine overwriting the transaction that comes from Tiller’s feeds with the new rows or creating offsets in the “template” that properly net out the categorized values?

When I use it, i insert new rows below the original Tiller feed transaction. As a double check, i confirm the split amounts getting inserted match the original row amount. If it matches, I delete the original row. Another option would be to zero out the original, so the transaction isn’t double-counted.

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Just a thought - For example, regarding a paycheck, maybe consider inserting rows into the Transactions tab right below your current paycheck row and then do a copy/paste of the data already in the Transactions tab from your prior paycheck. Change any fields as appropriate. After everything checks out, then you could delete the original paycheck row.

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That certainly works too and doesn’t require an extra sheet.

One trick to doing it using a prior entry in the Transactions sheet is to use a Description that starts with the same word(s) so when the sheet gets sorted by date, all those transactions stay together.

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Bump!
I’d really like autocat to be able to automatically split transactions.
@heather the link to submit a new feature doesnt work anymore. :disappointed_relieved:

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Has there been any update to this feature? I have a lot of recurring transactions that I split (rent payments, rent splits, etc. etc.) - being able to auto-add splits on the AutoCat would be a really, really helpful feature.

Thanks!

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:wave: , @BudgetBen !

No updates on this feature, but maybe this will help:

Context is here

Also, @Pierre, the link should work but you probably just weren’t signed in. sorry for the loooooooong delay on the reply.

I’d like to revive this Automatic Splitter topic with a different set of components. The amounts in my example are “known” each month, not variables. One GROSS INCOME Category, minus two EXPENSE Categories and the resulting NET INCOME. It’s my Social Security check.

  • SS Income (Gross Amount);
  • Insurance Medicare (Expense)
  • Insurance Plan D (Expense)
  • Deposit Amount (Net Amount)

The bank deposit is the NET Amount which Tiller will download. The other three elements are provided to me once a year from Social Security – the GROSS and two EXPENSE amounts. And I would enter them MANUALLY.

Can I/how do I set up those three amounts in January after the first NET DEPOSITED transaction? And can I/how do I set it up as an automatically reoccurring transaction for the full year, till the numbers change the following January?

Just downloading the Net Amount is not sufficient. It does not allow me to report my GROSS Social Security income, nor track Medicare & Plan D expenses.

And a related question, if I may…can I/how do I view the four Categories/Amounts in this Split transaction as one transaction - at-a-glance.

I just experimented with my own concept by selecting the DEPOSITED amount for a Split Transaction. I then deducted (using a - sign) the Plan D. But that did not diminish the total Transaction amount. I then opened a 2nd split transaction and deducted that amount. Same result; original amount was still the same. I have a screen shot, but prefer not to share it publicly.

[In addition to that, I just realized the original SS amount downloaded by Tiller is the SS GROSS amount, not NET. That is totally weird and never happened before. I must investigate further.]

Hi everyone! I’ve spent some time working on this and I think I’ve come up with a workaround for automatic splits. I recorded a macro for my paycheck split and after some troubleshooting, I’ve got it working pretty flawlessly. While the instructions below are for my paycheck, this could theoretically work for any regular split where the values are the same consistently. You could also (theoretically anyway) pull values from another sheet (e.g., an amortization schedule) to populate those values automatically.

If you’ve never recorded a macro, the basic idea is that you start recording then perform all of the steps for the action (in this case a paycheck split) and save the steps. I’ll go through the process I used to create my macro in google sheets.

Before you start recording, make sure of the following:

  1. All columns (A-U) are visible
  2. The transaction appears exactly as it would after being pulled into the sheet (i.e., “Category” (and by extension “Type”)) is empty.
  3. The whole transaction row (we’ll call it Row 2) is selected

My process for a 12-way split was as follows:

  1. Start recording (Tools>Macros>Record Macros; select “Use relative references”)
  2. Highlight Rows 3-14
  3. Right-click “insert 12 above”
  4. Select and copy A2:C2
  5. Select A3:A14 and Paste
  6. Select and copy F2:P2
  7. Select F3:F14 and Paste
  8. Select and copy R2:U2
  9. Select R3:R14 and Paste
  10. Set categories for each row
  11. Enter values for each row
  12. End recording (click save)

To run the macro, select the transaction row>Tools>Macros>Macro Name

Hopefully this is useful to everyone. If anyone more experienced has a way to simplify/improve this macro, by all means do.

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Hi from a newbie - another Mint user evicted.

I’d like to second the vote for automatic application of recurring splits.

Also I find the ability to save and reuse splits to be really useful. But it was hard to find info on how to do this. If I had not noticed that feature in the announcement of the new splits (found when trying to access the old splits under community tools) I would not have known to look harder for it. When I bring up the splits tool there’s no mention there, and evidently no way to save from there. Anyway, good feature but too well hidden.

Thanks - Bill

Welcome, @Wizardofaz. It sounds like you did find the documentation for the Saved Splits feature which predates this thread?

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I found enough to start using it. Thanks

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