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Manage custom transaction categories

Organization Admins can create, edit, disable, delete, and bulk import custom transaction categories to align transaction coding with internal accounting practices.

Access transaction categories

  1. Click the Settings gear in the top navigation.

  2. Select Organization.

  3. Click Transaction Categories.

If you don't see this option, confirm your role with your Organization Admin.

Understand the dashboard

The dashboard shows all categories available across your organization:

  • System categories — provided by Estateably, read-only, cannot be edited or deleted

  • Custom categories — created by your organization

Each category displays: Category Type, Category Name, File Type, Cashflow Type, Money Type, and Active Status. Custom categories also have Edit and Delete options. Use filters and search to locate specific categories quickly.

Create a custom category

  1. Click + Add Category.

  2. Complete all required fields:

    • Category Name

    • File Type (Estates, Trusts, POA — multi-select)

    • Cashflow Type (Deposit and/or Withdraw — multi-select)

    • Money Type: Capital or Revenue (Canada) / Principal or Income (United States)

  3. Click Save.

Once saved, the category appears in the dashboard and becomes available in applicable files.

Edit a category

  • Updating the Category Name — the change applies everywhere, including existing transactions.

  • Updating File Type, Cashflow Type, or Money Type — changes apply to new transactions only. Existing transactions are not modified to prevent accounting discrepancies. Edit individual transactions directly within a file if adjustments are needed.

Delete or disable a category

A custom category can only be deleted if it has never been used in a transaction. If it has been used, the delete option is unavailable.

Disable a category to prevent it from being selected for new transactions without affecting historical data. This preserves accounting accuracy while preventing future use.

Bulk import custom categories

Organization Admins can upload multiple categories at once using an XLSX file.

  1. Go to Settings › Organization › Transaction Categories.

  2. Click Bulk Import.

  3. Drag and drop or select your XLSX file to upload.

The system validates the file automatically. If validation fails, correct the file and re-upload. If validation passes, you proceed to a review screen.

Review imported categories

Before finalizing, review and edit each category's Name, File Type, Cashflow Type, and Money Type. All fields are editable at this stage.

Duplicate category names are not allowed. If detected — within your file or against existing categories — the duplicate is highlighted in red. Rename or remove it before completing the import.

Finalize the import

Once all categories pass validation, click Add Categories. The categories immediately appear in the dashboard and become available in applicable files.

XLSX formatting requirements

Your spreadsheet must include separate columns for Category Name, File Type, Cashflow Type, and Money Type.

  • Category Name — text only, must be unique

  • Money Type — single value: Capital or Revenue (Canada) / Principal or Income (United States)

  • File Type — multiple values allowed, comma-separated (e.g., Estates, Trusts, POA)

  • Cashflow Type — multiple values allowed, comma-separated (e.g., Deposit, Withdraw)

Do not use line breaks in cells or add extra spaces beyond the comma separator. Files that don't follow this format fail validation.

Conclusion

Custom categories are now available for use across applicable files. If you experience issues, contact [email protected] with a screenshot of the error, a copy of your XLSX file if relevant, and the exact error message displayed.

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