16. Guides

Add Multiple Transactions

Use a repeatable flow for entering many transactions at once without giving up too much review before save.

Use this guide when you are catching up on several transactions together.

Before you start #

Gather the dates, amounts, payees, and categories you need before you begin.

What you will do #

Choose the faster entry flow, review the rows before saving, and then spot-check the results once they land in the file.

1. Decide whether bulk entry is the right tool #

Use Mass Transaction Entry when you have a backlog or batch of transactions and opening the normal transaction form repeatedly would be slower.

It is a good fit for:

statement catch-up work
several ordinary transactions entered from notes
a batch you want to review together before save

If you only need one transaction, the normal add-transaction form is usually cleaner.

2. Open the multi-entry sheet #

You can reach the sheet in several ways:

from the main Add button by choosing the multiple-transactions flow
from the Combo Palette with Add or Import Transactions
from the normal add-transaction flow when Switch to Mass Entry is offered

Once open, the sheet keeps you in one dialog so you can work across many rows without leaving the flow.

3. Set yourself up for fast entry before typing everything #

At the top of the sheet, use the bulk-entry shell controls and toolbar intentionally.

The most important ones are:

Add more rows when the opening batch is not enough
Clear Grid if you want to reset the unsaved sheet
minimize and restore controls if you need to navigate the app briefly and come back

The cleaner your batch setup is, the less review pain you get later.

4. Fill the core transaction columns first #

For most ordinary rows, start with the fields that define the transaction clearly:

Date
Account
Payee
Category
Amount
Note when needed

If Labels are enabled, fill Label when it matters to the workflow.

5. Stay keyboard-first while you move through the grid #

Bulk entry is fastest when you use the sheet like a grid instead of like a stack of forms.

use Tab and Shift + Tab across cells
use the arrow keys to move around the sheet
use undo and redo shortcuts for recent sheet mistakes

This is the main advantage of the tool, so lean into it.

6. Use the special cells only when they fit the row #

Some columns carry extra behavior:

the Amount cell has a sign toggle for inflow or outflow
the Income checkbox marks a row as income
the Debt checkbox opens debt-detail editing
the Split checkbox opens detail-row editing

If a row needs split details or debt details, add them there instead of forcing the entire transaction into one simple row.

One important limit remains: mortgage-style principal entry is not supported in bulk entry and should go through the regular debt flow instead.

Right-click a row number when you need the row context menu.

That gives you quick actions such as:

Copy
Paste
Paste: Import
Delete

Use Paste: Import only when the clipboard data should go through the import-mapping flow rather than acting like ordinary pasted cells.

8. Review validation before you try to save #

Rows with issues show an ! indicator, and Common Cents can open a Validation Issues panel before save.

Review the batch carefully for:

dates in the wrong month
wrong accounts or categories
amount-sign mistakes
missing required values

The goal is not just to save quickly. It is to save a believable batch.

9. Save the whole batch and be ready for save-time guards #

When the rows look right, use Save All Rows.

If Strict Mode is enabled and a row would overspend a category, the save flow can pause and open Strict Mode: Cover Overspending before the batch is allowed through.

That pause is part of the workflow, not a bug.

10. Spot-check the results after save #

After the save finishes, review a few of the landed transactions in the app.

Check that:

the amounts landed with the right sign
the payees and categories look correct
any split or debt rows behaved the way you expected

That final spot-check is what turns a fast entry session into a trustworthy one.