Target Visualization

The target symbol on each Budget row is a compact legend for progress. It is there to help you read the category quickly without opening the target form every time.

What you see depends on Settings > Targets > Target Visualization.

The current app offers two modes:

• Target shows a circular target symbol with rings and hands
• Bar Stack shows horizontal lines with markers and overflow segments

Both modes use the same underlying budget numbers. They just draw them differently.

What the colors mean in both modes #

The color meaning stays consistent:

• green means assigned funding
• yellow means planned funding
• red means spending activity

When those same colors appear with slashes, they mean the category has gone past the normal target basis instead of just filling toward it.

The circle view #

If your Target Visualization setting is Target, the Budget row shows two rings plus a few guide lines.

What the circles mean #

The circle view uses two rings:

• the outer ring is activity, which means spending progress against the target basis
• the inner ring is funding, which means assigned and planned money against the same target basis

Inside the funding ring:

• the green arc is assigned money
• the yellow arc is planned money layered after assigned money

On the activity ring:

• the red arc is spending activity

What the lines mean in the circle view #

The circle view uses three different line styles.

• the solid hand from the center is the current month-progress marker
• the dashed hand from the center is the due-day marker when the target type uses a due day
• the short ticks around the outside mark segment boundaries

Those outside ticks change meaning based on target type:

• for weekly targets, they mark weekly segment boundaries
• for yearly and custom range targets, they divide the target into month segments across the range

The small dot in the center is just the visual anchor for those hands.

What the slashed colors mean in the circle view #

Slashed arcs mean overflow.

• slashed green means assigned money is over the target basis
• slashed yellow means planned money pushed funding past the target basis
• slashed red means activity overspent past the target basis

The slash pattern is not a second category of money. It is the app’s way of saying, “this part is beyond the normal target range.”

The line view #

If your Target Visualization setting is Bar Stack, the Budget row shows two stacked horizontal tracks instead of circles.

What the lines mean #

The line view uses two tracks:

• the top track is funding
• the bottom track is activity

Inside those tracks:

• the green segment is assigned funding
• the yellow segment is planned funding
• the red segment is activity

What the markers mean in the line view #

The line view uses three marker styles:

• the solid round dot is the current month-progress marker
• the dashed vertical line is the due-day marker
• the solid vertical divider lines mark segment boundaries

Those segment boundary lines do the same job they do in the circle view:

• they split weekly targets into weekly sections
• they split yearly or custom range targets into month sections

What the slashed colors mean in the line view #

Slashed fills on the right side of the track mean overflow beyond the target basis.

• slashed green means assigned funding overflow
• slashed yellow means planned funding overflow
• slashed red means activity overspend overflow

These overflow segments are anchored from the right edge because they represent the part that has gone beyond the normal 100% width of the target basis.

Start and end messages #

Range-style targets can also show a short text message instead of normal progress when the current month is outside the active window.

You may see messages like:

• Starts … when the target has not started yet
• Ended … when the target range has already passed

That is Common Cents telling you the target exists, but the current month is outside its active progress window.

How to use the visualization in practice #

Use the row visualization as a quick read, not as the only explanation.

• If the row looks underfunded, use Plan up to target or Assign up to target from Related Actions.
• If the row shows slashed overflow colors, check whether the category is overfunded or overspent on purpose.
• If the symbol looks confusing, click it to open Edit Category Target and review the target type, amount, and behavior directly.

The visualization is best for spotting patterns quickly. The target form is still where you confirm what the row is trying to do.