> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://tribalfs.gitbook.io/accountant/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://tribalfs.gitbook.io/accountant/ai-accountant/using-ai-accountant.md).

# Using AI Accountant

Ask about your finances, or describe a transaction and let AI draft it.

**What you'll do:** ask AI Accountant questions about your records, and have it prepare transactions for you to confirm.

You need an AI provider first. See [Setting up AI Accountant](/accountant/ai-accountant/setting-up-ai.md).

## Open the chat

Tap the **+** button, then **AI Accountant**.

<figure><img src="https://1159945679-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F8bd5VZpQZgURnFb41Grh%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-414e9df648ec49fc11d89652441bf7e1b7070827%2Fai-accountant-chat.png?alt=media" alt="AI Accountant chat" width="300"><figcaption><p>Asking AI Accountant about your finances</p></figcaption></figure>

*"Ask about your recorded transactions, or describe a transaction to create a draft."*

## Ask questions

Type in **Ask a question or describe a transaction** and tap send. On a hardware keyboard, **Enter** starts a new line and **Shift+Enter** sends. For example:

* *What is my net worth today?*
* *How much did I spend on groceries this month?*
* *What was my biggest expense this month?*
* *Which bills are due next week?*
* *Am I on track with my budgets?*

AI Accountant looks the figures up in your ledger and answers from them. It can read balances, transactions, categories, budgets, debts and schedules, but it can't change anything without you.

## Draft a transaction

Describe what happened in plain words, for example:

* *I paid 45.50 for groceries from Everyday checking*
* *Received my salary of 2,000 in the bank today*
* *Bought a jacket for 80 on my store credit card*

AI Accountant prepares a draft and shows it as a card in the chat. Tap **Review draft** to open it in the transaction editor, check everything, and then:

* **Post** records it in your accounts.
* **Update** keeps your changes but leaves it as a draft for later.
* **Discard** throws it away.

Drafts you don't finish stay in **Drafts** (**More › Drafts**, or **Transactions › ⋮ › Drafts**).

{% hint style="warning" %}
**AI can make mistakes.** Check the amounts, dates and accounts before you confirm. AI Accountant is a bookkeeping helper, not tax, legal or investment advice.
{% endhint %}

## Start a new chat

Tap **New chat** at the top of the chat to clear it and start over. It appears once you've sent a message. You'll see *Chat cleared* with **Undo**, in case you tapped it by mistake.

## On-device AI

On-device models are private but slower. While they work you'll see *Loading local AI…* or *Processing on this device…*, and you can tap **Stop**. If replies take minutes on your phone, the chat says so and links to **AI settings**, where you can switch to a smaller model or a cloud provider.

## Insights on Home

With AI set up, Home can show **AI insights**: short notes about budgets, spending trends, cash coverage and upcoming payments. Tap an insight to open what it's about: a credit card opens the card's screen, a budget opens that account's transactions for the budget cycle, and another account opens its transactions. With a cloud provider, tap **Chat about this** on an insight to continue in AI Accountant. See [Home dashboard](/accountant/reports-and-home/home-dashboard.md).