> 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/transactions/transaction-types.md).
# The six transaction types
Which shortcut to use for what happened, and what Accountant records.
**What you'll learn:** which of the six shortcuts fits each situation, and what to fill in for each.
Tap the **+** button to see the **Transaction shortcuts**. Each shortcut opens the editor with a transaction type already chosen. You can switch types later from the drop-down at the top of the editor.
You can also touch and hold the Accountant icon on your home screen for **Pay money**, **Receive money**, **Transfer money** and **Scan receipt or invoice**.
The transaction type drop-down in the editor
## At a glance
| Shortcut | Type in the editor | Use it when… |
| --------------------- | ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Pay money** | Payment | money leaves a cash, bank or e-wallet account |
| **Receive money** | Money received | money arrives in a cash, bank or e-wallet account |
| **Buy on credit** | Credit purchase | you buy something and will pay later, for example by credit card |
| **Record income due** | Income due | you've earned income but haven't been paid yet |
| **Transfer money** | Transfer | you move money between two of your own cash accounts |
| **Add adjustment** | Adjustment | nothing moved in cash, but something needs correcting or reclassifying |
## Pay money
Use it for everyday spending from cash, a bank account or an e-wallet, and for paying off a credit card or a loan.
1. **Person or business:** who you paid.
2. **Pay from:** the cash account the money left.
3. **Add item:** what the payment is for. The tabs are:
* **Expense:** everyday spending.
* **Assets:** buying something you keep, lending money or paying in advance.
* **Liability:** paying down a loan, a credit card or a bill you owe.
Add several items to split one payment, for example groceries and household supplies on one receipt.
{% hint style="info" %}
Paying your credit card bill? Add the **card** as the item, not an expense. The purchases were already counted when you charged them. Or use **Record payment** in the card's [payment management](/accountant/planning/credit-cards.md).
{% endhint %}
## Receive money
Use it for salary, money paid back to you, collections from clients, and loan proceeds.
1. **Deposit into:** the cash account the money went into.
2. **Add item:** what the money is for. Choose from:
* **Income:** salary, interest or business income that you haven't recorded yet.
* **Other accounts:** collecting a receivable, receiving a loan or selling an asset.
* **Finance charges:** bank or transfer charges deducted from the amount you received.
## Buy on credit
Use it for credit card purchases and bills you'll pay later.
1. **Payable account:** the credit card or payable you owe.
2. **Add item:** what the purchase is for, from the **Expense** or **Assets** tab.
3. On a credit card, the **Payment plan** card says how the card bills this purchase: *Off*, or a plan such as *12 months · ₱1,000/month*. Tap it to choose **Pay in installments** or **Pay later**. If the card's payments aren't tracked yet, it reads *Set up card payments to use*. See [Credit cards](/accountant/planning/credit-cards.md).
The expense is recorded today and your card balance goes up. When you pay the card, use **Pay money** (or the card's **Record payment**). That reduces the debt and is not a second expense.
## Record income due
Use it when you've done the work or earned the income but haven't been paid yet, for example an invoice you've sent.
1. **Receivable account:** who owes you, such as a client receivable.
2. **Add income:** the income account.
When the money arrives, use **Receive money** with the receivable as the source.
## Transfer money
Use it for moving money between your own accounts: an ATM withdrawal, a savings deposit, an e-wallet top-up or a currency exchange.
1. **From account:** the account the money left.
2. **To account:** the account it went to.
3. **Amount**, and the amount received if the two accounts use different currencies. See [Multi-currency](/accountant/transactions/multi-currency.md#transfers-between-currencies).
4. **Finance charges:** any fee charged for the transfer. Tap **Add charge** to add one. Charges show as the amounts you paid, for example *$2.11*.
When a transfer in one currency has charges, the amount dialog has a **Gross** / **Net** switch:
* **Gross:** the amount that left the account, charges included.
* **Net:** the amount that arrived. The total then reads, for example, *35,000.00 (Net: 34,990.00)*. An amount you entered as Net stays net if you add or change a charge later.
A transfer never changes your net worth, apart from any fee.
## Add adjustment
Use it for non-cash corrections and reclassifications, such as writing off a debt someone will never pay, moving an amount to the right account, or recording a change in an investment's value. The app also records [depreciation](/accountant/accounts/depreciation.md) as adjustments.
1. Tap **Add entry** and pick an account from **Accounts to adjust**. The tabs are **Assets**, **Liability**, **Income** and **Expense**. Cash accounts aren't listed, because moving cash is a payment, receipt or transfer.
2. Enter the amount, and choose **Increase** or **Decrease**. A line under the choice says what it means for that account, for example *"You own more of this."*, *"You owe less on this."* or *"Adds to expenses."*
3. Add the other side the same way.
The **Entries tie-out** header shows whether the increases and decreases offset each other in the books:
* **✓** when they tie out. You can save.
* **✕** while they don't. A **Left to balance** row shows the gap. Tap **Add entry** and the app picks the side that closes the gap and fills in the amount.
* **—** while there are no entries yet.
If the gap can't be worked out, the row says *Exchange rate needed* or *Use up to two currencies*.
{% hint style="warning" %}
Adjustments are the most flexible type, so they're also the easiest to get wrong. If one of the other five types fits, use it.
{% endhint %}
## Next
* [Recording a transaction](/accountant/transactions/recording-a-transaction.md): the editor step by step
* [Money spent isn't always an expense](/accountant/fundamentals/money-spent-is-not-always-an-expense.md)
---
# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.
## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:
```
GET https://tribalfs.gitbook.io/accountant/transactions/transaction-types.md?ask=&goal=
```
`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
