Common questions

Find a quick explanation here, then follow the linked guide for the full task.

How do I reset my password?

Select Forgot your password? on the sign-in page and request a reset link for your verified account. The link expires after one hour. See Sign in and reset your password.

Do envelopes represent separate bank accounts?

No. Accounts track where money is held or owed; envelopes track its purpose. One account can hold cash for several envelopes, and one envelope can include spending across several accounts. See Create your envelopes.

Should I use a planned expense or a target?

Use a planned expense for a specific expected payment. Use a target for an amount still expected to be spent through a date. Both contribute spending needs to the projection, so avoid including the same purchase in both. See Plan expenses and targets.

Is a target a minimum savings balance?

A dated target is a remaining spending allowance. By default, the projection assumes it is used by its date; it is not a permanent balance floor. For a reserve without a spending date, assign money to an envelope without adding a dated spending plan. See Create your envelopes.

Why is my new envelope empty?

A name alone does not assign money. Add a dated plan for automatic funding to work toward, or use Move Funds to assign available money now. See Adjust your plan.

Why is my account balance different from Left to plan?

The account balance reflects recorded activity in that account. Left to plan reflects cash remaining after current assignments, card reserves, and projected funding needs. See Understand Left to plan.

Does $0.00 Left to plan mean everything is covered?

Not necessarily. The projection also reports zero when a funding step runs short. Check for the funding-limit flag and review credit-card Still to cover amounts. See Review your first plan.

Does changing a plan move money at my bank?

No. Planning, funding, and Move Funds update your budget records. Pay Card records a payment you make through your bank or card provider; it does not send that payment. See Use credit cards.

Will Refresh download my bank transactions?

The account page's Refresh button reloads entries saved in line-budget.com. It does not import transactions from a bank. Use the entry forms to keep your records current. See Record spending and income.

Should I enter spending as a positive or negative amount?

Enter positive amounts in Spend and Reconcile expense, including each split. These forms save negative ledger entries. The account's Add and Edit forms use signed amounts: negative for spending and positive for inflows. Use Record Income for a bank/cash inflow without splits. See Record spending and income.

Where can I manage all my accounts?

Select All accounts in the bottom Accounts pane. The link is available even when that pane is collapsed. See Add your accounts.

Why is a credit-card balance negative?

In the account ledger, a negative card balance means you owe money. The payment breakdown shows the same debt as a positive Owed amount. When adding the card, enter the debt as a positive Amount owed; the form handles the sign. See Use credit cards.

Why does a card credit not increase Available funds in the browser?

If a refund leaves a positive card balance, the nightly funding process includes it as prepaid value. The current browser forecast and manual funding controls start from bank/cash balances without adding card credit. That can make the browser show less funding capacity than the nightly process has. The credit remains on the card, not in your bank. See Positive card balances and available funds.

I already entered a bill payment. Should I reconcile its plan too?

No: reconciliation creates another transaction. Check the existing payment, then delete the obsolete planned expense if it represents the same spending. See Reconcile a planned expense.

Why did editing a purchase leave its target unchanged?

Reduce next target runs once when the spending entry is created. Later edits or deletion do not restore or repeat that adjustment. Update the remaining target manually. See Reduce next target.

Does Plan next set up automatic recurrence?

It creates one additional expense or target using the amount and date offset you confirm. It does not create an ongoing schedule. See Plan the next period.

Why does Add open Plan next?

On the envelope details page, Add uses the latest dated plan of that kind as a starting point. Select Choose a date instead for a specific date, or use the interval to create the next period. The envelope's timeline menu also has Plan expense and Add Target for separate plans. See Plan the next period.

Why does Next Expense not match the order of due dates?

For targets, the sort also estimates how long current funding will cover the allowance. An envelope needing money sooner can rise above one with an earlier printed date. See Read the timeline.

Does hiding an envelope stop its funding?

No. Hidden envelopes move to the Hidden group at the bottom of the timeline. Their enabled funding and plans still count. Pause funding separately if needed. See Rename, group, or hide an envelope.

Where did the setup checklist go?

Open My Account, Settings, then Budget view. Enable Show checklist and select Save settings. See Change your settings.

What does Daily funding pressure show after my cash runs out?

It shows the funding your plans would need if enough funds existed, including needs beyond the current funding limit. It does not promise that those allocations can be made. See Explore the funding forecast.

How do I contact support?

Email support@line-budget.com. Include the page, action, time, and exact error, with account details redacted where possible. Do not send passwords or verification/reset links. See When numbers look wrong.

For terms used throughout the app, visit the Glossary.