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Expense Tracking

What is Expense Tracking?​

Expense Tracking in UnderControl lets you record and analyze your spending. You can add expenses manually, snap a photo of a receipt and let AI extract the details, or simply type what you spent in plain language. Every expense can be linked to a budget and payment account, giving you a complete picture of where your money goes.

Three Ways to Add Expenses​

1. Manual Entry​

The traditional way - fill out a form with:

  • Amount with a built-in calculator for quick math
  • Currency selection
  • Title and description
  • Budget to link the expense to
  • Payment account used for the purchase
  • Date the expense occurred

2. AI Receipt Scanning​

Let AI do the work for you:

  1. Upload a receipt image by dragging it in, pasting with Ctrl+V, or using the file picker
  2. You can upload multiple receipts at once for batch processing
  3. AI analyzes the image and extracts the amount, title, vendor, date, and category
  4. The expense is created automatically and linked to the receipt image

Receipt processing happens in the background - you can continue using the app while the AI works.

3. Text-to-Expense​

Just describe what you spent in plain language:

  • Type something like "Lunch at Starbucks $15.50" or "Grocery shopping 45 dollars"
  • AI instantly parses it into a structured expense
  • The system uses your existing budgets as context to suggest the right category

Managing Expenses​

Expense List​

Your expenses page shows:

  • All expenses in a searchable, filterable list
  • Date range filter to focus on a specific period
  • Title search to find specific expenses
  • Summary section with total count and amount
  • List and table views for different preferences

Expense Details​

Click any expense to see its full details:

  • Amount displayed prominently
  • Source receipt preview (if created via AI scanning)
  • Editable description and metadata
  • Attachment management for adding supporting documents
  • Creation and update timestamps

Hiding and Deleting​

  • Hide an expense to remove it from your default list without losing the data - you can unhide it anytime
  • Delete permanently removes the expense

File Attachments​

Attach receipt images, invoices, or any supporting documents to your expenses. This is especially useful for:

  • Keeping receipts for warranty claims
  • Documenting business expenses for reimbursement
  • Maintaining records for tax purposes

Privacy Features​

Blind Mode​

Toggle blind mode to hide all monetary amounts across your expense list. Perfect for when you're sharing your screen or demonstrating the app.

Tips for Success​

  1. Try AI receipt scanning - It's the fastest way to add expenses and keeps a copy of your receipt automatically
  2. Link expenses to budgets - This is what makes budget tracking work, so always select the right budget when adding an expense
  3. Use the date field correctly - Set the occurrence date to when you actually spent the money, not when you're entering it
  4. Add descriptions - A short note about what the expense was for helps when reviewing spending later
  5. Batch your receipts - Upload multiple receipt images at once to process a stack of receipts quickly

How Expenses Work with Other Features​

With Budgets​

When you link an expense to a budget, it counts toward that budget's "spent" total. The budget detail page shows all associated expenses, and the spending trend chart reflects your actual spending against the budget line.

With Accounts​

Select which payment account you used for each expense. This helps you understand spending patterns across different accounts - like how much goes on your credit card vs. checking account.

With Resources​

Receipt images are stored as resources in UnderControl. AI-scanned receipts are automatically linked to the expense, so you always have the original receipt attached.

With AI Features​

The AI assistant can:

  • Extract expense details from receipt images (amount, vendor, date, category)
  • Parse natural language text into structured expenses
  • Use your budget list as context to suggest the right budget for each expense

Getting Started​

  1. Add your first expense - Try the manual form or snap a photo of a recent receipt
  2. Link it to a budget - Select the budget this expense belongs to
  3. Explore AI features - Upload a receipt image or type a quick description to see AI-powered expense creation in action
  4. Review your spending - Use the date filter and search to analyze your expenses over time