Ability to add Planned Spending Items to our Projected Cash Flow [edited] (4 Merged Votes)

Any headway on this feature???

So, just thinking here for credit card transactions since I did not see a solution but you actually already have it you just need to make it easier.

So if you add a bill put it in the category of transfer and mark both sides of the transfer as ignore from reports and ignore from spending plan you won't have it muddy up anything and it properly adjusts the cash flow graphs.

I would suggest you add a "One Time" selection to the Bills section (Desperately needed anyway)
For the second piece on the dashboard for each account put a button "Pay Credit Card" and have us fill out what account it is transferring from on what date and for what amount (pre-populate with balance).

On the backend mark both sides as a "Transfer" and then hide from Spending Plan and Reports.

My opinion is:

1. Anything that goes through a credit card should be added to something just like a spending goal. It should reduce the amount in the account that is tied to that Credit Card (I mean what bank account you pay the card from). You should also put in your typical due date and that amount should go to project cash flow out on that date.

2. For these common unanticipated expenses (monthly) I think it is as simple as making a bill "Unplanned" assign to the account you want to see negative cashflow. (put it on the first of month as your guess is as good as mine, and make it recurring) - That gets it in the spending plan and projects cashflow change.

3. For long-term unplanned like saving $500 for 5 months I would think you just make a savings goal with the $500 monthly contribution and when the item comes due you just withdraw from the savings goal. If you go 10 months without anything happening you will have $5000. The cash flow projection need not be there you just want a balance that is available so when the large balance comes due you can add it as a bill and withdraw against the goal. You can rest assured the money is there because it will be reserved in the goal.

@DannyB - Question on Point 3

I see bills and subscriptions coming out of my projected cash flow. It comes out of whatever account is linked to it on the date the bill is due.

For example I have a small account I use for a couple subscriptions mostly annual. Here I have my Apple One subscription coming out and it shows as projected cash flow depletion. This is true for Bills & Subs as I have my Water Bill showing the same way in another account. So I think the non-monthly expenses would show properly in the "month" the cash is disbursed. I set up an annual bill it will put the cash in the month the annual bill is scheduled.

I think then the idea of "setting aside" money is more important since you don't have negative cash flow you just have reserved balance. Therefore if the "Rollover feature being discussed" helps then the following may not be important but right now I think Savings Goals are "Cash Reserves" and thus should not be negative cash flow but an earmark on the existing cash that you will need it in the future. The Annual bill would let you see when the cash is truly leaving the bank.

I wish we could link the Annual bill to a savings goal as a sort of "Virtual Account" so it would balance the spending plan that month.

Also, I think the term "Savings Goal" can throw people off of the power of their functionality. I did a different post that if we could have them as multiple types. Like "Savings Goals" and "Non-Recurring Planned" that would help delineate between aspirational and required but still set money aside in the account on the "Accounts" panel on the left hand side of simplify that you see on the "Dashboard" and "Transactions" screens.

On another note:

I roll 90% of my spending through a credit card so I would actually want to tie my planned spending to a credit card and have it project cash outflow on the day the payment comes every month. I would prefer I can link the bill to a credit card and setup a payment date that all the bills will be paid on but I use a recurring bill called CC Repayment for Soending Plan that is a Transfer from CC to Main Checking. (I have not found the way yet!)

I would like to be able to see a way to project the depletion of a spending goal but would prefer to have the "Rollover" functionality completed first to see how that is implemented to know how that impacts spending goals. Then figure out that since essentially contributing to a savings goal "sets aside" the funds in the account so you don't go sub-zero if you contribute on time.

@ajbopp - I am thinking more people follow your way of thinking than mine. I view the Spending plan as an income statement following accruals (where goals and credit card transactions are accounts payable). The cash flow statement is something that does not get impacted until the payment is made.

I totally Agree

Added my vote for this feature. Being able to make sure the timing of my planned spending matches up with payroll would be critical. The ability to make sure I don't overspend a monthly surplus or think I have cash available when I do not. I know most of my planned spending will either occur one-time, monthly, or weekly. Being able to average those buckets out on the cash flow forecast would be a great feature to help make sure I don't accidentally go negative because I mis-timed an expense and will help keep actual cash balance at the bank in-sync with the spending plan.