Overview
After setting up your Budgetdog template, you'll want to regularly check that your numbers are accurate. This guide walks you through reviewing your template and fixing any categorization issues that cause inaccurate totals.
The Budgetdog template works entirely through categories. If a number looks off, it's almost always because a transaction is categorized incorrectly.
Before you begin, make sure you've completed the initial template setup and have transactions imported from your connected bank accounts.
How to Review Your Template
Check Your Dashboards
Start by looking at your dashboard tab for any unusual numbers. You might see things like:
Empty or $0 values in categories that should have data (like Take Home Pay)
Unexpectedly high amounts in categories like Variable Income or Miscellaneous
Large over-budget amounts in spending categories
These red flags usually mean transactions are miscategorized and need to be fixed.
Check Your Actuals Tab
Navigate to your monthly Actuals tab (e.g., "December Actuals") to see more detailed breakdowns:
Review your take-home pay amount
Check daily and monthly spending totals
Look for over/under budget indicators
If these numbers don't match your expectations, move on to fixing categorization.
How to Fix Categorization Issues
Method 1: Find and Fix Individual Transactions
For specific issues you've spotted on your dashboard:
Go to the Transactions tab (Avery_Transactions)
Scroll through or use Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) to search for specific transactions
Look at Column J: Category Type to see the current categorization
If incorrect, click the cell and select the correct category from the dropdown
Open the Avery sidebar (Extensions > Avery)
Click Quick Actions > Categorize transactions
Create a rule by typing what the description contains (e.g., "Eagle ventures")
Click Save
Click Run Categorization to apply the rule to all matching transactions
Creating rules trains Avery's AI to automatically categorize similar transactions correctly in the future.
Example: If your salary from "Eagle ventures" shows up as "Variable Income" instead of "Income," search for "Eagle" in your transactions, change the category to "Income," then create a rule for "Eagle ventures" so all future salary deposits are categorized correctly.
Method 2: Use Filters to Review Categories in Bulk
To review all transactions in a specific category at once:
Go to the Transactions tab
Click the top-left corner cell (intersection of row and column headers) to select all data
Click Data > Create a filter in the Google Sheets menu
Click the filter icon on Column J: Category Type
Use the search box to find the category you want to review (e.g., "Miscellaneous")
Click Clear to deselect all, then check only your target category
Click OK
Now you'll see only transactions in that category. Review each one:
Ignore legitimate transactions (like small spare change amounts)
Re-categorize incorrect ones (like savings transfers or recurring expenses)
Create rules for any transactions that repeat regularly
Click Run Categorization after creating rules
Filtering is especially useful for cleaning up the "Miscellaneous" category, which often contains incorrectly categorized transactions.
Pro tip: Hide columns E through I in your Transactions tab (right-click > Hide columns) to see the Description and Category Type side-by-side more easily.
Verify Your Fixes
After fixing categorization issues:
Return to your Summary Dashboard
Check that the numbers have updated correctly
Review your Actuals tab to confirm take-home pay and spending totals look accurate
If you're still over budget in a category, verify it's a real overspend (not a categorization error)
Your template will update automatically at the time you set in the Avery sidebar. You can also manually refresh by running categorization again.
Common Issues
Take Home Pay Shows $0
Your salary or income is likely miscategorized as "Variable Income" or another category. Search for your employer's name in the Transactions tab, re-categorize to "Income," and create a rule.
Variable Income is Unusually High
Check if regular salary deposits or transfers are being miscategorized as variable income. Filter by "Variable Income" and re-categorize any fixed income sources.
Miscellaneous Category is Over Budget
Use the filtering method to review all "Miscellaneous" transactions. Common culprits include savings transfers, subscription payments, or recurring expenses that need their own categories.
Seeing Duplicate Transactions
If you re-linked a bank account, you may have duplicates. Open the Avery sidebar, check your connected Accounts, and delete the duplicate account. Learn more in the setup guide.
If you're still seeing inaccurate numbers after fixing categorization, contact support via the in-sheet live chat for help troubleshooting.
Ongoing Maintenance
Review your template regularly to keep it accurate:
Check your dashboard weekly or monthly for anomalies
Create new rules whenever you spot miscategorized transactions
Set your daily auto-update time in the Avery sidebar to keep data fresh
Review and adjust category budgets in the "Budgeted Expenses - Estimate" tab as needed
The more rules you create during your reviews, the more accurate Avery's AI becomes at automatically categorizing your transactions.