Avery
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Budgetdog Integration
Lookback Analysis
Using Avery for Three-Month Lookback Analysis

Overview

This guide shows you how to use the Avery Google Sheets add-on to streamline your three-month lookback analysis. Avery automates transaction imports from your bank accounts and uses AI to categorize spending, saving you hours of manual data entry.

By the end of this guide, you'll have categorized transactions ready to analyze in your lookback template.

Before starting, make sure you make a copy of the lookback analysis template here

Step 1: Install and Open Avery

If this is your first time using Avery, install it to your Google Sheets account.

Google Sheet screencast titled '(template) 3 month look back analysis' showing three installation steps for Avery: '1 Click \

To open Avery:

  1. Open your Google Sheet

  2. Click Extensions > Avery > Open Avery App

  3. The sidebar will appear on the right side of your screen

If the sidebar doesn't open automatically after installation, use the Extensions menu to launch it manually.

Step 2: Import the Last Three Months of Transactions

Use Avery's preset to quickly import three months of transaction history.

Avery sidebar in Google Sheets with 'Import Transactions' open, 'Last 3 months' selected in dropdown, date fields, and 'Import' button; adjacent sheet shows setup instructions.

  1. Click Import Transactions in the sidebar

  2. Select Last 3 months from the dropdown

  3. Click Import

  4. A spinning wheel will indicate processing is underway

Avery will create multiple sheets in your workbook, including:

  • Three Month Lookback Tool - Your analysis template

  • Avery_Transactions - All imported transaction data

  • Avery_Categories - Category mapping for AI auto-categorization

  • Avery_Balances - All your linked accounts

  • Avery_Logs - Changes that Avery makes

Step 4: Understand the Lookback Template

The Three Month Lookback Tool sheet is where you'll analyze your spending patterns.

This template includes columns for:

  • Budget categories (e.g., Groceries, Mortgage, Subscriptions)

  • Monthly spend for Month 1, Month 2, and Month 3

  • Average calculations to inform your future budget

For a detailed walkthrough of how to use the lookback template for budgeting, watch Brennan's introductory video referenced in the sheet instructions.

Step 5: Customize Your Budget Categories

Tailor the categories to match your specific spending patterns.

Google Sheet 'Three Month Lookback Analysis Template' with user typing 'Subscriptions' into a budget category cell; Avery sidebar shows accounts and options.

  1. In the Three Month Lookback Tool sheet, add or edit categories in the category column

  2. Examples: Subscriptions, Car, Health Insurance, Phone

  3. Select and copy all your custom categories

Step 6: Map Categories in Avery

Transfer your custom categories to the Avery_Categories sheet so the AI knows what to look for.

'Avery_Categories' sheet with pasted custom categories (Mortgage, Phone, Groceries, Subscriptions, Car, Health Insurance) in column A and 'Match Patterns' in B; Avery sidebar visible.

  1. Navigate to the Avery_Categories sheet

  2. Delete the pre-built categories you don't need

  3. Paste your custom categories into column A

  4. Leave the Match Patterns column (B) blank for now

Step 7: Review Imported Transactions

Check the Avery_Transactions sheet to see your raw transaction data.

'Avery_Transactions' sheet table with columns (Amount, Description, Creditor, etc.) showing imported transactions (e.g., Spar, Netflix); Avery sidebar with accounts.

This sheet includes columns for:

  • Amount - Transaction value

  • Description - Transaction details

  • Creditor - Merchant or payee

  • Category Type (column J) - Where AI categorization will appear

Initially, the Category Type column will be blank until you run auto-categorization.

Step 8: Run AI Auto-Categorization

Let Avery's AI automatically assign categories to your transactions based on your custom list.

Avery sidebar 'Categorise Transactions' with 'Auto-categorise' selected and 'Run AI Auto-cat' button; transactions sheet visible with Category Type column.

  1. In the Avery sidebar, navigate to Categorise Transactions

  2. Select Auto-categorise

  3. Click Run AI Auto-cat

  4. Processing time varies (1-3 minutes depending on transaction volume and internet speed)

Once complete, column J in the Avery_Transactions sheet will populate with category assignments.

Let the auto-categorization process complete fully before making manual edits. The process runs in the background.

Step 9: Filter and Analyze by Category

Use Google Sheets filters to sum spending for each category across the three months.

'Avery_Transactions' sheet with filter applied to 'Category Type' showing 'Groceries' transactions only; Avery sidebar with categorization options.

  1. Click Data > Create a filter

  2. Click the filter icon in the Category Type column header

  3. Select a single category (e.g., Groceries)

  4. Use the SUM function or manually add up amounts for that category

  5. Transfer totals to the corresponding category in your Three Month Lookback Tool

  6. Repeat for each category

For faster analysis, consider using SUMIF formulas to automatically calculate category totals rather than filtering manually.

Step 10: Correct Miscategorizations

The AI won't be perfect. Review and fix any incorrectly categorized transactions.

'Avery_Transactions' sheet highlighting mis-categorized 'SALARY' transaction as 'Mortgage'; sidebar shows multiple accounts.

Common issues include:

  • Salary or income mislabeled as expenses

  • Ambiguous merchant names assigned to the wrong category

  • Missing categories (e.g., Income isn't pre-built)

To fix errors:

'Avery_Transactions' sheet with manual correction: dropdown selecting 'Income' for salary transaction; sidebar shows accounts and options.

  1. If needed, add missing categories (e.g., Income) to the Avery_Categories sheet first

  2. In the Avery_Transactions sheet, click the Category Type cell for the miscategorized transaction

  3. Use the dropdown to select the correct category

  4. Repeat for all errors you identify

Once all transactions are correctly categorized, your lookback analysis is complete! Use the category totals to populate your monthly budget in Budgetdog.

Video Tutorial

Watch the full walkthrough:

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