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Recurring Transactions

Recurring transactions in Arthalekha are templates for transactions that happen regularly. They help you track expected future income and expenses, and enable accurate balance projections.

What are Recurring Transactions?​

Recurring transactions represent financial events that repeat on a schedule:

  • Recurring Incomes: Regular money coming in (salary, rent received)
  • Recurring Expenses: Regular money going out (rent, subscriptions, EMIs)
  • Recurring Transfers: Regular money movements between accounts (monthly savings)

Why Use Recurring Transactions?​

1. Future Balance Projections​

Recurring transactions power the projected balance feature. By knowing what's coming, Arthalekha can show you:

  • Expected balance next month
  • When you might run low on funds
  • How much you'll have saved by year-end

2. Financial Planning​

See upcoming financial commitments:

  • Bills due this month
  • Expected income timing
  • Planned savings contributions

3. Never Forget Regular Payments​

Keep track of:

  • Subscription renewals
  • Bill due dates
  • Investment contributions

Recurring Transaction Properties​

Each recurring transaction has:

PropertyDescription
DescriptionWhat the transaction is for
AmountThe recurring amount
AccountWhich account is affected (optional for incomes/expenses/transfers)
PersonWho this relates to (optional, incomes/expenses only)
TagsCategories for this transaction
Next Transaction DateWhen the next occurrence is due
FrequencyHow often it repeats
Remaining RecurrencesHow many times left (optional)

Optional Account (Skip Transaction)​

For recurring incomes and expenses, the account field is optional. When no account is selected:

  • No transaction is created when the next date arrives
  • The next transaction date is still updated according to the frequency
  • Remaining recurrences are still decremented (if set)
  • Useful for tracking reminders without affecting account balances

This is helpful for:

  • Tracking expected payments you haven't assigned an account to yet
  • Reminders for financial events without actual transactions
  • Planning future expenses before deciding which account to use

Optional Accounts for Transfers (Skip Transaction)​

For recurring transfers, both the source (debtor) and destination (creditor) accounts are optional. When both accounts are left empty:

  • No transfer is created when the next date arrives
  • The next transaction date is still updated according to the frequency
  • Remaining recurrences are still decremented (if set)

Note: If one account is provided, the other must also be provided. Either both are set or both are empty.

Frequencies​

Arthalekha supports these recurring frequencies:

FrequencyMeaningExample
DailyEvery dayDaily allowance
WeeklyEvery 7 daysWeekly grocery shopping
BiweeklyEvery 14 daysBiweekly paycheck
MonthlyEvery monthMonthly salary, rent
QuarterlyEvery 3 monthsQuarterly insurance
YearlyEvery 12 monthsAnnual subscriptions

See Frequencies Reference →

Remaining Recurrences​

You can set a limit on how many times a recurring transaction should repeat:

SettingBehavior
Not set (null)Repeats indefinitely
Number (e.g., 12)Repeats exactly that many times, then stops
0No more recurrences (effectively ended)

Use Cases​

  • EMI with 24 months: Set remaining recurrences to 24
  • Yearly subscription, auto-renews: Leave unset (indefinite)
  • 6-month gym membership: Set remaining recurrences to 6

Types of Recurring Transactions​

Recurring Incomes​

Regular money coming into your accounts:

ExampleFrequencyTypical
Monthly salaryMonthly1st of month
Freelance retainerMonthly15th of month
Rental incomeMonthly5th of month
Quarterly dividendsQuarterlyEnd of quarter
Annual bonusYearlyDecember

Recurring Expenses​

Regular money going out of your accounts:

ExampleFrequencyTypical
Rent/MortgageMonthly1st of month
Electricity billMonthly15th of month
Netflix subscriptionMonthlyVaries
Car EMIMonthly5th of month
Annual insuranceYearlyPolicy date

Recurring Transfers​

Regular money movements between your accounts:

ExampleFrequencyTypical
Monthly savingsMonthly1st of month
SIP investmentMonthlyAny date
Emergency fund contributionMonthlyAfter salary

Creating Recurring Transactions​

When creating a recurring transaction:

1. Choose the Type​

  • Recurring Income, Recurring Expense, or Recurring Transfer

2. Enter Details​

  • Description (what it's for)
  • Amount
  • Associated account(s)

3. Set the Schedule​

  • Next Transaction Date: When the next occurrence is due
  • Frequency: How often it repeats
  • Remaining Recurrences: How many times (optional)

4. Add Tags (Optional)​

  • Categorize for analysis

How Projections Work​

Recurring transactions feed into the projected balance feature:

Today's Balance: ₹1,00,000

Recurring Items (Monthly):
  + Salary:     ₹75,000
  - Rent:       ₹20,000
  - EMI:        ₹15,000
  - Savings:    ₹20,000 (transfer)

Projected Balance (1 month later):
  ₹1,00,000 + ₹75,000 - ₹20,000 - ₹15,000 - ₹20,000 = ₹1,20,000

The system projects balances day by day for up to 12+ months.

Managing Recurring Transactions​

Viewing All Recurring Items​

Access separate lists for:

  • Recurring Incomes
  • Recurring Expenses
  • Recurring Transfers

Each shows upcoming transactions and their schedules.

Editing​

Update recurring transactions when:

  • Amount changes (salary increase, rent hike)
  • Account changes (new bank account)
  • Frequency changes (annual to monthly)
  • End date approaches

Deleting​

Delete recurring transactions when:

  • You cancel a subscription
  • You finish paying off a loan
  • The recurring item no longer applies

Best Practices​

Set Up All Regular Items​

Create recurring transactions for:

  • All regular income sources
  • All subscriptions and memberships
  • All loans and EMIs
  • All regular bills
  • Regular savings/investment contributions

Keep Amounts Updated​

When rates change:

  • Update the recurring transaction amount
  • Check after bill revisions, salary changes, etc.

Use Meaningful Descriptions​

Include relevant details:

  • "Rent - ABC Apartments"
  • "Netflix - Family Plan"
  • "Car Loan EMI - HDFC"

Set Accurate Dates​

Match the actual transaction dates:

  • Salary on the actual pay date
  • Bills on their typical due date
  • This ensures accurate projections

Review Periodically​

Monthly review to ensure:

  • All recurring items are current
  • Amounts are accurate
  • Nothing is missing

Use Remaining Recurrences for Finite Items​

Set limits for:

  • Loans with fixed tenure
  • Fixed-term subscriptions
  • Time-bound commitments

Common Scenarios​

Salary Setup​

Type: Recurring Income
Description: Monthly Salary - Acme Corp
Amount: ₹75,000
Account: HDFC Salary Account
Frequency: Monthly
Next Date: 1st of next month
Remaining: (leave empty - indefinite)

Rent Setup​

Type: Recurring Expense
Description: Rent - Sunshine Apartments
Amount: ₹20,000
Account: HDFC Salary Account
Frequency: Monthly
Next Date: 5th of next month
Remaining: (leave empty - indefinite)

EMI Setup​

Type: Recurring Expense
Description: Car Loan EMI - HDFC
Amount: ₹15,000
Account: HDFC Salary Account
Frequency: Monthly
Next Date: 10th of next month
Remaining: 36 (3 years left)

SIP Setup​

Type: Recurring Transfer
Description: Monthly SIP - Mutual Fund
Amount: ₹10,000
From Account: HDFC Salary Account
To Account: Investment Account
Frequency: Monthly
Next Date: 15th of next month
Remaining: (leave empty - indefinite)