Setting Up Accounts

This guide walks you through setting up your accounts in Arthalekha. Proper account setup is the foundation for accurate financial tracking.

Before You Start

Gather this information for each account you want to track:

• Account name and type
• Account number (optional, for identification)
• Current balance
• The date from which you want to start tracking

Step 1: Plan Your Accounts

List all the financial accounts you want to track:

Essential Accounts

Account	Type	Example
Primary bank account	Savings	"HDFC Salary Account"
Cash/Wallet	Cash	"Cash Wallet"
Credit cards	Credit Card	"HDFC Credit Card"

Additional Accounts

Account	Type	Example
Savings accounts	Savings	"Emergency Fund"
Digital wallets	Wallet	"Google Pay", "Paytm"
Investment accounts	Investment	"Mutual Fund SIP"
Loans	Loan	"Car Loan"

Step 2: Create Your First Account

Let's start with your primary bank account:

Navigate to Accounts

1. Click on "Accounts" in the navigation menu
2. Click "Add Account" or "Create Account"

Fill in Account Details

Name: Choose a descriptive name

• Good: "HDFC Salary Account"
• Good: "SBI Savings - 4523"
• Avoid: "Bank Account" (too generic)

Account Type: Select "Savings" for a bank account

Identifier (Optional): Add the last 4 digits of your account number

• Helps identify accounts, especially if you have multiple at the same bank

Initial Date: The date from which you'll start tracking

• Tip: Use the 1st of the current month for simplicity
• Or use today's date

Initial Balance: The actual balance on the initial date

• Check your bank statement or app for the exact amount
• Enter the precise figure (e.g., ₹52,347.50, not ₹52,000)

Save the Account

Click "Create" or "Save" to create the account.

Step 3: Set Up Cash Account

Track physical cash in your wallet:

Name: "Cash Wallet" or "Cash" Type: Cash Initial Date: Today Initial Balance: Count your cash and enter the exact amount

Step 4: Set Up Credit Card

If you use credit cards:

Name: "HDFC Credit Card" (include card name for identification) Type: Credit Card Identifier: Last 4 digits of card number Initial Date: Today or statement date Initial Balance: Enter as a negative number if you have outstanding debt

• Example: If you owe ₹15,000, enter -15000
• If fully paid, enter 0

Step 5: Set Up Digital Wallets

For each digital wallet or payment app:

Name: "Google Pay", "Paytm", etc. Type: Wallet Initial Balance: Check the app for your current balance

Step 6: Set Up Investment Accounts (Optional)

For investment tracking:

Name: "Mutual Fund SIP", "Zerodha Stocks", etc. Type: Investment Initial Balance: Total amount invested (not current market value)

note

Arthalekha tracks cash flow, not market valuations. Your investment account balance represents money you've put in, not current market worth.

Step 7: Set Up Loan Accounts (Optional)

For loans you've taken:

Name: "Car Loan - HDFC" Type: Loan Initial Balance: Enter as negative (the amount you owe)

• Example: For a ₹5 lakh loan, enter -500000

For money you've lent to others:

Name: "Loan to Rahul" Type: Loan Initial Balance: Enter as positive (the amount owed to you)

Verification Checklist

After setting up accounts, verify:

• All accounts are created
• Account types are correct
• Initial balances match actual balances
• Account names are clear and identifiable

Common Setup Scenarios

Scenario 1: Simple Setup (Individual)

Account	Type	Initial Balance
HDFC Savings	Savings	₹75,000
Cash Wallet	Cash	₹2,000
Credit Card	Credit Card	₹0

Scenario 2: Family Setup

Account	Type	Initial Balance
Joint Savings	Savings	₹2,00,000
Dad's Salary Account	Savings	₹50,000
Mom's Account	Savings	₹30,000
Family Cash	Cash	₹5,000
Credit Card	Credit Card	-₹10,000

Scenario 3: Complete Setup

Account	Type	Initial Balance
HDFC Salary	Savings	₹1,00,000
SBI Savings	Savings	₹50,000
Emergency Fund	Savings	₹2,00,000
Cash Wallet	Cash	₹3,000
HDFC Credit Card	Credit Card	-₹15,000
Amazon Pay	Wallet	₹500
Google Pay	Wallet	₹1,000
Mutual Fund	Investment	₹3,00,000
Car Loan	Loan	-₹4,00,000

Tips for Success

Start Simple

Don't try to track everything at once:

1. Start with your main accounts (bank, cash, credit card)
2. Add more accounts as you get comfortable
3. You can always add accounts later

Be Precise with Balances

Accurate initial balances are crucial:

• Check actual balances on the initial date
• Don't round numbers significantly
• This ensures all future calculations are correct

Use Consistent Naming

Develop a naming convention:

• Include bank/service name: "HDFC Savings"
• Add identifiers for multiples: "SBI Savings - 4523"
• Be descriptive: "Emergency Fund" vs "Savings 2"

Consider Your Reporting Needs

Think about what you want to track:

• If you want to know cash spending, create a Cash account
• If you want to track investment growth, create Investment accounts
• If you want to monitor debt, create Loan accounts

What's Next?

After setting up accounts:

1. Set up People (if tracking by family member)
2. Create Tags for categorization
3. Start recording transactions
4. Set up recurring transactions

Troubleshooting

Balance Doesn't Match Reality

If your Arthalekha balance doesn't match your actual balance:

1. Check the initial balance was entered correctly
2. Verify all transactions have been recorded
3. Look for duplicate or missing transactions
4. Adjust with a correction transaction if needed

Not Sure Which Type to Choose

When in doubt:

• Bank accounts → Savings
• Credit/debt instruments → Credit Card or Loan
• Digital payment apps → Wallet
• Everything else → Other

Too Many Accounts?

If you have many accounts:

• Start with the most important ones
• Add others gradually
• Consider if some can be combined (multiple cash locations as one "Cash" account)

Accidentally Deleted an Account?

Don't worry! Arthalekha uses soft deletes for accounts:

1. Go to the Accounts page
2. Change the Status filter to "All (Including Deleted)" or "Deleted Only"
3. Find your deleted account
4. Click Restore to bring it back

All your transaction history will be preserved.