Home → General Questions →

What is the most effective way to use categories and subcategories?

• Edit

Mark Blakemore

Nov 18, 2010 @ 06:16 AM

What is the best way to structure categories and subcategories when you want to track multiple items for multiple related categories?

For example:
I want to track automobile expenses for two vehicles (v1 and v2) and get a subtotal for each vehicle AND still get a subtotal for each expense type AND get a total cost for all costs for all vehicles. I setup an expense category called "Automobiles" and subcategories for the different expense types: Gas, Insurance, Registration, and Service.

How do i configure categories to easily total expense for v1 and v2 AND get total for each expense types? Is there a better way than the two options below? Neither seem to fully meet my needs for ease of use or effective cost tracking.

Option #1
- Automobiles -- v1 --- Gas --- Insurance --- Registration --- Service -- v2 --- Gas --- Insurance --- Registration --- Service

Option #2
- Automobile Expense -- Gas --- v1 --- v2 -- Insurance --- v1 --- v2 -- Registration --- v1 --- v2 -- Service --- v1 --- v2

1. 1 Posted by -Kevin N. on Nov 18, 2010 @ 01:43 PM

   

   Hi Mark,
   Will this work? Use a 'Tag' for V1, and a 'Tag' for V2 for each of the above mentioned 'Categories'.
   You could then use either the Transactions Report or the Search Report filtered by 'Tags' for either V1 or V2 or both V1 and V2
   HTH -Kevin N.

   Edit: You could also use the Tags Summary

   • Edit

2. 2 Posted by Angie Rauscher on Nov 18, 2010 @ 04:05 PM

   

   Mark,

   Any of these strategies would work just fine for the reporting purposes you describe, I would personally go with the method which you'll find the most intuitive when doing data entry. I would personally go with Option #1, as it will likely be the simplest way to see at the glance how much each car costs (which is what would be most important to me).
   

   You can also easily change the parent/child relationships in categories at any time, even if they contain transactions. This means if you set up a structure and find it's not fitting your needs perfectly you can change it.
   

   Good luck setting up your category structure, and please let me know if I can be of further assistance,

   Angie Rauscher
   Moneydance Support

   Check out our new blog series, Moneydance on the Road.

   • Edit

3. Angie Rauscher closed this discussion on Dec 16, 2011 @ 02:49 AM.