06 - Entering and Editing Transactions¶

Most entries come from imported bank data, but users still need to review, classify, correct, and sometimes enter transactions manually.

Transaction status¶

The ledgers commonly use ! in imported transactions:

2026-03-12 ! "Payee" "Bank text"

Use this as the normal marker unless the team decides on a stricter status convention.

Basic income entry¶

2026-01-15 ! "Max Mustermann" "Mitgliedsbeitrag 2026"
  Vermoegen:Bank:Sparkasse-NICA:Freies-Geld  60.00 EUR
  Einnahmen:Vereinsbeitrag

Basic expense entry¶

2026-01-20 ! "Provider Name" "Invoice 123"
  Ausgaben:Buero:Sonstiges  25.00 EUR
  Vermoegen:Bank:Sparkasse-NICA

Project income¶

2026-02-10 ! "Funding Body" "Grant payment project 25-ZGV"
  Vermoegen:Bank:Sparkasse-NICA:25-ZGV  5000.00 EUR
  Einnahmen:Projekt:25-ZGV:Sachmittel

Project expense¶

2026-02-15 ! "Person Name" "Honorar project 25-ZGV"
  Ausgaben:Projekt:25-ZGV:Honorar  450.00 EUR
  Vermoegen:Bank:Sparkasse-NICA:25-ZGV

Internal movement between project and free funds¶

Sometimes a transaction must allocate bank money between a project-specific asset account and free funds. The real bank account is one physical Sparkasse account, but the ledger tracks internal project balances separately.

2026-02-20 ! "Internal allocation" "Move remaining project funds to free money"
  Vermoegen:Bank:Sparkasse-NICA:Freies-Geld  100.00 EUR
  Vermoegen:Bank:Sparkasse-NICA:25-ZGV      -100.00 EUR

Only make internal transfers when you understand why the internal project balance must change.

Reimbursements to people¶

If someone paid privately and is reimbursed later, the clean pattern is usually to record the expense against a liability and then clear the liability with the bank payment.

2026-03-01 ! "Shop" "Material bought by Marc"
  Ausgaben:Projekt:25-ZGV:Sachmittel  35.00 EUR
  Verbindlichkeiten:Person:Marc-Bielert

2026-03-05 ! "Marc Bielert" "Reimbursement material"
  Verbindlichkeiten:Person:Marc-Bielert  35.00 EUR
  Vermoegen:Bank:Sparkasse-NICA

Comments for unclear decisions¶

; Unclear whether this belongs to CEDU-25 or free association funds. Check invoice.
2026-03-10 ! "Vendor" "Invoice 456"
  Ausgaben:Sonstiges  120.00 EUR
  Vermoegen:Bank:Sparkasse-Tohuwabohu

Editing safely¶

Before editing, check:

• You are in the correct association ledger.
• You are not editing the generated import output as if it were the final ledger.
• The transaction date is correct.
• The amount uses a dot as decimal separator, for example 12.50 EUR.
• Account names are spelled exactly like existing accounts.
• Project transactions use the project asset account and project income/expense category consistently.

After editing, save the file, reload Fava, check for errors, and inspect the relevant account page.