Getting Started with Umbra Budget

Welcome to Umbra Budget! This guide will help you get up and running with your new privacy-first budgeting app in just a few minutes.

Download & Install

Desktop Apps

Download Umbra Budget for your platform:

• Windows: Download the .exe installer from our download page
• macOS: Download the .dmg file and drag to Applications
• Linux: Coming soon!

Initial Setup

When you first open Umbra Budget, you'll see the Dashboard. Here's what to do next:

1. Set Up Categories

Navigate to Settings > Categories to customize your income and expense categories:

1. Click + New Category
2. Enter a name (e.g., "Groceries")
3. Choose an icon and color
4. Set an optional monthly budget limit
5. Click Save

Default categories include:

• Income: Salary, Freelance, Investments
• Expenses: Housing, Food & Dining, Transportation, Utilities, Entertainment

2. Add Your First Transaction

Go to the Transactions page and click + New Transaction:

1. Select Income or Expense
2. Enter the amount
3. Choose a category
4. Set the date
5. Add an optional description
6. Click Add Transaction

3. Set Up Recurring Transactions

For regular income and bills, set up recurring transactions:

1. Go to the Recurring page
2. Click + New Recurring
3. Enter the transaction details
4. Set the frequency (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly)
5. Choose a start date
6. Click Save

Recurring transactions will automatically be added to your transaction list.

Understanding the Dashboard

The Dashboard gives you a quick overview of your finances:

Summary Cards

• Total Income: All income for the selected period
• Total Expenses: All expenses for the selected period
• Total Savings: Income minus expenses
• Balance: Your overall balance

Budget Progress

See how you're tracking against your category budgets with visual progress bars. Categories are color-coded:

• Green: Under budget
• Yellow: Approaching limit
• Red: Over budget

Time Filters

Use the time filter buttons to view data for:

• Today
• This Week
• This Month
• Custom Range

Key Features

Transactions

Track all your income and expenses with:

• Quick search and filtering
• Category-based organization
• CSV export for backups or tax purposes
• Transaction editing and deletion

Recurring Transactions

Automate tracking for:

• Paychecks
• Rent/Mortgage
• Subscriptions
• Utility bills

AI Insights (Pro)

Get intelligent analysis of your spending:

• Ask questions about your finances
• Receive spending recommendations
• Track trends over time

See Setting Up Ollama to enable AI features.

Themes & Customization

Make Umbra Budget yours:

• Choose from 3 Catppuccin variants (Mocha, Macchiato, Frappé)
• Pick from 8 accent colors
• Data stays with your theme preferences

Data & Privacy

Where is my data stored?

All your data is stored locally:

• Desktop app: In your user data folder
• Web app: In your browser's IndexedDB

No data is ever sent to external servers.

Exporting Data

You can export your data anytime:

1. Go to Settings > Data
2. Click Export Data
3. Choose CSV or JSON format
4. Save the file to your computer

Importing Data

To import data from a backup:

1. Go to Settings > Data
2. Click Import Data
3. Select your backup file
4. Review and confirm the import

Tips for Success

1. Be consistent: Log transactions as they happen for accurate tracking
2. Set realistic budgets: Start with your actual spending, then optimize
3. Review weekly: Check your Dashboard every week to stay on track
4. Use categories wisely: Don't create too many—keep it simple
5. Enable recurring: Let automation handle predictable transactions

Next Steps

• Set up AI Insights with Ollama
• Learn about Categories
• Understand the Dashboard
• Export & Backup your data

Need Help?

• Check out our FAQ for common questions
• Report issues on GitHub
• Join our community discussions