# Can I set initial balances for categories in January **URL:** \ **Category:** Google Sheets\ **Tags:** tcs-savings-budget\ **Created:** [January 9, 2026, 7:39pm UTC](https://community.tiller.com/t/can-i-set-initial-balances-for-categories-in-january/34027 "2026-01-09T19:39:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![francis.oliver](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tiller.com/francis.oliver/32/23667_2.png) [@francis.oliver](https://community.tiller.com/u/francis.oliver)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2026, 7:39pm UTC](https://community.tiller.com/t/can-i-set-initial-balances-for-categories-in-january/34027/1 "2026-01-09T19:39:26Z")
Hi, I’m transitioning from another budgeting tool (everydollar) where I had rolling budget just like this tool…. Is it possible to start January with an initial balance for each category? ---
**Author:** ![PCB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tiller.com/pcb/32/19375_2.png) [@PCB](https://community.tiller.com/u/PCB)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 12:33pm UTC](https://community.tiller.com/t/can-i-set-initial-balances-for-categories-in-january/34027/2 "2026-01-10T12:33:24Z")
Hello @francis.oliver Could the savings budget be what you are looking for? > [@Docs: Savings Budget sheet](https://community.tiller.com/t/docs-savings-budget-sheet/5165): > > Overview The Savings Budget template is a simple envelope/rollover savings concept. It is designed to deliver the following benefits: Compatibility with Tiller’s Foundation template In-category “rollover”/“envelope” savings workflows Responsive performance Simple to use and get started Activation of savings workflows on a per-category basis In-dashboard workflows to modify budgets and savings values Budget & savings change-history logging Compatibility with the [Savings & Debt temp…](https://community.tiller.com/t/add-the-savings-debt-prototype-sheet/5228) ---
**Author:** ![pkrug539](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tiller.com/pkrug539/32/18865_2.png) [@pkrug539](https://community.tiller.com/u/pkrug539)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 5:21pm UTC](https://community.tiller.com/t/can-i-set-initial-balances-for-categories-in-january/34027/3 "2026-01-10T17:21:11Z")
Savings Budget is your best bet at this time. That’s what I’ve been using for about two years now so that we’re budgeting monthly in such a way that saves up for certain annual large expenditures. I’ve modified my Savings Budget template a bit to track how much of my bank accounts that I use are currently allocated to those digital envelopes, because Savings Budget will tell you how much you have remaining in your budget for the month and roll over to the next, but it will not tell you if you do, in fact, have that much money in your accounts if you spent everything in those budgets. Though, to be fair, really nothing in Tiller specifically addresses this problem… ---
**Author:** ![francis.oliver](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tiller.com/francis.oliver/32/23667_2.png) [@francis.oliver](https://community.tiller.com/u/francis.oliver)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.tiller.com/t/can-i-set-initial-balances-for-categories-in-january/34027/4 "2026-01-10T19:08:19Z")
Yes, it did…. it was a bit of a setup figuring out how to set up those initial “funds” by switching to “savings”. but now it looks good. ---
**Author:** ![francis.oliver](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tiller.com/francis.oliver/32/23667_2.png) [@francis.oliver](https://community.tiller.com/u/francis.oliver)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2026, 7:09pm UTC](https://community.tiller.com/t/can-i-set-initial-balances-for-categories-in-january/34027/5 "2026-01-10T19:09:55Z")
THank you!!! In deed, it is. I’m interested how you modified that template to solve that problem…. I’m also trying to figure out how to take those balances to do an aggregation for the networth. ---
**Author:** ![pkrug539](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tiller.com/pkrug539/32/18865_2.png) [@pkrug539](https://community.tiller.com/u/pkrug539)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2026, 2:14am UTC](https://community.tiller.com/t/can-i-set-initial-balances-for-categories-in-january/34027/6 "2026-01-11T02:14:13Z")
Try this link to see if you can see the dataless sheet I have; you should be able to copy it to yours. You’ll need to modify references to your balances; I just had it refer to my main checking and high-yield savings, plus credit card, because those are really the only sources we routinely draw from for budgeting purposes. > **[Modified Savings Budget](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KlUeXP3XgnQZiSInaxbtOLUU6eLb4_HAkWqPPatjEH4/edit?usp=sharing)** > > This Sheet is private If it doesn’t work, let me know. ---
**Author:** ![francis.oliver](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/community.tiller.com/francis.oliver/32/23667_2.png) [@francis.oliver](https://community.tiller.com/u/francis.oliver)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2026, 11:35pm UTC](https://community.tiller.com/t/can-i-set-initial-balances-for-categories-in-january/34027/7 "2026-01-13T23:35:27Z")
Thank you so much @pkrug539 ! I’ll give this a try! I used to do something similar in a standalone spreadsheet where I manually add the balances at the end of the month and then compare with the “funds” from EveryDollar…. so I think I can figure out.