Did you know you can save time by having Tiller automatically categorize your new transactions each time you fill your spreadsheet?
With AutoCat’s “Auto Run On Fill” setting, you can do just that. When you enable this feature, Tiller automatically applies your rules to new transactions as they arrive. This simple step helps you see where your money is going with less manual effort, giving you more time to focus on your goals.
How to Enable Auto Run On Fill
You can turn on this feature in just a few clicks from the Tiller Money Feeds sidebar:
- For Google Sheets: Open the Tiller Money Feeds add-on from the Extensions menu. Choose “Autocat” → “Settings”
- For Microsoft Excel: Open the Tiller Money Feeds add-in. Click the cog next to the AutoCat title.
How It Works for You
- Automatic Categorization: Once enabled, AutoCat gets to work on new transactions the moment they arrive in your sheet. It saves you the step of having to run it yourself after every fill.
- Focus on New Transactions: The “Auto Run On Fill” process intelligently applies your rules only to the newest transactions. It will not change any of your previously categorized transactions. If you need to update older transactions, you can always run AutoCat manually.
- Defaults to Uncategorized: By default, AutoCat only looks for transactions that need a category. If a new transaction already has a category for any reason, AutoCat will skip it. (You can change that behavior in the AutoCat settings).
A Few Tips for Best Results
For Google Sheets Users
Your rules in the AutoCat sheet run from the top down. When a transaction matches a rule, AutoCat stops and does not check against any lower rules on your list. For the best results, place your most specific rules at the top of the sheet and your broader, more general rules toward the bottom.
For Microsoft Excel Users
In Microsoft Excel, AutoCat is designed to run through all of your rules, rather than stopping after the first match. If a transaction matches criteria for more than one rule, each of those rules will be applied. You can use this to create powerful, multi-layered categorizations.
Also, keep in mind that Excel does not have an automatic fill feature like Google Sheets. You will need to click the “Fill” button to get your latest data, which will then trigger the “Auto Run On Fill” for AutoCat.
Edit AutoCat Rules
If you have created AutoCat rules but want to adjust them, you can directly edit the AutoCat sheet. Delete the rules that are no longer working for you or edit the row.
Give “Auto Run On Fill” a try to gain a more streamlined and updated view of your money.
-Alice
Tiller Evangelist