BudgeFlow SMS Command Guide

A six-page, phone-friendly and printable reference covering verified quick-start commands, money views, budgets, transfers, corrections, confirmations, and SMS safety.

Updated August 5, 2026

Read the accessible HTML Guide

Verified command reference

This screen-reader-friendly reference uses the same approved command records as the PDF. Commands are case-insensitive.

Quick start

The few commands most people need first.

<amount> <description>

Record everyday spending in a few words.

Example: 25 groceries

Changes data

+<amount> <description>

Record money coming in.

Example: +1200 paycheck

Changes data

COMMANDS

Open the in-message command menu.

Example: COMMANDS

Read only

View your money

Read-only views and bounded reports. Commands with known date-bound defects are excluded.

BAL

See cash, debts, and net totals by currency.

Example: BAL

Read only · Pro

TRANS [count]

List recent expenses, up to 25.

Example: TRANS 5

Read only

REPORT <period>

Get a bounded spending and income digest.

Example: REPORT month

Read only

LIST EXPENSES

List the latest expense rows.

Example: LIST EXPENSES

Read only

LIST <category>

List recent expenses in one category.

Example: LIST groceries

Read only

MORE

Show the next page of the last successful list.

Example: MORE

Read only

TODAY | WEEK | MONTH

Show period totals.

Example: WEEK

Read only

SUMMARY | STATUS | TOTAL <category> <period>

Show aggregate totals.

Example: SUMMARY

Read only

Budgets and planning

View envelopes, move assigned money, and manage selected planning items.

BUDGET

See every active envelope and its remaining money.

Example: BUDGET

Read only

ENVELOPE <name>

See assigned, spent, remaining, and rollover details.

Example: ENVELOPE groceries

Read only

AVAILABLE

See money not yet assigned to envelopes.

Example: AVAILABLE

Read only

REALLOCATE <amount> FROM <source> TO <destination>

Move assigned money between two envelopes.

Example: REALLOCATE 50 FROM groceries TO dining

Changes data

ADD ENVELOPE <name> <amount>

Create a monthly envelope.

Example: ADD ENVELOPE groceries 500

Changes data · Pro

ADD GOAL <name> <target>

Create a goal with a target amount.

Example: ADD GOAL vacation 3000

Changes data · Pro

GOAL <name>

See savings progress for one goal.

Example: GOAL vacation

Read only · Pro

FUND GOAL <name> <amount>

Add a funding event to a savings goal.

Example: FUND GOAL vacation 100

Changes data · Pro

ADD BILL <name> AMOUNT <amount> DUE <YYYY-MM-DD> CYCLE <cycle>

Create a recurring bill with an explicit due date.

Example: ADD BILL rent AMOUNT 1800 DUE 2026-09-01 CYCLE monthly

Changes data · Pro

PAID BILL <name>

Close the next bill occurrence and record its expense.

Example: PAID BILL rent

Changes data · Pro

MARK SUBSCRIPTION <name> BILLED

Advance the next billing date.

Example: MARK SUBSCRIPTION netflix BILLED

Changes data · Pro

ADD SUBSCRIPTION <name> AMOUNT <amount> CYCLE <cycle>

Create a tracked subscription schedule.

Example: ADD SUBSCRIPTION netflix AMOUNT 15.49 CYCLE monthly

Changes data · Pro

RECURRING

List recurring expense templates.

Example: RECURRING

Read only

LIST BILLS

List tracked bills.

Example: LIST BILLS

Read only

UPDATE ENVELOPE <name> AMOUNT <amount>

Change an envelope's fixed amount.

Example: UPDATE ENVELOPE groceries AMOUNT 600

Changes data · Pro

DELETE ENVELOPE <name>

Prepare deletion of an envelope.

Example: DELETE ENVELOPE groceries

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro

DELETE GOAL <name>

Prepare deletion of a savings goal.

Example: DELETE GOAL vacation

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro

DELETE BILL <name>

Prepare deletion of a bill.

Example: DELETE BILL rent

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro

ADD RECURRING <merchant> AMOUNT <amount> CYCLE <cycle>

Create a recurring expense template.

Example: ADD RECURRING gym AMOUNT 30 CYCLE monthly

Changes data · Pro

DELETE RECURRING <merchant>

Prepare deletion of a recurring template.

Example: DELETE RECURRING gym

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro

UPDATE GOAL <name> AMOUNT <amount>

Update a savings-goal target.

Example: UPDATE GOAL vacation AMOUNT 5000

Changes data · Pro

Accounts, transfers, and payments

Account features require Pro. Transfers and card payments move money and do not count as spending.

BAL <account>

See the balance for one matching account.

Example: BAL checking

Read only · Pro

LIST ACCOUNT <name>

See recent activity for one account.

Example: LIST ACCOUNT amex

Read only · Pro

TRANSFER <amount> FROM <account> TO <account>

Move money between tracked accounts.

Example: TRANSFER 200 FROM checking TO savings

Changes data · Pro

PAY <card> <amount> FROM <account>

Record a payment from cash to a credit card.

Example: PAY chase 250 FROM checking

Changes data · Pro

AVAILABLE ACCOUNT <name>

See what one cash account has free after its commitments.

Example: AVAILABLE ACCOUNT charity

Read only

Corrections, confirmations, and help

Fix a category, complete protected actions, manage SMS consent, and recover safely.

NO, <category>

Move the most recent expense to another category.

Example: no, groceries

Changes data

ALWAYS

Make the corrected merchant-category match permanent.

Example: ALWAYS

Changes data · Pro

CONFIRM <code>

Complete the exact pending action for that code.

Example: CONFIRM A1B2C3

Changes data · Confirmation required

CANCEL <code>

Cancel the pending action for that code.

Example: CANCEL A1B2C3

Changes data

USAGE

See plan status and SMS segment usage.

Example: USAGE

Read only

FEEDBACK <message>

Send a product note to BudgeFlow.

Example: FEEDBACK transfer reply was unclear

Changes data

STOP

Opt out of BudgeFlow SMS.

Example: STOP

Changes data · SMS only

START

Opt back into BudgeFlow SMS.

Example: START

Changes data · SMS only

REMOVE <n>

Delete a row from the previous list.

Example: REMOVE 3

Changes data · Confirmation required

DELETE EXPENSE <merchant>

Delete matching expense rows.

Example: DELETE EXPENSE coffee shop

Changes data · Confirmation required

DELETE INCOME <description>

Delete matching income rows.

Example: DELETE INCOME freelance

Changes data · Confirmation required

Advanced features

Verified specialist commands kept separate from the everyday workflow.

DEBTS

List active tracked debts.

Example: DEBTS

Read only · Pro

ADD DEBT <name> <balance> [@<rate>%]

Track a debt and optional interest rate.

Example: ADD DEBT car loan 12500 @6.5%

Changes data · Pro

PAY DEBT <name> <amount>

Reduce a tracked debt balance.

Example: PAY DEBT car loan 250

Changes data · Pro

DELETE DEBT <name>

Request removal of one debt tracker.

Example: DELETE DEBT car loan

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro

PROJECTS

List active projects with spend to date.

Example: PROJECTS

Read only · Pro

SHARED

List projects other people shared with you.

Example: SHARED

Read only · Pro

BALANCE PROJECT <name>

See who owes what on a shared project.

Example: BALANCE PROJECT ski trip

Read only · Pro

SETTLE PROJECT <name>

Prepare IOUs that settle a shared project.

Example: SETTLE PROJECT ski trip

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro

ADD CATEGORY <name>

Create a spending or income category.

Example: ADD CATEGORY coffee

Changes data · Pro

ADD RULE <keyword> CATEGORY <category>

Automatically categorize future matching messages.

Example: ADD RULE starbucks CATEGORY dining

Changes data · Pro

ADD PROJECT <name> [CLIENT <client>]

Create a project tag for transaction reporting.

Example: ADD PROJECT acme CLIENT acme inc

Changes data · Pro

LIST CATEGORIES

List active spending categories.

Example: LIST CATEGORIES

Read only

DELETE CATEGORY <name>

Prepare deletion of an unused category.

Example: DELETE CATEGORY subscriptions

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro

Limitation: A category still referenced by financial rows cannot be removed.

LIST PROJECT <name>

List recent transactions tagged to one project.

Example: LIST PROJECT summer

Read only · Pro

UPDATE PROJECT <name> STATUS <status>

Change a project's active or archived status.

Example: UPDATE PROJECT summer STATUS archived

Changes data · Pro

DELETE PROJECT <name>

Prepare deletion of a project.

Example: DELETE PROJECT summer

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro

UPDATE PROJECT <name> AMOUNT <amount>

Update a project budget.

Example: UPDATE PROJECT acme AMOUNT 5000

Changes data · Pro

I OWE <name> <amount> | <name> OWES ME <amount> | SPLIT...

Track and settle IOUs.

Example: alex owes me 40 for dinner

Changes data · Pro