BudgeFlow SMS Command Guide

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

Updated August 25, 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

Also accepts: spent <amount> on <description>; EXPENSE <amount> <description>; EXPENSE <amount> <description> PROJECT <project> PAIDBY <person>

Changes data · WhatsApp (Pro)

+<amount> <description>

Record money coming in.

Example: +1200 paycheck

Also accepts: INCOME <amount> <description>

Changes data · WhatsApp (Pro)

COMMANDS

Open the in-message command menu.

Example: COMMANDS

Also accepts: ?; HELP <topic>; HELP <command>

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

Limitation: Bare HELP and INFO return the carrier information reply on SMS, not the menu. COMMANDS and ? open the menu on both channels.

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

Also accepts: BALANCE; ACCOUNTS; SHOW ACCOUNTS; VIEW ACCOUNTS

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

TRANS [count]

List recent expenses, up to 25.

Example: TRANS 5

Also accepts: TRANSACTIONS; RECENT; HISTORY; VIEW TRANSACTIONS

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

REPORT <period>

Get a bounded spending and income digest.

Example: REPORT month

Also accepts: REPORT <period> VS PREVIOUS; REPORT <period> VS YOY

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

LIST INCOME

List the latest income rows.

Example: LIST INCOME

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

SUBSCRIPTIONS

List active subscriptions.

Example: SUBSCRIPTIONS

Also accepts: SUBS; LIST SUBSCRIPTIONS

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

LIST EXPENSES

List the latest expense rows.

Example: LIST EXPENSES

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

LIST <category>

List recent expenses in one category.

Example: LIST groceries

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

MORE

Show the next page of the last successful list.

Example: MORE

Also accepts: NEXT

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

TODAY | WEEK | MONTH

Show period totals.

Example: WEEK

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

SUMMARY

Show this month's spending totals.

Example: SUMMARY

Also accepts: SUMMARY <category>

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

STATUS

See how this month is tracking against plan.

Example: STATUS

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

TOTAL <category> <period>

Total one category over one period.

Example: TOTAL groceries month

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

Budgets and planning

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

BUDGET

See every active envelope and its remaining money.

Example: BUDGET

Also accepts: BUDGETS; ENVELOPES; SHOW ENVELOPES; VIEW BUDGETS

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

ENVELOPE <name>

See assigned, spent, remaining, and rollover details.

Example: ENVELOPE groceries

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

AVAILABLE

See money not yet assigned to envelopes.

Example: AVAILABLE

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

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

Move assigned money between two envelopes.

Example: REALLOCATE 50 FROM groceries TO dining

Changes data · WhatsApp (Pro)

ADD ENVELOPE <name> <amount>

Create a monthly envelope.

Example: ADD ENVELOPE groceries 500

Also accepts: ADD BUDGET <name> AMOUNT <amount>

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

ADD GOAL <name> <target>

Create a goal with a target amount.

Example: ADD GOAL vacation 3000

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

GOAL <name>

See savings progress for one goal.

Example: GOAL vacation

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

GOALS

List every savings goal.

Example: GOALS

Also accepts: LIST GOALS; SHOW GOALS; VIEW GOALS

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

GOAL SUMMARY

Roll every goal up into one total.

Example: GOAL SUMMARY

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

GOAL HISTORY <name>

See recent funding events for one goal.

Example: GOAL HISTORY vacation

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

FUND GOAL <name> <amount>

Add a funding event to a savings goal.

Example: FUND GOAL vacation 100

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (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 · WhatsApp (Pro)

PAID BILL <name>

Close the next bill occurrence and record its expense.

Example: PAID BILL rent

Also accepts: MARK BILL <name> PAID

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

MARK SUBSCRIPTION <name> BILLED

Advance the next billing date.

Example: MARK SUBSCRIPTION netflix BILLED

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (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 · WhatsApp (Pro)

RECURRING

List recurring expense templates.

Example: RECURRING

Also accepts: RECURRINGS; LIST RECURRING

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

LIST BILLS

List tracked bills.

Example: LIST BILLS

Also accepts: BILLS

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

UPDATE ENVELOPE <name> AMOUNT <amount>

Change an envelope's fixed amount.

Example: UPDATE ENVELOPE groceries AMOUNT 600

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

DELETE ENVELOPE <name>

Prepare deletion of an envelope.

Example: DELETE ENVELOPE groceries

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

DELETE GOAL <name>

Prepare deletion of a savings goal.

Example: DELETE GOAL vacation

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

DELETE BILL <name>

Prepare deletion of a bill.

Example: DELETE BILL rent

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

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

Create a recurring expense template.

Example: ADD RECURRING gym AMOUNT 30 CYCLE monthly

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

DELETE RECURRING <merchant>

Prepare deletion of a recurring template.

Example: DELETE RECURRING gym

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

UPDATE GOAL <name> AMOUNT <amount>

Update a savings-goal target.

Example: UPDATE GOAL vacation AMOUNT 5000

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

ENV

Short form of the envelope summary.

Example: ENV

Also accepts: ENVS

Read only · WhatsApp (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

Also accepts: BALANCE <account>

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

LIST ACCOUNT <name>

See recent activity for one account.

Example: LIST ACCOUNT amex

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

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

Move money between tracked accounts.

Example: TRANSFER 200 FROM checking TO savings

Also accepts: MOVE <amount> <account> TO <account>

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

PAY <card> <amount> FROM <account>

Record a payment from cash to a credit card.

Example: PAY chase 250 FROM checking

Also accepts: PAY CARD <amount> FROM <account>; PAYMENT #<card> <amount>; CCPAY #<card> <amount>

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

AVAILABLE ACCOUNT <name>

See what one cash account has free after its commitments.

Example: AVAILABLE ACCOUNT charity

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

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 · WhatsApp (Pro)

ALWAYS

Make the corrected merchant-category match permanent.

Example: ALWAYS

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

CONFIRM <code>

Complete the exact pending action for that code.

Example: CONFIRM A1B2C3

Changes data · Confirmation required · WhatsApp (Pro)

CANCEL <code>

Cancel the pending action for that code.

Example: CANCEL A1B2C3

Changes data · WhatsApp (Pro)

USAGE

See plan status and SMS segment usage.

Example: USAGE

Also accepts: LIMIT; PLAN

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

FEEDBACK <message>

Send a product note to BudgeFlow.

Example: FEEDBACK transfer reply was unclear

Changes data · WhatsApp (Pro)

STOP

Opt out of BudgeFlow SMS.

Example: STOP

Also accepts: STOPALL; UNSUBSCRIBE; CANCEL; END; QUIT

Changes data · WhatsApp (Pro)

START

Opt back into BudgeFlow SMS.

Example: START

Also accepts: UNSTOP; YES

Changes data · WhatsApp (Pro)

UNDO

Remove the last record you created by text.

Example: UNDO

Also accepts: OOPS; NEVERMIND

Changes data · WhatsApp (Pro)

Limitation: Reverses one create, once, within 30 minutes. Money-moving commands and deletes are not undoable.

REMOVE <n>

Delete a row from the previous list.

Example: REMOVE 3

Changes data · Confirmation required · WhatsApp (Pro)

DELETE EXPENSE <merchant>

Delete matching expense rows.

Example: DELETE EXPENSE coffee shop

Changes data · Confirmation required · WhatsApp (Pro)

DELETE INCOME <description>

Delete matching income rows.

Example: DELETE INCOME freelance

Changes data · Confirmation required · WhatsApp (Pro)

Advanced features

Verified specialist commands kept separate from the everyday workflow.

DEBTS

List active tracked debts.

Example: DEBTS

Also accepts: DEBT; SHOW DEBTS

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

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

Track a debt and optional interest rate.

Example: ADD DEBT car loan 12500 @6.5%

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

PAY DEBT <name> <amount>

Reduce a tracked debt balance.

Example: PAY DEBT car loan 250

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

DELETE DEBT <name>

Request removal of one debt tracker.

Example: DELETE DEBT car loan

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

PROJECTS

List active projects with spend to date.

Example: PROJECTS

Also accepts: LIST PROJECTS

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

SHARED

List projects other people shared with you.

Example: SHARED

Also accepts: MY PROJECTS; SHARED PROJECTS

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

BALANCE PROJECT <name>

See who owes what on a shared project.

Example: BALANCE PROJECT ski trip

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

SETTLE PROJECT <name>

Prepare IOUs that settle a shared project.

Example: SETTLE PROJECT ski trip

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

ADD CATEGORY <name>

Create a spending or income category.

Example: ADD CATEGORY coffee

Also accepts: ADD INCOME CATEGORY <name>

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

ADD RULE <keyword> CATEGORY <category>

Automatically categorize future matching messages.

Example: ADD RULE starbucks CATEGORY dining

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

ADD PROJECT <name> [CLIENT <client>]

Create a project tag for transaction reporting.

Example: ADD PROJECT acme CLIENT acme inc

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

LIST CATEGORIES

List active spending categories.

Example: LIST CATEGORIES

Read only · WhatsApp (Pro)

DELETE CATEGORY <name>

Prepare deletion of an unused category.

Example: DELETE CATEGORY subscriptions

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro · WhatsApp (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 · WhatsApp (Pro)

UPDATE PROJECT <name> STATUS <status>

Change a project's active or archived status.

Example: UPDATE PROJECT summer STATUS archived

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

DELETE PROJECT <name>

Prepare deletion of a project.

Example: DELETE PROJECT summer

Changes data · Confirmation required · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

UPDATE PROJECT <name> AMOUNT <amount>

Update a project budget.

Example: UPDATE PROJECT acme AMOUNT 5000

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

I OWE <name> <amount> [FOR <description>]

Log money you owe a person.

Example: i owe sarah 25 for lunch

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

<name> OWES ME <amount> [FOR <description>]

Log money a person owes you.

Example: alex owes me 40 for dinner

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

SPLIT <amount> BETWEEN <names> [FOR <description>]

Divide one amount across several people.

Example: split 60 between sarah, alex and jordan for pizza

Also accepts: SPLIT <amount> AMONG <names>; SPLIT <amount> WITH <names>

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

BALANCES

See every open IOU in one reply.

Example: BALANCES

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

HOW MUCH DO I OWE <name>

Check your balance with one person.

Example: how much do i owe sarah

Also accepts: HOW MUCH I OWE <name>

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

HOW MUCH DOES <name> OWE ME

Check what one person owes you.

Example: how much does alex owe me

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

PAID <name> <amount>

Record a payment you made against an IOU.

Example: paid sarah 25

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

<name> PAID ME <amount>

Record a payment you received against an IOU.

Example: alex paid me 40

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

BANK

See how your bank alerts are set up.

Example: BANK

Also accepts: BANK STATUS

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

BANK BAL

See what your bank says your balances are.

Example: BANK BAL

Also accepts: BANK BALANCE; BANK BALANCES

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

BANK REVIEW

List the bank transactions waiting on a decision.

Example: BANK REVIEW

Also accepts: BANK QUEUE; BANK TODO

Read only · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

BANK OFF

Stop bank messages without stopping BudgeFlow.

Example: BANK OFF

Also accepts: BANK QUIET

Changes data · WhatsApp (Pro)

BANK ON

Turn bank alerts back on and end any pause.

Example: BANK ON

Also accepts: BANK RESUME

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

BANK PAUSE <n>

Go quiet on bank messages for a few days.

Example: BANK PAUSE 3

Also accepts: BANK PAUSE; BANK SNOOZE <n>

Changes data · WhatsApp (Pro)

BANK DIGEST <n>

Set or stop the once-a-day bank summary.

Example: BANK DIGEST 18

Also accepts: BANK DIGEST; BANK DIGEST OFF

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)

<bankcode> IGNORE

Reply to a bank alert with the code it gave you.

Example: K7QM IGNORE

Also accepts: <bankcode> IMPORT; <bankcode> MATCH; IGNORE <bankcode>; IMPORT <bankcode>; MATCH <bankcode>; BANK <bankcode> IMPORT

Changes data · Pro · WhatsApp (Pro)