Out of the box the Category column is not filled in your Transactions sheet. You can learn more about TIller’s philosophy around categories and why we don’t precategorize out of the box.
However, the data we’re getting from our 3rd party data aggregators does come categorized and beginning in Jan 2025 we’re making that data available by default in the Transactions sheet in a separate column called “Category Hint.” Previously this column was not a default in the Foundation Template and would not retroactively fill if you added it later.
There are two ways you can use the Category Hints to automatically categorize your transactions.
Use the Category Hint only
If you’d like to use these automatic categories in your Tiller spreadsheet instead of using your own custom categories you can use the steps below:
In the Microsoft Excel version of the Foundation Template, the Category Hint column is Column O and the Category column is in column C in the Transactions sheet.
In your Categories sheet in cell A2 input the formula
=unique(Transactions!P2:P)to get a unique list of the automatically provided categories. This assumes the Category Hint column is still in column P in your Transactions sheet. If it’s in another column position, update the formula to match the correct column letter.Copy this entire list, then in cell A2 right click and choose “Paste special > Values only” to paste in the list of unique categories as values only (overwriting the formula).
Update the Group and Type for each category to make sense. Each category needs a group and a type assigned in order for the template to function properly.
In your Transactions sheet in cell D1 paste in this formula
={"Category";Arrayformula(P2:P)}- this will automatically populate the Category Hint that’s coming in automatically in column P in the Transactions sheet and use it for your category in Column D.The above assumes the Category column is still in column D and the Category Hint column is still in column P in your Transactions sheet.
From now on your transactions will be automatically categorized. If you happen to see a red triangle in the upper right of the category cell for a new transaction it just means that the category doesn’t exist in your Categories sheet. Head over to the Categories sheet and add it with an accompanying group and type.
Use Category Hints + custom categories & AutoCat rules
If you’d like to have some custom categories but also use category hints you can use AutoCat rules to help you map category hints to your custom categories.
In the Microsoft Excel version of the Foundation Template, the Category Hint column is Column O and the Category column is in column C in the Transactions sheet.
In the Microsoft Excel version of the Foundation Template, the Category Hint column is Column O
Decide what categories you’d like to use on the Categories sheet, these can be a combination of the Category Hint categories and your own categories. Use the formula
=unique(Transactions!P2:P)in a new tab in your spreadsheet to get a unique list of Categories used in the Category Hint column to decide which ones you’d like to use, if any.Once you’ve decided on your Categories, install AutoCat from the Tiller Money Feeds sidebar by clicking the Create AutoCat Sheet button.
In the AutoCat sheet right click the Amount Max column and choose “Insert 1 column right”
Add a header in row 1 in the new column that says “Category Hint Contains” (without the quotes)
To map some or all of your Category Hints to your custom categories add the Category Hint categories to the Category Hint Contains column then choose the appropriate category in the Category column on the AutoCat sheet.
Use the formula
=unique(Transactions!P2:P)in the Category Hint Contains column to get a unique list of category hints if you want to map all of them.
Next Run AutoCat and any transaction that’s uncategorized will be categorized based on your AutoCat Rules.
Turn on Auto Run on Fill from the AutoCat settings (gear icon next to AutoCat on main Tiller Money Feeds sidebar) to have the rules run automatically.
If you want more granular rules for specific merchants, accounts, or amounts build your rules based on other criteria filters available in the AutoCat sheet like Description Contains or Account Contains. Learn more about AutoCat for Google Sheets or AutoCat for Microsoft Excel.