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Relationships

Track your financial interactions with entities—businesses, vendors, service providers, and organizations you work with regularly. Keep a complete record of payments, receivables, and ongoing financial relationships.

What Are Relationships?​

Relationships are entities you have ongoing financial dealings with. This feature helps you track money owed to you, money you owe, and transaction history with each entity.

Relationships Include:​

  • 🏢 Businesses - Clients, customers, contractors
  • 🏪 Vendors - Suppliers, service providers, freelancers
  • 🏛️ Organizations - Property management, HOA, utilities
  • 💼 Contractors - Plumbers, electricians, consultants
  • 🚚 Service Providers - Landscapers, cleaners, delivery services
  • 🏦 Financial Institutions - Banks, lenders, investment firms
Relationships are NOT for personal friends/family

This feature is designed for business and professional entities. For splitting expenses with friends or tracking personal loans, use Shared Expenses instead.

Why Track Relationships?​

For Business Owners​

  • Track accounts receivable (customers owe you)
  • Track accounts payable (you owe vendors)
  • See payment history with each entity
  • Send invoices and track payment status
  • Manage 1099 reporting

For Freelancers​

  • Track client payments
  • Monitor outstanding invoices
  • See which clients pay on time
  • Calculate revenue by client

For Property Managers​

  • Track rent from tenants
  • Record vendor payments (repairs, maintenance)
  • Monitor security deposits
  • Generate tenant statements

For Everyone​

  • Remember who you paid and when
  • Track refunds and credits
  • See spending patterns with vendors
  • Organize business transactions

Creating a Relationship​

Via Web/Mobile App​

  1. Navigate to Relationships tab
  2. Click/tap "Add Relationship"
  3. Fill in entity details
  4. Click "Save"

Relationship Details​

Basic Information​

Entity Name (required)

  • Official business or organization name
  • Examples: "Acme Plumbing", "ABC Property Management", "Smith Consulting LLC"

Relationship Type (required)

  • Customer - Owes you money / You invoice them
  • Vendor - You owe them money / They invoice you
  • Both - Two-way financial relationship
  • Service Provider - Regular service (not invoiced)
  • Other - General entity

Contact Information (optional but recommended)

  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Physical address
  • Website

Account Number (optional)

  • Your customer number with them
  • Their account number with you

Tax ID (optional)

  • EIN for businesses
  • Used for 1099 reporting

Relationship Settings​

Default Payment Terms

  • Net 15, Net 30, Net 60, Due on receipt
  • Applies to invoices and bills

Credit Limit (optional)

  • Maximum you'll extend to them
  • Or maximum you'll owe them

Auto-Categorize

  • Automatically assign category to transactions
  • Example: "Plumbing expenses" for plumber

Tags

  • Custom labels for organization
  • Examples: "1099", "Tax Deductible", "Priority Vendor"

Example: Property Management Company​

{
  "name": "ABC Property Management",
  "type": "vendor",
  "email": "[email protected]",
  "phone": "(555) 123-4567",
  "address": "123 Main St, San Jose, CA 95110",
  "accountNumber": "TENANT-456789",
  "paymentTerms": "net-5",
  "defaultCategory": "Housing",
  "tags": ["rent", "essential", "autopay"]
}

Example: Freelance Client​

{
  "name": "Tech Startup Inc",
  "type": "customer",
  "email": "[email protected]",
  "phone": "(555) 987-6543",
  "taxId": "12-3456789",
  "paymentTerms": "net-30",
  "defaultCategory": "Freelance Income",
  "tags": ["client", "recurring", "net-30"]
}

Tracking Money Flow​

Money They Owe You (Receivables)​

When an entity owes you money:

Creating an Invoice

  1. Open relationship
  2. Click "Create Invoice"
  3. Enter:
    • Invoice number
    • Amount
    • Due date
    • Description
    • Line items (optional)
  4. Click "Save & Send"

Invoice Example:

INVOICE #2026-001
Date: Feb 1, 2026
Due: Mar 3, 2026 (Net 30)

From: Your Business
To: Tech Startup Inc

Description                 Amount
Development Services       $5,000.00
Project Management        $1,500.00
Subtotal                  $6,500.00
Tax (8.5%)                  $552.50
TOTAL                     $7,052.50

Status: Sent (awaiting payment)

Recording Payment When they pay:

  1. Find invoice
  2. Click "Record Payment"
  3. Enter:
    • Amount received
    • Payment date
    • Payment method
    • Account received into
  4. Invoice marked as paid

Partial Payments

Invoice #2026-001: $7,052.50

Payment 1: Feb 15, 2026 - $3,500.00
Payment 2: Mar 1, 2026  - $3,552.50
Status: Paid in full

Money You Owe Them (Payables)​

When you owe an entity money:

Recording a Bill

  1. Open relationship
  2. Click "Add Bill"
  3. Enter:
    • Bill number (their invoice #)
    • Amount owed
    • Due date
    • Description
  4. Click "Save"

Bill Example:

BILL from Acme Plumbing
Their Invoice: #PL-2026-145
Date: Feb 5, 2026
Due: Feb 12, 2026

Emergency pipe repair    $450.00
Parts                    $125.00
Total Due               $575.00

Status: Unpaid (due in 7 days)

Recording Payment When you pay:

  1. Find bill
  2. Click "Mark as Paid"
  3. Confirm:
    • Amount paid
    • Payment date
    • Payment method
    • Account paid from
  4. Transaction created automatically

Viewing Balance Summary​

Each relationship shows:

ABC Property Management

Balance: -$1,500 (you owe them)

Outstanding:
  📄 Rent - Feb 2026         $1,500  Due Feb 1
  
Recent Transactions:
  ✅ Rent - Jan 2026         $1,500  Paid Jan 1
  ✅ Rent - Dec 2025         $1,500  Paid Dec 1
  ✅ Security Deposit        $1,500  Paid Nov 1
  
Total Paid (2025-2026): $30,000
Average Monthly: $1,500

Transaction History​

Viewing All Transactions​

See complete financial history with each entity:

Filters:

  • Date range
  • Transaction type (payment, invoice, refund)
  • Status (paid, pending, overdue)
  • Amount range

Export:

  • CSV for spreadsheets
  • PDF for records
  • QuickBooks/Xero integration

Transaction Types​

📥 Received Payment

Feb 15, 2026
From: Tech Startup Inc
Invoice: #2026-001
Amount: $7,052.50
Method: Bank Transfer
Account: Business Checking
Status: Cleared

📤 Made Payment

Feb 1, 2026
To: ABC Property Management
Bill: Rent - Feb 2026
Amount: $1,500.00
Method: Online Transfer
Account: Chase Checking
Status: Cleared

🔄 Refund Received

Feb 10, 2026
From: Acme Plumbing
Reason: Overcharged for parts
Amount: $25.00
Method: Check
Status: Deposited

⚠️ Disputed Charge

Feb 8, 2026
With: ABC Property Management
Amount: $150.00
Reason: Late fee charged in error
Status: Under review

Payment Management​

Payment Status Tracking​

Status Options:

  • 🟢 Paid - Payment received/sent
  • 🟡 Pending - Payment initiated but not cleared
  • 🟠 Overdue - Past due date
  • 🔴 Very Overdue - More than 30 days late
  • 🔵 Scheduled - Payment scheduled for future
  • ⚪ Draft - Invoice created but not sent

Setting Up Reminders​

For Money You're Owed:

  • 3 days before due date
  • On due date
  • 3 days after due date
  • Weekly for overdue

For Money You Owe:

  • 7 days before due date
  • 3 days before due date
  • On due date
  • Daily if overdue

Automatic Recurring Payments​

Set up for regular relationships:

{
  "entity": "ABC Property Management",
  "type": "recurring-payment",
  "amount": 1500,
  "frequency": "monthly",
  "dueDay": 1,
  "autoPayEnabled": true,
  "account": "Chase Checking",
  "notifyBeforePayment": true,
  "notifyDaysBefore": 3
}

Statements & Reports​

Entity Statement​

Generate statement for any relationship:

Statement for: Tech Startup Inc
Period: January 1, 2026 - January 31, 2026

Beginning Balance:           $0.00

Invoices Issued:
  #2026-001  Jan 15    $7,052.50

Payments Received:
  (none)

Ending Balance:         $7,052.50

Aging:
  Current (0-30 days):  $7,052.50
  31-60 days:               $0.00
  61-90 days:               $0.00
  90+ days:                 $0.00

Accounts Receivable Report​

See all money owed to you:

Accounts Receivable
As of February 1, 2026

Total Outstanding: $15,250.00

By Customer:
  Tech Startup Inc      $7,052.50  (Invoice #2026-001)
  Consulting Co         $5,000.00  (Invoice #2026-002)
  Small Business LLC    $3,197.50  (Invoice #2025-089)

Aging Summary:
  Current (0-30 days):  $12,052.50
  31-60 days:            $3,197.50
  61-90 days:                $0.00
  90+ days:                  $0.00

Accounts Payable Report​

See all money you owe:

Accounts Payable
As of February 1, 2026

Total Outstanding: $3,075.00

By Vendor:
  ABC Property Mgmt     $1,500.00  (Rent - Feb)
  Acme Plumbing           $575.00  (Invoice #PL-2026-145)
  Electric Company      $1,000.00  (Account #123456)

Due This Week:
  ABC Property Mgmt     $1,500.00  Due Feb 1
  Acme Plumbing           $575.00  Due Feb 12

Year-End Summary​

Tech Startup Inc - 2025 Summary

Total Invoiced:        $65,000.00
Total Received:        $62,000.00
Outstanding:            $3,000.00

Number of Invoices: 12
Average Invoice: $5,416.67
Average Days to Payment: 35

Payment Reliability: 92%
  On-time: 8 invoices
  Late: 4 invoices

1099-NEC Amount: $62,000.00

Communication Features​

Sending Invoices​

Email Invoice:

  1. Create/open invoice
  2. Click "Send Invoice"
  3. Email auto-populated from relationship
  4. Customize message (optional)
  5. PDF attached automatically
  6. Click "Send"

Email Template:

Subject: Invoice #2026-001 from Your Business

Hi [Contact Name],

Attached is Invoice #2026-001 for $7,052.50.

Payment is due by March 3, 2026.

You can pay via:
- Bank transfer to: [Bank details]
- Check to: [Mailing address]
- Online: [Payment portal link]

Thank you for your business!

Best regards,
Your Name

Payment Reminders​

Gentle Reminder (3 days overdue):

Subject: Friendly Reminder - Invoice #2026-001

Hi [Contact Name],

This is a friendly reminder that Invoice #2026-001 
for $7,052.50 was due on March 3, 2026.

If you've already sent payment, please disregard 
this message. Otherwise, we'd appreciate payment 
at your earliest convenience.

[View Invoice] [Pay Now]

Thank you!

Firm Reminder (14 days overdue):

Subject: Payment Required - Invoice #2026-001

Hi [Contact Name],

Invoice #2026-001 for $7,052.50 is now 14 days 
overdue (due date: March 3, 2026).

Please send payment immediately to avoid late fees 
and service disruption.

Outstanding amount: $7,052.50
Late fee: $100.00
Total due: $7,152.50

[Pay Now] [Contact Us]

Message History​

Track all communications with entity:

  • Invoices sent
  • Payment reminders
  • Payment confirmations
  • General notes

Entity Categories & Tags​

Organizing Relationships​

Categories:

  • 🏢 Business Clients
  • 🏪 Vendors & Suppliers
  • 🏘️ Property/Housing
  • ⚡ Utilities
  • 💼 Professional Services
  • 🏦 Financial Services

Custom Tags:

  • Priority level (high, medium, low)
  • Payment reliability (excellent, good, slow, problem)
  • Business type (B2B, B2C, nonprofit)
  • Tax status (1099-eligible, tax-exempt)
  • Relationship status (active, inactive, past)

Smart Lists​

Create filtered views:

"Reliable Payers"

  • Payment history > 95% on-time
  • No overdue invoices

"Slow Payers"

  • Average days to payment > 45
  • 2+ late payments

"High Value Clients"

  • Annual revenue > $50,000
  • Active relationship

"Vendors to Review"

  • No activity in 90 days
  • Consider removing

Tax & Compliance​

1099 Reporting​

Track payments to contractors/vendors:

1099-NEC Eligible:

  • Unincorporated businesses (sole props, LLCs)
  • Payments totaling $600+ per year
  • For services (not goods)

Setup:

  1. Add Tax ID to relationship
  2. Tag as "1099"
  3. Track payments throughout year
  4. Generate report in January

1099 Report:

2025 Form 1099-NEC

Smith Consulting LLC
Tax ID: 12-3456789
Address: 456 Oak Ave, San Jose, CA

Total Payments in 2025: $45,000.00

Jan: $5,000    Jul: $3,000
Feb: $4,000    Aug: $4,500
Mar: $3,500    Sep: $5,000
Apr: $4,000    Oct: $3,000
May: $3,500    Nov: $4,000
Jun: $3,000    Dec: $2,500

[Export to Form 1099-NEC] [Download PDF]

Audit Trail​

Complete record for each entity:

  • Every transaction
  • All invoices and bills
  • Payment methods
  • Communication history
  • Document attachments

Export audit trail:

  • PDF for accountant
  • CSV for analysis
  • QuickBooks/Xero import

Best Practices​

🎯 Set Up Key Relationships First​

Start with entities you interact with most:

  1. Landlord/property management
  2. Major vendors
  3. Top 3-5 clients (if applicable)
  4. Utilities
  5. Regular service providers

📧 Collect Contact Information​

Having email/phone makes life easier:

  • Send invoices automatically
  • Quick communication
  • Payment reminders
  • Documentation requests

🏷️ Use Consistent Naming​

Good:

  • "Acme Plumbing Services"
  • "ABC Property Management LLC"
  • "Smith Consulting"

Avoid:

  • "Plumber"
  • "My landlord"
  • "That consulting guy"

📅 Review Monthly​

Each month:

  1. Check outstanding receivables
  2. Review upcoming payables
  3. Follow up on overdue invoices
  4. Update contact information
  5. Add notes about relationships

💾 Keep Documentation​

Attach files to relationships:

  • Contracts
  • Insurance certificates
  • W-9 forms (for 1099)
  • Service agreements
  • Past invoices

🔍 Monitor Payment Patterns​

Notice trends:

  • Always pays late? Factor into cash flow
  • Always pays early? Great relationship
  • Inconsistent? May need different terms

Troubleshooting​

Duplicate entity created​

To merge entities:

  1. Go to Settings → Relationships
  2. Find duplicates
  3. Click "Merge Entities"
  4. Select primary entity
  5. All transactions move to primary

Can't find old transaction​

Check:

  • Date range filter
  • Transaction type filter
  • Archived transactions
  • Deleted items (if recently deleted)

Wrong amount on invoice​

If not sent yet:

  1. Edit invoice
  2. Update amount
  3. Save

If already sent:

  1. Void original invoice
  2. Create corrected invoice
  3. Note reason in description
  4. Resend to entity

Entity owes me but balance shows zero​

Common causes:

  • Invoice not marked as sent
  • Payment recorded twice
  • Invoice voided accidentally

Solution:

  1. Check invoice status
  2. Review transaction history
  3. Look for duplicate payments
  4. Restore voided invoice if needed

Advanced Features​

Bulk Operations​

Manage multiple relationships at once:

Bulk actions:

  • Send multiple invoices
  • Apply category to multiple entities
  • Export multiple statements
  • Update payment terms

How to:

  1. Select relationships (checkboxes)
  2. Choose action from bulk menu
  3. Configure settings
  4. Confirm and execute

Custom Fields​

Add entity-specific information:

Examples:

  • License number
  • Insurance expiration
  • Contract end date
  • Preferred payment method
  • Account manager name

Integration with Accounting Software​

Supported:

  • QuickBooks Online
  • Xero
  • FreshBooks
  • Wave

Sync:

  • Entities → Customers/Vendors
  • Invoices → Bills/Invoices
  • Payments → Transactions
  • Categories → Chart of Accounts

API Access​

Automate relationship management:

// Create entity via API
const response = await fetch('/api/relationships', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${apiKey}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    name: "Acme Plumbing Services",
    type: "vendor",
    email: "[email protected]",
    paymentTerms: "net-15",
    tags: ["contractor", "plumbing"]
  })
});

// Create invoice
const invoice = await fetch('/api/relationships/123/invoices', {
  method: 'POST',
  body: JSON.stringify({
    number: "2026-001",
    amount: 5000,
    dueDate: "2026-03-01",
    items: [
      { description: "Development", amount: 5000 }
    ]
  })
});

→ See API Documentation

Mobile App Features​

Quick Actions​

From entity list:

  • Long-press for quick menu
  • Create invoice
  • Record payment
  • View balance
  • Call/email entity

Payment Capture​

Scan invoice:

  1. Tap camera icon
  2. Scan vendor invoice
  3. AI extracts details
  4. Review and save

Photo receipts:

  • Attach receipt photos
  • Auto-link to entity
  • OCR extracts amount

Notifications​

Stay updated:

  • Payment received
  • Invoice overdue
  • Bill due soon
  • Large transaction

Next Steps​

Now that you understand relationships:

  1. Add your key entities - Set up main vendors/clients
  2. Explore Resources - Set financial goals
  3. Set up Obligations - Track recurring payments

Or learn more:

  • Transactions Guide - Record payments
  • Invoicing Guide - Professional invoices
  • Reports Guide - Financial analysis

Questions? Check our FAQ or contact support