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Create and Manage Transaction Categories in CashDrawer

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What Are Transaction Categories?

Transaction Categories are classification labels that help you organise and understand your cash flow. Every transaction you record—whether income or expense—must be assigned a category.

Categories make it easier to answer questions such as:

  • How much did I spend on food this month?
  • What are my main sources of income?
  • Which expense types are increasing over time?

Using categories consistently is essential for accurate reporting and analysis.

Types of Transaction Categories

Each transaction belongs to one of two category types:

Income Categories

Used for transactions where you receive money, for example:

  • Room charges
  • Food and beverage sales

Expense Categories

Used for transactions where you spend money, for example:

  • Supplies
  • Maintenance
  • Any money going out

Important:

Transactions must be classified correctly as Income or Expense. Incorrect classification will affect financial reports.

System Default Categories

CashDrawer includes a set of predefined categories to help you get started.

Default Income Categories

  • Transfer
  • Exchange
  • Guest Deposit
  • SabeeApp – Payment

Default Expense Categories

  • Transfer
  • Exchange
  • Guest Withdrawal
  • Cash Drop
  • SabeeApp – Payment

You can use these default categories as they are, or create your own custom categories if needed.

Creating a New Category

Permissions:

Only Account Owners can create new transaction categories. Operators do not have permission to add or manage categories.

Step 1: Open Transaction Categories

  1. Go to Settings → General → Transaction Categories
  2. Review the existing categories
  3. Click Add Category

Step 2: Add Category Information

  1. Click the Add Category (+) button
  2. Enter a Category Name
  3. Select the Category Type (Income or Expense)

Step 3: Save the Category

  1. Review the details carefully
  2. Click Create Category
  3. A confirmation message will appear
  4. The new category will be added to the list

Viewing All Categories

To view all available transaction categories, navigate to

Settings → General → Transaction Categories.

From this screen, you can:

  • See all Income and Expense categories
  • Identify system default categories
  • Identify custom categories created by your team

Categories are grouped by type to make them easy to scan.

Editing a Category

To edit a category:

  1. Locate the category in the list
  2. Click the pencil icon
  3. Update the category name
  4. Click Save

Changes apply immediately and affect future transactions.

Note:

In most cases, the category type (Income or Expense) cannot be changed after creation.

Deleting a Category

To delete a category:

  1. Locate the category in the list
  2. Click the trash icon

Important rules:

  • Only custom categories can be deleted
  • System default categories cannot be removed
  • A category can be deleted if it is linked to transactions, the transaction will change automatically to Unknown category

If the category is already in use, you must:

  • Reassign existing transactions to a different category, or
  • Leave the category unused for future transactions

Using Categories in Transactions

When Adding a Transaction

  1. Select the transaction type (Income or Expense)
  2. Choose a category from the Category dropdown
  3. Only categories matching the transaction type will appear
  4. Select the most appropriate category
  5. Use the description field for additional details if needed

If no suitable category exists, create a new category first.

Changing a Transaction’s Category

If a transaction was assigned to the wrong category:

  1. Open the transaction from the Transactions list

  2. Click the pencil icon

  3. Enter the temporary PIN code provided by the Account Owner

  4. Click Verify PIN

  5. Update the category

  6. Click Update Transaction

The transaction will now be correctly categorised.

Troubleshooting

Cannot create a category with my chosen name

  • The name may already exist
  • A similar system default category may be present
  • Try using a slightly different or more specific name

Selected the wrong category type

  • Category type cannot be changed after creation
  • You must delete and recreate the category
  • Reassign any existing transactions first

Staff are using incorrect categories

  • Review category usage regularly
  • Provide a simple reference guide
  • Train new staff on category selection
  • Monitor transactions for consistency

Too many categories

  • Merge or delete rarely used categories
  • Rename categories to be more descriptive
  • Keep the structure simple and consistent

Recommended Category Setup Process

  1. Review system default categories
  2. Decide what financial data you need to track
  3. Create custom categories where required
  4. Document category usage for staff
  5. Train team members
  6. Use categories consistently
  7. Review and refine categories quarterly