In this section, you will learn more about the Bookkeeping tab, where you can add, view, and manage your transactions in one place.
Year
When you click on the year, you can switch between your transactions for the current year and prior years, going back to 2022. If you have been tracking transactions with Keeper in previous years, those transactions will remain available in the Bookkeeping tab and can be viewed or edited at any time.
If you recently signed up and connected your bank accounts for transaction tracking, keep in mind that Keeper can typically access up to 18 months of transaction history, although this depends on your bank’s policy. Some banks may only provide a few months of data.
In these cases, you may not see transactions from prior years scanned automatically, but no worries. You can still manually add transactions or upload bank statements for those years. We will cover those options in more detail later.
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Year
Manually adding a transaction
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Plus sign (+) -> Add transaction manually
- Select Expense or Income
- Enter Merchant name and Amount.
- Select Type: Business or Personal
- Select a Category
- Select Transactions date
- Add a note (optional)
You can also attach a photo of your receipt if you prefer.
Don't forget to hit Save!
Transaction Upload: Manually adding transactions in bulk
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Plus sign -> Upload transaction list
If you have a large number of transactions to add, you can upload them using a PDF, XLSX, or CSV file. To do this, go to the Bookkeeping tab, select the + sign in the top-right corner, and then select Upload transaction list. This feature is also available in the Settings > Linked accounts > Expense Upload section.
This is especially helpful if you have a bank account or card that isn’t currently supported by the app. Simply upload a spreadsheet or bank statement from that account, and Keeper will automatically add the transactions to your Bookkeeping tab once the upload is complete.
💡Tip: If your transactions didn’t upload successfully, try saving your file in CSV format with only these three columns: Date, Name, and Amount. Avoid including any other information so the app can correctly process your transactions. If you’re still having trouble, don’t worry—reach out to us, and we’ll be happy to help!
Deleting a transaction
Navigation : Deductions -> Select Transaction -> Menu (...) -> Delete transaction
If you need to remove a transaction, go to the Bookkeeping tab, find and select the transaction you want to delete, select the menu (...), then select Delete transaction.
This works for manually added transactions, uploaded transactions, and transactions imported from a linked account. Deleting an imported transaction cannot be undone, so you will be asked to confirm. If you want a transaction excluded from your deductions or income, mark it as Personal to keep it in your records.
Tracking income
Navigation: Bookkeeping tab -> Select Income Transaction -> Select Income Category
In the Bookkeeping tab, open a transaction, select an income category, and choose the income type it belongs to. Income categories include: Other income, Salaried income, Unemployment income, and Self-employed income. Income transactions display a plus sign (+) before the amount. To add income manually, tap the + button in the Bookkeeping tab.
Income tracked in the Bookkeeping tab helps with recordkeeping and your tax estimate. When you file your return, you’ll still need to provide your income and any tax forms in the File Taxes tab.
Menu (...)
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Menu (...)
The menu in the Bookkeeping tab of the Keeper mobile app offers five handy tools:
- Rules
- Financial accounts
- Match receipt to transaction
- Book a tax pro call
- Tax estimate
- Export deductions spreadsheet
Let’s explore these features in more detail.
Creating Rules
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Menu -> Rules
The Rules feature helps you automatically categorize recurring transactions so you won’t need to update them manually. Whether it’s a monthly utility bill, recurring income, or a personal subscription like Netflix, creating a rule ensures these transactions are consistently marked according to your preferences.
To manage your rules, open the Menu in the Bookkeeping tab and select Rules. This opens a window where you can create new rules or review and update existing ones.
When creating a rule, all you need to enter is:
- Merchant name
- Type
- Category
- Business/Personal Use Percentage
Here are some types of rules you can create for managing your transactions:
- Deduction: Set up rules for recurring transactions such as utilities, subscription services, and insurance. This way, you won't need to manually add them each month.
- Personal: Create rules for personal transactions to ensure they aren't mistakenly categorized as deductions or income. This is ideal for expenses like grocery store purchases or non-work-related streaming services.
- Ask Me: For transactions that might qualify as deductions or income only in specific situations, create a rule and set the Type to Needs Review. This means these transactions won’t be automatically categorized. Instead, you can review them in the app and decide if they qualify as deductions or income.
You can also choose to apply the rule to past transactions. By selecting this option, all transactions with the exact name will be automatically updated according to the rule you’ve set.
For rules that match on amount, account, or category, or to change the order of your rules, use Rules on the Keeper web dashboard.
Linking your accounts
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Menu -> Financial accounts
By selecting the Financial accounts option from the menu within the Bookkeeping section, you'll be directed to the Linked accounts section. You can also access Linked accounts in the Settings tab. Here, you can link your bank accounts or cards, allowing us to scan and track your expenses while identifying potential deductions. From Linked accounts, you can also link your Apple Card (iPhone, through Apple Wallet) and your Amazon account.
The Expense uploads feature is also available in the Linked accounts section, allowing you to upload a spreadsheet or statement to import transactions.
Booking a tax pro call
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Menu (...) -> Book a tax pro call
Selecting this option from the menu within the Bookkeeping tab will take you to the Tax Pro section of the app, where you can schedule a 30-minute consultation with one of our tax experts.
For a detailed overview of how the consultation works and what to expect, check out our Tax Pro Consultation article!
Tax Estimate
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Menu (...) -> Tax estimate
Curious about how much you might owe in taxes or whether you’ll get a refund for the current year? The Tax Estimate feature provides a quick calculation to give you an idea of your potential tax bill or refund. You can access this by selecting the Menu (...) in the Bookkeeping tab.
Keep in mind that while the estimate provides a helpful ballpark figure, it doesn’t take into account other sources of income, credits, or deductions that will be factored in during the actual filing process. Think of it as a useful guide, but not a final calculation. Your actual tax bill or refund may vary once you complete your filing with us and submit your return information for review from the File Taxes section of Keeper.
Understanding your tax profile
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Menu (...) -> Tax Estimate
Your tax profile, accessible through Tax Estimate, includes important details about your income, work, and some of the credits or deductions used to calculate your tax estimate.
You can also update the percentage of your vehicle, public transport, and phone expenses used for business. Additionally, you can enter the size of your home and home office to calculate the business-use percentage applied to the deductible portion of your home expenses. If you travel for work or have meals with clients, you can indicate that information here as well.
Below, we’ll explain each section of your tax profile in more detail.
Personal Info and Income
In this section, you can update your:
- State of residence
- Tax filing status
- Dependents (if any)
- Expected annual W-2 employee income
- Expected annual freelancing/business income
Jobs
Here, you can add or edit the type of 1099 work you do or the business you have by selecting +Add a Job under Jobs.
If you don’t see an exact match, simply type in your job or business name. You can then select it as an option and add it to your freelancing details. Once you select a job role, you'll need to select an entity type.
As you continue to use Keeper, it will learn from your spending habits, helping to categorize your transactions and suggest possible deductions based on your type of work.
Business Details
Next, you’ll find toggle switches and sliders for common deductions such as business meals, travel expenses, vehicle use, phone-related costs, public transportation, and home office expenses. The information you provide here helps Keeper calculate potential savings and determine which expenses are deductible.
Use the toggle switches to indicate, for example, if you have business meals with clients or colleagues, or if you travel for work.
Below, adjust the sliders to reflect the percentage of time you use your vehicle, phone, or public transportation for 1099 work or business purposes. For instance, if you drive six hours per week and three of those hours are work-related, set the slider to 50%. You can update these percentages anytime. If you have a home office, you can also enter your home and office size to calculate your home business use percentage.
📝 If a deduction doesn’t apply to you, simply set the percentage to zero. For example, if you don’t use your car for business, set the driving slider to zero.
💡Tip: For a better understanding of which expenses qualify for these deductions, we recommend checking out our helpful articles on our website at https://www.keepertax.com/free-resources.
Taxes Paid, Credits, and Deductions
In the final section of your tax profile, you can enter details about the federal and state income taxes withheld from your W-2, or any quarterly tax payments you’ve made. You’ll also have the option to indicate if you qualify for any of the following credits or deductions: student tuition payments, mortgage interest, or traditional IRA contributions.
Exporting your deductions
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Menu (...) -> Export deductions spreadsheet
One of the helpful features we offer is the ability to export your deduction totals and transactions to a file. If you're on an active subscription plan (at least the monthly plan), you can easily download a copy of your deductions export whenever you need it.
If you'd like a copy of your deductions to print or use elsewhere, simply export them as a spreadsheet. To do this, tap the Menu (...) within the Bookkeeping tab and select Export deductions spreadsheet. Just make sure to choose the correct year in the top-left corner of the Bookkeeping tab before exporting.
Business Deductions
Navigation: Bookkeeping
The total amount of business deductions is shown to reflect the full amount of your eligible business expenses. This includes only legitimate business costs and accounts for accurate percentages of business use.
This amount reduces your gross self-employment income when you file your taxes, which lowers your taxable income and, ultimately, helps reduce the taxes you owe.
View business deductions by category
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Business deductions
When you tap on your Business deductions amount, a pop-up window will appear with a breakdown of your total deductions by category. This is where you can view, manage, and edit expenses by category.
By tapping on the chevron symbol in a specific category, you’ll see all the added deductions. Reviewing these sections is a great way to stay organized and ensure all your deductions are tracked.
From here, you can also select View your tax estimate to access the Tax Estimate feature.
Search transactions by name
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Magnifying glass icon
The magnifying glass icon 🔍 will let you search your transactions by name. (e.g., Amazon)
Sorting transactions
Navigation: Bookkeeping > Sort
Select the Sort feature in the Bookkeeping tab to sort expenses by Most Recent, Amount: High-Low, and Amount: Low-High.
Filtering transactions
Navigation: Bookkeeping > Filters
Below the total deductions amount, you can find filters to filter your transactions by:
- Date: tap the Date chip to filter by a start and end date.
- Tax Status
- Type
- Category
- Amount
- Job
Filtering transactions by tax status
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Tax Status
If you tap on Tax Status, you’ll be able to filter your transactions by:
- Deduction
- Non-deductible
- Business income
- Personal income
- Needs Review
'Needs review' transaction status
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Tax Status -> Needs review
Under Needs Review, you'll see a list of transactions to review if any expenses or income remain uncategorized. With a tap of a button, you can mark each transaction as either a deduction or not and categorize income transactions. Checking this area of the app frequently to correctly mark each transaction is a great habit to develop.
More deductions equal more tax savings!
Ask feature
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> 'Needs Review' transactions
Not sure whether an expense can be deducted? Don't worry; we've got you covered!
You'll notice that your uncategorized or unreviewed transactions (transactions with a 💡lightbulb icon) have a question mark icon. This feature allows you to instantly ask if that specific transaction can be deducted. Simply tap on that button, and it will take you to the Ask tab where our AI Assistant answers your question in seconds! Moreover, if the AI assistant determines that a human response is needed, it will alert one of our staff members to provide an answer instead. You can also select a transaction and select 'Have a question? Ask us.'
Editing a transaction
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Select a transaction
Tapping on any transaction in the Bookkeeping tab opens up a list of tools to help you manage the transactions that are added to your list of transactions.
You can tap on a specific purchase to:
- Create/View rule
- Add receipt photo
- Add a note
- Edit the merchant name or amount spent (select menu, Edit transaction details)
- Edit business-use percentage
- Edit the category
-
Edit the type
Adding a receipt
Navigation line: Bookkeeping -> Menu (...) -> Match receipt to transaction
Open an expense and select Add receipt to attach a photo (JPG, PNG, or HEIC) or a PDF of your receipt. You can also start from the receipt. Choose Match receipt to transaction from the Menu (...) within the Bookkeeping tab, upload the receipt, and Keeper will attach it to the matching transaction or offer to create a new transaction if no match is found.
Add a note
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Select a transaction -> Note (optional)
You can also add a note to your transactions. This is helpful if you'd like to add extra documentation for your transactions, especially business meals, such as who you're with or what the meeting was about.
Split Amounts
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Select a business transaction -> % for business
If a purchase includes both personal and business items (for example, buying business supplies along with personal goods), you can adjust the business-use percentage to accurately claim only the portion related to your business.
Smart Split
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Select a transaction -> % for Business -> Overwrite smart-split
Smart Split is an accounting method that divides your expenses across your freelance or business jobs based on your reported income and industry benchmarks. When you file, Keeper will automatically assign expenses to a Schedule C income source using this method.
However, if you'd rather allocate transactions manually by income source, you can do that in the Bookkeeping section of the app. Just select the expense, choose the % for Business option, and then click Overwrite Smart Split. From there, you’ll be able to assign the transaction to specific income sources yourself.
Bulk edit
Navigation: Bookkeeping tab -> Press and hold a transaction
The bulk edit feature allows you to make changes to multiple transactions at once. Simply press a transaction and hold it for a few seconds until you see the multi-edit mode. You can then select the transactions you'd like to bulk edit.
Navigation: Bookkeeping -> Press and hold a transaction -> Edit
After selecting the transactions you'd like to bulk edit, tap on Edit. This will pull up a screen where you can bulk change transactions by the following:
- Add a note
- Change transaction categories
- Mark as business
-
Mark as personal
Add a note lets you add the same note for all selected transactions.
Mark as business will mark the type as Business for all selected transactions, and
Mark as personal lets you mark the transactions as personal.
Navigation: Bookkeeping tab -> Press and hold a transaction -> Edit -> Change transaction categories
By selecting Change transaction categories, you can edit transaction categories with just one tap. Here, you can see all the categories you can choose from. Kindly note that you can select only one category for all selected transactions.