Overview
This guide walks you through FinAI’s core workflow: from account creation to recording your first AI-categorized transaction. By the end, you’ll understand how to leverage natural language processing for effortless expense tracking.Prerequisites: Complete the Installation Guide and ensure the application is running at
http://127.0.0.1:5000Create Your Account
Navigate to Registration
Open your browser and go to:You’ll see the registration form where you can create your personal FinAI account.
Fill in Your Details
Provide the following information:
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Your display name in the app | John Doe |
| Used for login and password reset | [email protected] | |
| Password | Minimum 6 characters recommended | ••••••••• |
| Confirm Password | Must match the password above | ••••••••• |
Dashboard Overview
After logging in, you’ll land on the main dashboard which displays:Wallet Summary
Total balance across all your wallets with breakdown by type (Cash, Bank, Credit Card)
Recent Transactions
Latest income, expense, and transfer activities with AI-detected categories
Visual Charts
Interactive pie and bar charts showing spending patterns by category
AI Chatbot
Context-aware assistant ready to answer questions about your finances
Set Up Additional Wallets
While you start with a default cash wallet, you can add multiple fund sources:Add New Wallet
Click Add Wallet and provide:
- Wallet Name: e.g., “Vietcombank Checking”, “Credit Card”
- Wallet Type: Cash, Bank Account, Credit Card, or E-Wallet
- Initial Balance: Starting amount (optional)
| Name | Type | Initial Balance |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Wallet | Tiền mặt | 1,000,000 VND |
| Vietcombank | Ngân hàng | 5,000,000 VND |
| Momo | Ví điện tử | 500,000 VND |
Balance Tracking: FinAI automatically adjusts wallet balances based on income (increases), expenses (decreases), and transfers (moves between wallets).
Record Your First Transaction
This is where FinAI’s AI-powered categorization shines. Let’s record an expense using natural language:Open Transaction Form
From the dashboard, click Add Transaction or navigate to the Transactions page.Select the transaction type:
- Expense (Chi): Money going out
- Income (Thu): Money coming in
- Transfer (Chuyển): Moving money between your wallets
Use Natural Language Description
Instead of manually selecting categories, simply describe the transaction naturally:FinAI’s AI will analyze your description and automatically:
- Detect the category (Dining, Transportation, Shopping)
- Extract the amount (500,000 / 75,000 / 1,200,000 VND)
- Provide a confidence score
How AI Categorization Works
How AI Categorization Works
The The AI returns structured JSON with the detected category and confidence level.
ai_service.py module sends your description to Google Gemini 2.0 Flash:app/ai_service.py
Select Wallet and Confirm
Choose which wallet to debit/credit:
- For Expenses: Select the wallet to deduct money from
- For Income: Select the wallet to add money to
- For Transfers: Select both source and destination wallets
Try the AI Chatbot
FinAI’s chatbot uses Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) to provide context-aware answers based on your actual financial data:Open Chatbot Interface
Look for the chatbot icon in the bottom-right corner of the dashboard or navigate to the AI Assistant page.
Manage Categories
FinAI adapts to YOUR spending patterns by learning from custom categories:View Default Categories
Navigate to Categories from the sidebar. You’ll see system-provided categories like:
- Income Categories: Salary, Freelance, Investment
- Expense Categories: Food, Transportation, Shopping, Entertainment, Bills
Create Custom Categories
Click Add Category and define:
- Category Name: e.g., “Coffee Addiction”, “Gym Membership”
- Type: Income or Expense
- Parent Category (optional): Group under existing categories
View Reports and Analytics
Visualize your financial health with built-in reporting tools:Interactive Charts
Interactive Charts
Access from the Reports or Dashboard page:
- Pie Chart: Spending breakdown by category
- Bar Chart: Monthly expense trends
- Line Chart: Cash flow over time
Export to Excel
Export to Excel
Download your transaction history for offline analysis:
- Navigate to Reports → Export Data
- Select date range
- Click Export to Excel
- Opens a
.xlsxfile with all transaction details
app/routes/report.py
Print-Friendly Reports
Print-Friendly Reports
Generate PDF-ready reports for monthly reviews:
- Select report type (Monthly Summary, Category Breakdown)
- Choose month and year
- Click Generate Report
- Print or save as PDF from browser
Common Workflows
Daily Expense Logging
Daily Expense Logging
Monthly Budget Review
Monthly Budget Review
Transfer Between Wallets
Transfer Between Wallets
Pro Tips
Consistent Descriptions
Use similar phrasing for recurring expenses to improve AI accuracy:
- “Coffee at Starbucks” vs “Starbucks coffee”
- “Grab to office” vs “Taxi to work”
Regular Chatbot Checks
Ask the chatbot weekly: “How’s my spending this week?” to catch unusual patterns early
Review AI Suggestions
When AI miscategorizes, manually correct it by editing the transaction category in the dashboard
Export Monthly
Download Excel reports at month-end for tax preparation or personal record-keeping
What’s Next?
Now that you’ve mastered the basics, explore advanced features:API Integration
Integrate FinAI with other apps via REST API
Budget Planning
Set monthly spending limits and alerts
Admin Dashboard
Manage users and system settings (admin only)
Need Help? If you encounter issues or have questions, check the Installation Guide or reach out to the developer at [email protected].
