UE Sheet FAQ
Questions about the Google Sheet. For the mobile app, see the Companion App FAQ.
Getting Started
Do I need a Tiller subscription to use Ultimate Envelopes?
No. Tiller is optional.
- Without Tiller: you enter transactions in the Transactions tab yourself (or add them from your phone with the Companion App).
- With Tiller: your bank transactions are imported into the sheet automatically.
What do I need to get started?
- A Google account (free)
- Google Sheets (free, included with Google)
- Your UE sheet, available on Gumroad
That’s it. No additional installs, no subscriptions.
How do I get my copy of the sheet?
After purchasing on Gumroad, you’ll receive a link to the Google Sheet template. Open it, then go to File → Make a copy to save it to your own Google Drive. The copy is yours permanently.
The Sheet
Does my financial data leave Google Sheets?
No. All processing happens inside your browser and within Google’s infrastructure. Your transaction amounts, account balances, and budget data are never sent to external servers.
Can I use the sheet on multiple devices?
Yes. Because your budget lives in Google Sheets, you can open it from any computer with a browser.
On a phone, the Google Sheets app can’t run UE’s menus and pop-ups. For everyday use on your phone, use the Companion App.
Transactions
How do I add transactions without Tiller?
Type them into the Transactions tab: description, amount, category (envelope), and account. You can also add them from your phone with the Companion App.
Can I import transactions from a CSV?
Manual CSV import depends on your sheet setup. For automatic importing, Tiller is the recommended option.
Credit Cards
How do I categorize a credit card payment?
A credit card payment isn’t an expense — it’s just moving money from your bank to pay off things you already bought (and already took out of your envelopes).
- Create a category like Credit Card Payment with Type = Transfer (or use the built-in Transfer category).
- Give both sides of the payment that category — the withdrawal from your bank and the payment received on the card.
Paying interest? Create an Expense envelope for credit card interest and budget for it like any other bill.
How do I track what I owe on my credit cards?
When you buy something with a card, the envelope goes down but your bank balance doesn’t. The money stays in the bank, set aside for the card bill.
On the Balances tab, the Delta between your Bank Balance and Envelope Balance is that set-aside money. It should match what you owe on your cards.
I already have a balance on my card. How do I start?
Use Extensions → Ultimate Envelopes → Setup Tools → Set Starting Balance. In Step 3, check the credit cards tied to that bank account and it’ll account for what you already owe when it sets your starting balance.
Envelopes & Funding
How do I move money from one envelope to another?
Say you want to move $100 from Shopping to Groceries. On the Payday tab:
- Enter -100 in the Fund Amount next to Shopping.
- Enter 100 next to Groceries.
- Add a comment if you want — it’s saved with the funding history.
- Choose Select Action → Fund Envelopes.
What is a funding account?
It’s the bank account where an envelope’s money actually sits. For example, Groceries money in Checking, car insurance money in Savings.
Set it in the Funding Account column on the Categories sheet.
Only set funding accounts on expense categories. Adding one to an Income category will throw off your account balances.
My account isn’t in the Funding Account dropdown
The list only shows accounts that aren’t hidden. Go to the Accounts sheet and make sure the account isn’t marked as hidden.
Why does every envelope need a funding account?
Two reasons:
- View by Account on the Envelopes tab groups envelopes by their funding account.
- The Balances tab uses it to check that each bank account’s balance matches the envelopes it holds. If they don’t match, you’ll see a warning.
Does the funding account decide how much I can fund?
No. The money you can put into envelopes comes from income transactions — anything categorized with Type = Income, like a paycheck. As soon as you categorize a paycheck, that money is available to fund.
Tiller
What is Tiller?
Tiller Money is a separate service that connects to your bank accounts and automatically imports your transactions into Google Sheets. The UE Sheet works with Tiller’s feeds, so imported transactions land right in your Transactions tab.
What if I use Tiller?
UE is fully compatible with the Tiller Foundation Sheet. All existing Tiller feeds will operate as expected.
Tiller imports your bank transactions automatically. You then categorize them in the Transactions tab by assigning each one to an envelope.
Already using the Tiller Foundation Template? The Startup Wizard can copy your categories, transactions, and balances into UE.
Why isn’t UE listed on Tiller’s Template section of the add-on?
Tiller does not support the use of Google Apps Script in templates it hosts, so Ultimate Envelopes has to be hosted somewhere else.
Who do I contact for Tiller issues?
Tiller is an independent service. For issues with transaction imports, bank connections, or Tiller’s feeds, contact Tiller support directly.