Makes the money you have to fund match what’s actually in your bank account today. Do this once, after your transactions are in and before you fund your envelopes for the first time.

Why you need it: UE works out how much you have to fund by adding up your income transactions. Your sheet almost never has every paycheck you’ve ever received, so without this step your envelopes start out short (often negative). This step adds one starting-balance transaction to fill the gap.

There are two ways to do it. Both add the same starting-balance transaction:

  • Use the Startup Wizard (recommended). It finds your balances, does the math, and adds the transaction for you.
  • Do it manually. You look up two numbers, subtract, and add the transaction yourself. This is handy if you don’t use Tiller or want to see exactly what’s happening.

Before you start

These steps are the same for both methods.

  1. Bring in your transactions. Connect Tiller and use Fill, or enter or import them yourself.
  2. Categorize every transaction. Uncategorized transactions aren’t counted, so the starting balance would come out wrong. See How Transactions Affect Your Envelopes.
  3. Make sure today’s bank balances are in the sheet. With Tiller, refresh your accounts. The wizard can’t use an account that wasn’t updated today.

After categorizing, some envelopes may show odd or negative balances. That’s normal at this point. The starting balance accounts for them.

Method 1: Use the Startup Wizard

In the Startup Wizard, choose Set Initial Payday Amount, or open it on its own from Extensions → Ultimate Envelopes → Setup Tools → Set Starting Balance.

  1. Step 1 – Refresh Accounts. If you still need to update your balances, click Go to Tiller.
  2. Step 2 – Select Funding Account. Pick the account your paychecks land in, usually checking. You’ll see its bank balance, its total envelope balance, and how many transactions are still uncategorized.
  3. Step 3 – Select liability accounts. Check any credit cards you pay from this account. Their balances are counted so the starting balance accounts for what you already owe.
  4. Step 4 – Review Balance Adjustment. The wizard shows the Adjustment Amount: your bank balance (including any cards you checked) minus your total envelope balance. You can change the amount if you need to. Then click Update Initial Amount.

When you see Starting Balance Set, you’re done. Have paychecks landing in more than one account? Click Set Another Account and repeat for each one.

What the wizard adds to your sheet

One transaction on the Transactions sheet:

  • Description: Adjust Funding Balance
  • Category: Initial balance (added to your Categories sheet as an Income category if you don’t have it)
  • Date: the day before your oldest transaction, so it doesn’t land in your current budget month
  • Amount: the adjustment from Step 4

Already have an Initial balance category? It’s reused as-is. Make sure its Type is Income, or the amount won’t count toward Available to Fund. The wizard warns you if it isn’t.

Method 2: Do It Manually

1. Find your two numbers

Open the Balances tab and find the account your paychecks land in, usually checking. Note its:

  • Bank Balance: what’s in the account today
  • Envelope Balance: what UE thinks is in your envelopes for that account

Pay a credit card from this account? Add that card’s Bank Balance too. Card balances are negative, so this lowers your starting balance by what you already owe.

2. Work out the adjustment

Bank Balance (plus any card balances) − Envelope Balance = Adjustment Amount

For example, if checking has $3,500.00, your Visa shows −$400.00, and the Envelope Balance is −$1,250.00:

$3,500.00 + (−$400.00) − (−$1,250.00) = $4,350.00

3. Make sure you have an income category for it

On the Categories sheet, add a category named Initial balance with Type set to Income, if you don’t already have one. It has to be an Income category, or the amount won’t count toward Available to Fund.

4. Add the transaction

On the Transactions sheet, add a new row:

  • Date: the day before your oldest transaction. For example, if your transactions start on 1/1/2026, use 12/31/2025. This keeps it out of your current budget month.
  • Description: Adjust Funding Balance
  • Category: Initial balance
  • Amount: your adjustment amount from step 2
  • Account: the account from step 1

Open the Payday tab. The amount left to allocate now includes your starting balance.

Have paychecks landing in more than one account? Repeat these steps for each one.

Made a Mistake?

Delete the Adjust Funding Balance row on the Transactions sheet, then use either method again.

Next: fund your envelopes for the first time.