Questions and Answers
Privacy and data
Does Aventurine connect to my bank?
No. You download the file from your bank and give it to the app. There is no linking and no credentials to hand over.
Does anything leave my computer?
No. The app makes no network requests at all — no updates check, no crash reports, no usage statistics. Everything, including categorization, happens on your machine. You can verify this by using it offline.
Where is my data?
In a single file you choose the location of. See Where Your Data Lives.
Is it encrypted?
Only if you choose. Add a password with Settings → Preferences → Security → Database Encryption. See Databases and Passwords.
What if I forget the password?
The data is gone. There is no recovery. That is what encryption means.
Do I need an account?
No. There is nothing to sign up for and nothing that identifies you.
Getting data in
What files can I import?
CSV, TSV, Excel (.xlsx), OFX, QFX, QIF, and JSON. Not PDF. See Supported File Formats.
My bank only gives PDFs.
Look under “Transactions” or “Activity” rather than “Statements” — the CSV export is usually there. A PDF is a picture of a table and cannot be read reliably.
Can I import the same file twice?
Yes. Every row will be recognized as a duplicate and unticked, so nothing is doubled. See Duplicate Transactions.
Can I import several accounts?
Yes, one file per account. Use “Start Another Upload” to chain them.
How far back should I import?
As far as your bank will let you. Charts, averages, and the forecast all improve with history.
Categories
Why are so many transactions uncategorized?
Because Aventurine only fills in what it is sure of. A blank you can fix in one click is better than a wrong category you never notice. See Automatic Categorization.
Will it get better?
Substantially. Every category you set becomes a rule, and most spending is concentrated in a handful of places. Ten minutes on your first import covers most of what you will see for years.
Can I make my own categories?
Yes, as many as you like. They work everywhere the defaults do; they just lack the built-in merchant knowledge until you teach it. See Categories.
Why can I not delete “Uncategorized”?
It holds the total of transactions with no category. Deleting it would break the totals that depend on it.
Why can I not rename a category to something longer?
Names cap at 18 characters because they appear as column headings and as pills on transaction rows.
How do I fix a rule that keeps filing something wrongly?
Clear the category on that transaction, which forgets the rule, then set the right one.
Using the app
Where do the dashboard numbers come from?
The three monthly cards and Income & Expenses read your Cash Flow statement, which computes from your transactions. Net Worth, Capital Snapshot, and Account Balances read your Balance Sheet, which does not. See The Dashboard.
Why is my dashboard empty after importing?
It opens on the current month. Step back to a month you imported.
Why is my Balance Sheet empty?
It holds balances, which either come from a balance column in an imported file or from you typing them in. See Balances From Your Statement.
Can I edit a number the app calculated?
Yes, in the Cash Flow statement. Type over it, and clear it to hand the cell back. See Computed and Typed Values.
Is there a budgeting feature?
No. Aventurine tracks what happened and projects what is coming; it does not ask you to set spending limits.
Does the Portfolio fetch prices?
No. You type in the market price. The app makes no network requests.
Is there an undo?
No. Destructive actions ask for confirmation instead, and your backup is the real safety net. See Backing Up Your Data.
Practical
Which platforms?
Windows and Linux. Your database file works on either.
How do I update?
Download the new version and install it over the top. There is no automatic updater, because the app makes no network connections. Your data is stored separately and is untouched by upgrades.
Can I use it on two computers?
Yes, by moving the file. There is no sync — if you keep it in a synced folder, only use it on one machine at a time, and encrypt it first.
Can I keep separate databases?
Yes, as many as you like. Switch with File → Open Database.
How do I get my data out?
Transactions → Export, in CSV, OFX, QFX, or QIF. For a complete copy, copy the database file. See Exporting Your Data.
What happens to my data if I stop using Aventurine?
It stays in your file, in a standard database format, on your computer. Export it whenever you like. Nothing is held hostage.
Related: Start Here · Troubleshooting