Record a Register Transaction
Manually record deposits and withdrawals directly on a register
When you need to track cash movements that don't come from a payment or a payout — bank fees, cash deposits, manual adjustments — you can record them directly on a register. This keeps your register balance accurate without needing QuickBooks.
What You'll Learn
- How to record a manual deposit or withdrawal on a register
- What fields are available
- How the register balance is updated
When to Use This
| Scenario | Example |
|---|---|
| Cash deposit | You deposit $2,000 cash into your business bank account |
| Bank fee | Your bank charges a $35 monthly fee |
| Manual adjustment | Correcting a balance discrepancy |
| External transfer | Recording a wire transfer received outside of SettleWise |
| Petty cash | Tracking petty cash additions or withdrawals |
Step by Step
1. Open the register
Navigate to Registers and click on the register where you want to record the transaction.
2. Click "Record Transaction"
In the register detail header, click the Record Transaction button (next to Export CSV).
3. Fill in the form
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction Date | Yes | When the transaction occurred |
| Type | Yes | Deposit (money in) or Withdrawal (money out) |
| Amount | Yes | The transaction amount (always positive — the type determines the direction) |
| Payee | No | Who the transaction is with (e.g., "Chase Bank", "Office Supplies") |
| Reference | No | External reference number (e.g., check number, wire reference) |
| Description | No | Additional notes about this transaction |
4. Submit
Click Create. The transaction is recorded and the register balance updates immediately.
How the Balance Updates
| Type | Effect |
|---|---|
| Deposit | Register balance increases by the amount |
| Withdrawal | Register balance decreases by the amount |
The balance update is atomic — the transaction record and balance change happen together in a single database operation, so the balance is always consistent even if multiple users record transactions simultaneously.
Where Transactions Appear
Manual transactions appear in the register's transaction table alongside payment-linked and transfer transactions. They are identified by:
- A Deposit or Withdrawal badge in the type column
- No linked payment (clicking the row does not open a payment panel)
- The payee and reference you provided
Permissions
Only admin users can record manual register transactions. Regular team members can view the register and its transactions but cannot create new ones.
Limitations
| Constraint | Details |
|---|---|
| Admin only | Non-admin users cannot record transactions |
| No edit or delete | Once recorded, manual transactions cannot be modified (record an offsetting transaction instead) |
| No QuickBooks sync | Manual transactions are local to SettleWise — they are not posted to QuickBooks |