A few simple rules.
Use & safety · September 12, 2026
A planning tool, not a bank
Personal Finance Tracker organizes what you enter. It does not move money, pay creditors, connect to banks or verify your bank balance. Recording a payment means you are recording something you already paid. Approving a plan does not execute payments.
Check important numbers
Safe-to-Spend, debt payoff and recovery dates are estimates based on entered records and assumptions. Missing bills, delayed income, fees, interest methods or outdated balances can change the result. A negative Safe-to-Spend amount means a shortfall, not money available. Check your real accounts and upcoming obligations before spending.
Payment priorities are explanations, not promises
The Shortfall Planner uses the priorities and consequences you enter. It cannot know a creditor’s rules, stop an automatic debit, guarantee that a partial payment will be accepted, or prevent a late fee. Contact the creditor when you need an arrangement. The app is not individualized financial, legal, tax or credit advice.
Keep your tracker private
Use only accounts and Sheets you are authorized to access. Share the website link with friends so they can create their own tracker. Share your household Sheet only with the specific spouse you want to have access. Never publish your financial Sheet or make it accessible to anyone with the link.
Keep recoverable records
Use the app to edit tracker records, and download private backups when needed. Do not sort, delete or edit the app’s internal Sheet tables: they are used to reconstruct your change history. If an update is uncertain, reconnect and check its status before submitting it again. If another person saved first, refresh and review the latest records.
Internet, Google and installation
Saving and reopening Google records require an internet connection and permission from Google. Installing the web app includes its safe icon but does not eliminate Google sign-in, device confirmation or the need to reconnect after a session ends. A saved icon is not an offline copy of your financial records.
During release testing
If Google limits sign-in to listed testers, do not distribute the app as generally available. Test with made-up amounts until the publisher confirms connected saving, recovery, sharing and both phone platforms. The public sample uses in-memory data and does not save a Google Sheet.