> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.kualia.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Assigning Money

> How to allocate your income to budget categories

## Overview

Assigning money is the core action in Kualia. When you receive income, it goes into your **Ready to Assign** balance. From there, you distribute it across your budget categories.

{/* <img src="/images/assigning-money-flow.png" alt="Assigning Money Flow" /> */}

## How It Works

### Ready to Assign

Your Ready to Assign (RTA) balance is calculated as:

> **Ready to Assign** = Total Income - Total Assigned Across All Categories

When this number is positive, you have money waiting to be assigned. When it's zero, every dollar has a job. If it's negative, you've over-assigned - you've promised more money to categories than you actually have.

### Assigning to a Category

To assign money to a category:

1. Navigate to the **Budget** view
2. Select the month you want to budget for
3. Click on a category's **Assigned** column
4. Enter the amount you want to assign
5. The category's **Available** balance updates immediately

{/* <img src="/images/assigning-enter-amount.png" alt="Enter Assignment Amount" /> */}

### Moving Money Between Categories

If you overspend in one category, you can move money from another:

1. Reduce the assigned amount in the source category
2. Increase the assigned amount in the destination category

Your total budget stays balanced - you're just reshuffling your envelopes.

## Monthly Assignments

Each category tracks its assigned amount **per month**. This means:

* January's assignments are separate from February's
* You can plan ahead by assigning money to future months
* Available balances roll over from month to month

{/* <img src="/images/assigning-monthly.png" alt="Monthly Assignments" /> */}

## Tips

<Tip>
  Use [targets](/features/targets) to automate your assignment goals. Kualia will tell you how much each category needs
  based on your target settings.
</Tip>

<Tip>
  Assign your most essential categories first (rent, utilities, groceries) before funding discretionary spending.
</Tip>