How it works
Overview
Censitio is a desktop-first, local app for managing tax transactions. The workflow is simple: Upload your bank CSV/TSV → Review and categorize (rules + optional AI) → Export reports for your records or accountant.
- Local-first: your data is stored in a local database; no account required.
- Learns as you work: Censitio remembers merchants you categorize and auto-applies next time.
- Pro tier adds speed: AI assistance and PDF exports are available on Pro.
1) Upload
- Drag & drop or pick a file (.csv / .tsv)
- Auto-detects delimiter and common column names
- Understands both single Amount or Debit/Credit formats
2) Review
- Rule-based categorization with HMRC-aware categories
- Optional AI assist (Pro) when rules are unsure
- Keyboard-friendly editing and quick filters
3) Export
- CSV and Excel exports (Free)
- Professional PDF report with charts (Pro)
- Clear totals and transaction breakdowns
Import details
- Flexible columns: Date, Description, Amount or Debit/Credit are detected (case-insensitive).
- Sign convention: income stored as positive; expenses stored as negative for consistency.
- Headers it knows: date, transaction date, posting date; description, narrative, memo; amount, value; debit/money out; credit/money in.
Note: duplicate detection is not yet implemented; avoid re-importing the same file.
Categorization
- Rules first: HMRC-aware rules and your learned merchants apply instantly.
- AI assist (Pro): used only when rules are unsure; suggestions show clearly and can be overridden.
- Manual control: edit categories anytime; batch helpers like “Apply to All Similar” reduce repetition.
- Learns as you go: merchant patterns are saved locally to auto-categorize future matches.
Exports
- CSV / Excel (Free): clean, accountant-friendly columns: Date, Description, Amount, Category, Review Flag.
- PDF (Pro): professional report with financial summary and charts.
- Coming soon: HMRC summary, category breakdown, and “All formats (ZIP)”.
Settings, privacy & tiers
- Local-first: data is stored in a local database (`censitio.db`).
- Settings persist: business profile, theme, and preferences are saved to a local JSON.
- Free vs Pro: Free includes rules-based flow; Pro unlocks AI assistance, PDF export, and more.
Tip: You can clear the local database and re-import if you changed sign conventions or want a fresh start.