What?! There’s a new version of YNAB coming? Yes. It’s YNAB 4, and it’s awesome. If you missed the announcement, you can catch it here. We talk about pricing, availability, etc.
This is, without a doubt, the single largest feature we’ve ever added to YNAB. From the user perspective, it “just works”, but from the development side of things it was quite a beast!
Cloud Sync basically lets YNAB on your iPhone or Android talk with YNAB on your desktop at work, or laptop at home, or netbook on the road. We send tiny changes across the wire, minimizing your data usage, and decreasing the time required to sync.
It’s kind of like magic. At least it’s still appearing that way to me after several months of testing.
Having your budget always up to date has been a huge boon for me and my household. Now Julie can see exactly where we stand with the budget (for her, “budget” means Clothes and Groceries). I can punch in a new transaction while I’m out and it will sync with every other device in a matter of seconds.
The sync actually happens so fast you don’t really notice it.
For our first iteration of Cloud Sync, we chose to use the almost-ubiquitous Dropbox service. Their service is free for 2GB of storage, and if you’re just using it for YNAB, you won’t need anywhere near that. Dropbox uses the same encryption your bank uses for sending things securely over the wire.
We may use other data storage services in the future, but honestly, we’re most intrigued with hosting the data ourselves, opening up possibilities I don’t yet want to delve into (a more seamless user experience is one obvious advantage, and not relying on a 3rd party is another, but there are more than that.) Taylor, YNAB’s lead developer, wrote a very thorough forum post re: the support for Google Drive, iCloud, SugarSync, YourFavoriteDataInTheCloudProvider, Local Networks, etc. I’d encourage you to check that out if you have questions about why we went with dropbox, or where the other services stand.
Um, set up is really easy. Once you’ve installed Dropbox, you’ll fire up YNAB 4 and go through a set up wizard, which is code for “click two buttons.”
We then make sure Dropbox is installed (on my machine, it is) and then present you with a final button to push:
Once that’s done…you’re done. You’ll be able to open your budget and it will be sitting in your computer’s Dropbox/YNAB folder.
You can then fire up a YNAB mobile app and walk through a lightning fast setup there.
Personal Experience
Just a few thoughts regarding my own personal experience as I’ve used the Cloud Sync functionality. It’s a game-changer. I regret underestimating the impact it would positively have on my budgeting workflow. (Just like I underestimated the impact having it on my phone would have on my finances overall.)
I know there are some of you that don’t want any financial data in the cloud, at all. That’s totally fine. Everyone has varying levels of comfort when it comes to technology and their data. You don’t have to use Cloud Sync. You can still sync locally on your wireless networks with your mobile app, and should be just fine. You can even pick and choose which budgets are cloud synced, and which are not.
If you ever want to turn off Cloud Sync, you go to preferences, and click that big, sad, red button:
At any rate, enjoy Cloud Sync. Thanks for your patience as we worked tirelessly on this feature. It was a lot of work and will now be in your hands very shortly :)
Frequently Asked Questions Re: Cloud Sync
Will I have to use Cloud Sync?
Nope. It’s optional.
I’m already using dropbox to sync my YNAB 3 data, how is this any different?
- It works seamlessly with the mobile apps.
- You can have your YNAB file open on all devices simultaneously (no more worrying about conflicted copies in Dropbox).
- It works without an internet connection. Meaning, if you’re offline, you can add/edit transactions to your heart’s content, and when do come back online, everything will “catch back up.”
YNAB 3 doesn’t allow multiple people to edit the same file at the same time. If you and your spouse open the same Dropbox file at the same time, and you both make edits, and both shut down YNAB, only one set of your changes will “win”. The others will be lost. Dropbox will tell you that the files are in conflict and you’ll have to choose to keep one file or the other. The same is true if you open the file at home, and then open it at work. Both computers are editing the file and might potentially be stomping on the changes the other computer has made.
In YNAB 4, multiple people can edit the file at the same time from multiple desktops and mobile devices, and the changes, as you make them, show up immediately on the other device. No more wondering, “Did I leave YNAB open at work/home?” No more hoping that your spouse isn’t currently working in the file. It’s been re-architected from the ground up to support sharing like this.
Will I have to purchase a new mobile app that works with Cloud Sync?
Nope. The mobile apps will be free updates (they’ve received a few other niceties beyond just Cloud Sync, but Cloud Sync is 90% of the changes you’ll see). Our iPhone app still is waiting for Apple’s review, even though we submitted it now about a week ago. We’re hoping they’ll give us the thumbs up by Tuesday. (We’ve asked for an expedited review twice, and have been denied twice.) The Android app isn’t subject to review :)
Does the desktop app need to be running in order for my Phone to work?
Nope. The data sits in the cloud independent of any device. If you work with an Android and your spouse works with an iPhone, they’ll both stay in sync with each other in real time.
Will the data stored in the Cloud be encrypted?
As the data is sent back and forth from device to device, it will be encrypted using industry-standard SSL technology (same tech your bank uses for your online banking). The data will not be stored encrypted. You can read more about Dropbox security here.
What data is stored in my YNAB file?
Obviously, YNAB stores what you put in it, so if you type the location of the buried treasure in a memo or note field, that goes in there. However, we aren’t storing bank account numbers and the like without encryption. If you import from your bank, YNAB does need to remember some bank account info so it can remember which account you imported your bank file to, but when it does that, it encrypts the number before storing it. (For you knowledgeable types, it’s hashing it with a unique salt). It will obviously be a personal decision on whether or not to use the cloud. We just didn’t want you to get the impression that your YNAB data was a sea of bank account numbers.
Everyone has different comfort levels as it comes to data be stored in the cloud, which is why we’ve made it optional.
I don’t have Dropbox, so how do I do this?
We walk you through it in the software. It’s really easy.
I want to use [insert favorite cloud sync data service] because [insert reason].
First, the reasons we chose Dropbox:
- Lots of people already use it.
- Free (at least for the amount of data YNAB needs to store).
- Well-known.
- Secure
- Easy to work with as programmers from both the desktop and mobile side of things.
- Easy to work with for YNAB users.
You can still use your favorite cloud service if you want to simply have a shared folder for two different desktop machines. You’ll get everything we offer with Cloud Sync currently (conflict resolution, working on both machines simultaneously, etc.) except the phones need the API, so they’ll only work with Dropbox.
Sure do appreciate how thoughtful you have been, Jesse, in developing and propagating YNAB into a stable, usable and primarily functional tool to help families live well and live wisely. This new version with cloud syncing is much anticipated and I expect will be well worth the wait.
Thank you. You are doing great work.
Michael
As a developer, I can imagine the architectural changes you needed to make to support this feature. This is just about the only complaint I had about the application. Your developers are
amazing! Thanks for this update!
I’m trying to convince Taylor to write a blog post about the tech behind it, actually. It’s pretty unbelievable. Taylor unabashedly calls it the best work of his career thus far.
I would be very interested in such a little bit of explanation from Taylor, since I’m researching similar types of cloud-based architectures as part of my research at BYU. But for engineering applications.
Maybe Taylor can dispute this with me, but I’ve used amazon’s S3 service directly before (I’m also a developer), and S3 allows you as the app writer to set the data to be stored encrypted. The link you gave regarding dropbox’s security had a “for advanced users” section, in that section there is another link to https://www.dropbox.com/help/7/en which explains how dropbox actually stores the data on S3. Dropbox says in that description, “All files stored online by Dropbox are encrypted and kept securely…” So unless you had something special worked out with dropbox for file storage our YNAB files are encrypted during transport and also encyrpted on the cloud storage at Amazon. Only place they wouldn’t be encrypted is on our devices :-)
Ryan, thanks very much for that link. Sounds right to me. (No dispute here!) Expect to see me linking there soon in some of my forum posts. :)
The data may be encrypted on the AWS backend but I think the main issue (and current controversy) with drop box is the fact that they control the keys to that storage encryption not you. As a result if they are requested to hand over your data (assuming due legal process has been followed) they will oblige as any law abiding organisation would. To their credit they make this clear on their website etc. Personally I am not that fussed – if the US government want to see how much I spend on groceries then they are obviously having a quite month ;).
However If you plan to extend this cloud sync offering to your own servers then please consider developing it in such a way that encryption occurs locally before transit (Pre-Internet encryption – PIE). Either through using local keys are some form of localized key / password pair. Designing it this way would satisfy the ultra paranoid amongst us and doesn’t put you (YNAB) in the compromising position of being ‘requested’ to handover clients financial data as for all intents and purposes for you it is random bits and bytes. You could even base it off of AWS at the backend if you wanted still. I would encourage you to explore this further as it would open up a new revenue model (small monthly/annual charge for secure cloud sync – maybe pay slightly more for perpetual upgrades for life of active subscription).
I don’t have a need for cloud sync now but can I get it at a later time?
Yep, you can turn it on at any time (and also turn syncing on or off for a particular budget at any time).
I’ve synced with dropbox from start of using YNAB. I’m happy with it, so i’m very excite with cloud synce of YNAB 4. Some idea of technology, why don’t you use SQLite instead of XML for data file? Personally, I think it more secure with compact size, and faster query when data grow up.
I may be wrong, b/c I’m no developer, but I believe we use json now instead of XML. I’ll ping the devs to answer this one though :)
Hey Tuan,
We used JSON It was for a number of reasons, but the main one is that it’s so easy for all of the devices to read. All of the devices end up reading it in and storing it in various formats anyway, and the desktop just keeps the data model in memory, so the load time is relatively negligible.
This looks like a great improvement!
I may have to pick up the mobile now :)
I’ve been looking forward to this feature because of the, “Uh-oh, did I leave YNAB running at work?” problem you spoke of. No more conflicted copies, huzzah! Thanks Jesse, Taylor, and team, for bringing this feature to life. :)
This is probably a no brainer, but I’m using …../YNAB as the folder name on my dropbox account now. Do you advise that I change it before starting the new version, or will that happen automatically?
I look forward to the new version. It sounds great.
Mark
Hi Mark,
YNAB 4 uses a folder called “YNAB” inside your Dropbox folder by default. It won’t matter if there ends up being a mix of YNAB 3 and YNAB 4 files in there. I don’t think you need to do anything different.
WIll the android app be compatible with Kindle Fire – I choose not to have a “smart” phone so run I the android apps on Kindle Fire when compatible.
Not out of the gate. We have other android priorities before we branch a version for the Kindle Fire.
I am unbelievably ex ites. Can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Quick question: if I already use Dropbox with YNAB 3, when I upgrade, will YNAB 4 use the same folder that’s already created or will I have to create a new file?
YNAB 4 uses a folder called “YNAB” in your Dropbox folder by default. So if that’s the folder you already use, it will use the same one. When YNAB 4 converts your YNAB 3 budget into its new format, it makes a copy of the file, so it doesn’t really matter where your YNAB 3 file is currently stored. It will store it in its default cloud sync folder.
This is excellent news! Having paid for your software, I had been putting off using it (mostly head-in-the-sand “if I can’t see it, it can’t bankrupt me” type sentiment), but this pretty much removes my last self-justification excuse of it being too much hassle!
Thanks!
/sarcasm on/ GREAT! NOW I am going to have to upgrade to a smart phone and budget an extra $30/month for the privilege of using it! /sarcasm off/
On the totally plus side, maybe I will keep up with entering my transactions!
WAIT! What about using an iPod Touch? It’s like an iPhone without the telephony features. It uses the same OS as the iPhone. It has apps, too! It can connect to the Internet thru a Wi-Fi connection!
But it doesn’t have a celluar plan that would co$t an extra $30+ per month! THAT could fit my budget!
If it worked, I could enter my transactions at the Point-of-Purchase (so it got done!), and then the iPod Touch could upload the transactions the next time I got a Wi-Fi connection, like at home or work.
Would an iPod Touch work instead of an iPhone or an Android phone?
I am using an iPhone instead of an iPod Touch, but the iPod Touch will work as well. There are plenty of folks who have posted on the boards that they are currently running the mobile app on iPod Touch with YNAB3.
Hey Mike, it’ll definitely work w/ an iPad touch. Transactions will shoot up to the cloud right when it gets a wi-fi connection, just as you described.
YNAB Team,
I want the thank the YNAB team for really listening to the customer. The improvements from YNAB3 to YNAB4 are amazing.
Great job YNAB team!!!!!!!!!!
One very satisfied YNAB customer
Jeff
I’m confused about one thing on this Cloud Sync – I have a dropbox account. Hubs has a dropbox account – how does his phone talk to the file in my dropbox? (I’m a bit clueless about how dropbox actually works.)
Not a YNAB employee or developer, but I would think you would just share the Dropbox folder with your “hubs”.
A shared folder between both Dropbox accounts is indeed the answer. That was addressed in a forum post by one of the beta testers who had done it, but I wasn’t able to find the exact post to reference it in this reply.
You’ll be able to share a folder between your dropbox account, and your husband’s. We’ll have some good how-to articles for slightly more advanced setups like that :)
I can’t wait for that. Couple-sync is the #1 reason I’m so excited for this.
This is a definite need in my household! I’m really excited that you’ve already got it figured out how to do this!!!! Hope to see that article very soon!
This is one of the features I missed most when I decided to go with YNAB… SOOO glad it’s included now!!! We’ll both use the app now much more with it automatically updating!! That will save me time with the main software!
Now if there were a nice iPad app for this… Yeah, I know the one for the iPhone works. I just keep hoping for a full iPad version announcement. =)
Hi Matt, now that YNAB 4 is out the door, we’ll be able to start on iPad development. It will mean an entirely rethought UI, workflow, etc. It’s the next “big thing” for us.
That is great news…I only turn on my laptop to budget. Hubby laughs at me when he sees me pulling out the old laptop! iPad on the other hand…is always out and on it 10 times a day easy! Would be so nice to do my budget on there instead of breaking out the laptop!
Super excited for YNAB 4!! WOOT WOOT.
Does this mean that being able to split transactions on the Android app version is a “little thing” that will come about soon? Seems like a lot of really good changes coming our way! Can’t wait for Tuesday personally. I have not gone to the mobile version as of yet due to the sync issue (which is now resolved!) and the other is the main reason I would want a mobile version would be for splitting transactions (still waiting!).
Thanks again for a great program from a long time user,
Christine
Please support wuala too. They also have mobile clients and API’s and they encrypt everything that even themself can’t decript a file. Dropbox was open for every file for a few ours about a year ago, so if you don’t encrypt the account data, something like Wuala can fullfil every of your needs and is a lot more secure.
I agree. Wuala is one of the few providers that encrypts your stuff before you put in on the web. Dropbox, SugarSync and the others (except for SpiderOak, I believe) do not take the same precautions that Wuala does when it comes to actually storing the data.
I am a little nervous about putting all my financial data in the cloud unencrypted with Dropbox in light of their past problems. Add to that the fact they readily acknowledge there could be a need for them to turn your data over to a third party in the future.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the cloud sync feature and it works great. It’s just that, for me, security is a really big deal.
It seems to me you should pick the most secure and promote their use in a financial area, not necessarily just the most popular.
Thanks.
Mike.
If you use the cloud, does it make YNAB unusable if the internet is down or does it do something like “batch up” your changes for when the internet is still available so you can still use it?
Yeah it’ll just catch up once an Internet connection is available.
Is it Tuesday yet!!!
Great feature!! Are there any plans for a windows mobile or mobile web (I notice your site has responsive css… So skills in house?) version?
We do have plans for a mobile version. iPad first priority though.
iPad first priority!? Woohoo!!! That’s great news. Can’t wait!
Currently I actually use YNAB on my iPad with splash top to stream it over from my pc. That also means its 1024×768. Looking forward to an app.
Is an iPad version currently planned? Having YNAB available on my iPad with cloud sync would be super sweet…
Planned, yes. Started, no. We will start once the YNAB 4 dust settles. I plan to make the iPad development much more public than we did with YNAB 4. Pendulum swinging the other direction, that type of thing.
Sweet. I find myself putting down my MacBook Pro down more and more and just take my iPad everywhere. These new mobile platforms are really becoming more powerful and in the very near future people will demand more and more of them. An iPad version of YNAB will be an absolute killer, since I could take the full power of YNAB everywhere. Please make the wait worthwhile. :-)
Hopefully a tablet optimized android version is in the works alongside an ipad version ;).
Couple questions:
1) I currently use AxCrypt to encrypt my budget file in my DropBox folder. Will the synching work with an encrypted file. If so, it’s the simple solution.
2) If the AxCrypt solution won’t work (or even if it will) is there a way to disable synching if my wife should happen to lose her iPhone…again.
Sounds like an exciting release- great work!!
The syncing definitely won’t work with an encrypted file. (It’s not really a “file” but a collection of files now…Taylor and the other devs would know more there.) There isn’t a way to remotely de-register a device. I would probably rely on the iPhone’s tech itself, where you can remotely flush all data on a phone if it’s lost.
“Uh, excuse me, Mr. President. That’s not entirely accurate.” Just to quote from Independence Day ;)
Dropbox allows you to remove a app’s authorization on their web site. This would disable Dropbox access on all mobile devices for this app, and you’d have to re-link your Dropbox account to grant access again. However, this has no impact on data stored on the device. It just disables the sync with Dropbox.
Excellent. I stand corrected :)
I have dropbox on my kindle fire would ynab 4 dropbox work with kindle fire
When we release an Android Kindle version, then it would work. You don’t technically need the Dropbox app itself. We use the API.
I have the YNAB app on my iPhone but only use it when on vacation because I never feel like bothering with sync process on a frequent basis. Now I may actually start using it at the point of purchase. I’m also looking forward to the new reports and the ability to export a specific group of transactions. Thanks for listening!
I currently use YNAB 3 on linux – installed via WINE. I tried the wireless sync with the android app and could not get it to work so I promptly refunded the app as it was useless without syncing to the desktop (you only get a 15 minute window for refunds so couldn’t mess about). Do you know whether the sync to drop box feature will work with YNAB4 installed on linux through WINE? – if so I am definitely buying the mobile app ;).
It’s great to hear that YNAB 4 will enable access to the cloud. I kept thinking that this is what I needed. Thank you!
When I put dropbox on my iMac Air it put a password on the computer and I was locked out. 45 min with Apple support to get into my own computer. Finally Apple had to reset my computer so I could get into it. I don’t want or need a password for my computer but even now the computer will ask for one. Every time I turn on the computer I am reminded about my piss off at dropbox. No! get your own cloud and make this work automatically like the iPad, iPhone, iPod, iMac. If they can do it so can you.
You don’t have to install the drop box program. Just use the website and login from there. That’s all I do and I’ve had no problems.
good luck.
All these announcements are great but for some reason I have a bad taste in my mouth because you let us sync to the cloud but not TO OUR BANKS!
I will have so much needless extra time wasted because of that decision. So much!!
All these announcements are great but for some reason I have a bad taste in my mouth because you let us sync to the cloud but not TO OUR BANKS!
I will have so much needless extra time wasted because of that decision. So much!!
I’ve been begging for both those so at least this is a start. I wish you guys would just merge with mint.com already. This is the one reason I hesitate to recommend YNAB to people (besides cloud sync).
Mint.com is owned by “Big Brother” Intuit. Merging with Intuit = YNAB being discontinued and everyone goes back to Quicken. Did you realize this?
Secondly, _Really?_ Mint.com? Do you really trust ALL of your personal financial data with Intuit? You know they are examining it to find additional revenue sources for themselves. With that much Intuit oversight, you are subject to their control. Haven’t you noticed that you have been pitched a variety of products and services from them already because of your sharing your personal data with Mint.com?
I’m not sure which is worse: giving up your privacy to Intuit (thru Mint.com) or giving up your privacy to Google (thru their Google apps, including gmail). Either way, you are publishing your life for examination and scrutiny, potential criticism, and control.
My advice: keep your private life PRIVATE by getting out of Mint.com now. And stop trying to ruin YNAB for the rest of us. We want to continue to enjoy our freedom and personal power that results from using YNAB. Stop trying to get YNAB dissolved into an Intuit acquisition.
Security issues need to be addressed,but it’d still be worth it, so I’m far from stopping talking about it because it has a huge impact on my life and my experience with YNAB.
Mint.com’s budgeting is abysmal. Same with quicken, MS money, and even mvelopes.
I don’t mean mixing with mint.com is literally the only solution. Maybe YNAB coud license their system to individual banks to use on their website. There is obviously something very appealing to people about being able to manage and budget your money with instantly accurate data from the bank.
Most banks don’t want you to budget accurately though – they make their money when you overspend, or when you use the credit card to spend more than you can pay back in one hit.
Could be, but both of my banks, USAA and AmericaFirst Credit Union, have pretty robust budgeting programs integrated right into their website.
They aren’t as well thought out as YNAB by any stretch, but they show they do show a pretty impressive amount of effort to have something for their customers to use.
What I don’t like is banks luring customers to import other accounts from different banks, so the bank can then target marketing toward the consumer. By marketing I mean mainly loans. Keep you forever in debt by tempting the refi constantly. At Finovate Spring this year it was an alarming trend. One team that offered a Personal Finance Management application that installed onto banks online banking systems started their presentation with (verbatim): “We increase your loan volume.”
Oops double posted some of that. Sorry.
All this aside, sorry to fill up so much space with something negative. I’m actually really excited about YNAB 4. I think cloud sync will change so much, and I can’t wait to see all the improvements you guys made.
Thanks to Jesse and the rest of the guys for all the hard work. I’ll be one of the first to put down $40 on Tuesday.
I haven’t seen this question addressed anywhere. I’m wondering if you choose to go the old fashioned local wireless sync (to not use the cloud) if it will work the old fashioned way, or the new way? In other words will the transactions move seemlessly as they do with the cloud sync, or will they move the old fashioned way of just entering new transactions on the app, and pushing back up the whole budget to the app?
Cloud sync is what lets your budget be updated on the fly. If you don’t choose to use it, then you don’t get the benefits of it (although there’s lots more in YNAB 4 than just the cloud sync).
That means if you choose not to enable cloud sync, you have to use the current, manual, method of Wi-Fi sync.
YES!!!!!!!
Oh my gosh I am so excited this is coming! I have actually adopted mint.com because of cloud sync capabilities so much easier but I don’t like it. It’s not as powerful of a tool for budgeting! YNAB is the way to go and now that cloud sync is coming, I’m super excited!!!
Thanks for all the hard work you and your teams put into this!!! Can’t wait!
Bring it on. I’m ready.
I have been behind on doing YNAB bookkeeping for 8 months or so, don’t know anything about dropbox, but am curious why people would be entering transactions on the fly, isn’t it much easier to download transactions from the bank(s)? Would that be any easier using the upgrade?
Downloading from your bank won’t be any easier using YNAB 4 over YNAB 3. However, entering transactions on the fly is, from a psychological/behavior-change standpoint, far superior. I can only speak from my only personal experience of doing this. It was a game-changer for me with my personal finances. There’s something very good about having you check your budget while out, and record the transaction against that specific category balance, letting yourself mull over the decision a bit before pulling the trigger.
So will there be a firesale on the YNAB Android app to commemorate the release of YNAB4 ?
I assume the Android app will be compatible with 4.0? I’ve been considering a phone upgrade. Thanks.
Yep yep. In-depth blog post coming soon re: all things mobile for YNAB.
If all transactions are entered at point of purchase (or point-to-point payment), is it necessary to also download the bank transactions as part of reconciliation; and if so, can it be done without having to manually choose between each downloaded and entered transaction?
Also, when will the android be able to handle split transactions, and is there any other feature missing that would require processing some things on another device?
Yeah I’d like to know that too – I wouldn’t want to wade through duplicates from my live processing as it happens on the mobile app and then download my bank data and import to the YNAB desktop software to find everything duplicated… but I’m sure you thought about that?!
If you’re already staying up to date with your phone at the point of sale, importing your bank statement will basically have those bank transactions match to the ones you’ve already entered through your phone (this is my workflow). So I select them all, and do a bulk “Accept” operation. (I skim them to make sure the matches are legitimate.) It’s a final check to make sure I haven’t missed transactions — especially those that happen automatically, where there is no POS (utility bill, insurance payments, etc.)
As long as your accounts balance properly there is no need to download statements.
I use Ynab on a desktop and Android device. My desktop does not have internet…so I guess cloud sync is out for me? :(
Yeah, you’d definitely want an internet connection for your desktop.
Installed dropbox in my user profile on my Win7 laptop, fired up YNAB 4 and set up cloud sync.
Installed drop box in my wife’s user profile on the SAME laptop (different device name though), then enabled cloud sync for the same budget file.
*Accidentally* left YNAB 4 open in both user profiles only to discover that each instance of the application was happily updating the other in both directions.
Impressive work guys!
I’m excited for when the iOS app is finally released, but Jesse/Support team, is there a workaround for this particular issue:
I have two budgets, a personal budget and a joint budget I use with my spouse (we handle our own finances). We currently use Dropbox to share the joint budget and save our own budget in our own computer. We would both like to use iOS to sync our personal budgets but NOT our joint budget (since…we don’t ‘share’ our personal budgets in the same folder as the joint one in dropbox).
How would we accomplish this — sync our own budgets individually and still ‘share’ a file (YNAB doesn’t allow non-cloud budgets to be saved in dropbox folders).
Any help would be great…!
Francis,
Do you and your spouse use different Dropbox accounts? In that case, just make sure that your personal file is in your Dropbox, but not in the shared folder that you’re using with your spouse. You’ll have to manually move your personal .ynab4 folder into another Dropbox folder using Mac Finder or Windows Explorer. Once you’ve moved it, go into YNAB, and go to File->Open. Find and open your personal budget, which will notify the other devices where they can find it.
If you and your spouse have the same dropbox account, you won’t be able to have a file that is available to cloud sync for only one of you. The other thing you can do of course is agree not to open the other spouse’s budget :)
Does that help? We have a KB article that includes a section “how do I share my budget with someone” to cover the case where you have different dropbox accounts but still want to share a budget: http://www.youneedabudget.com/support/article/cloud-sync
I didn’t know there was an article on it. I’ll try it out once the YNAB iOS app comes out, hope apple speeds up!
Let me know if I got this right…
- Set both budgets to ‘cloud sync’, which places both in the same “../dropbox/ynab” folder and share that folder with my spouse.
- Manually move my personal.ynab4 file into a separate (not shared) “…dropbox/…” folder via finder/explorer.
- Open my personal.ynab4 file using the menu and iOS YNAB should allow me to select whether I want to sync my personal or joint file to my phone?
Do I have that right?
Sounds right to me!
Success! Now if only Apple could get their act together and get the app approved so I can actually see if it worked…
Keep up the great work!
I’m a little bit sorry I looked at this post and all these comments as they’re totally overwhelming and scaring me. I’m not complaining, just wondering if I’m smart enough to use YNAB 4. I don’t know what synching is, have only a very vague understanding of the cloud, and don’t have a smart phone. Will there be lots of tutorials with YNAB 4 for — ahem — more mature users? :)
Well, the really cool thing about the sync is that is SUPER easy to set up. That was actually one of the things that made it kind of tough to build :)
When will Android app be able to split transactions?
It’s our #1 priority feature at the moment. I can’t give an ETA (I’d be wrong if I did), but know that we’re working hard on it!
I’m trying YNAB on linux using WINE. It works good except for the cloud sync part. Since I’m used to be making many of the configurations on my system “by hand”, I would like to know exactly what does the “Activate Cloud Sync” process do, since it does not work well on linux as it expect me to install dropbox for windows, but I have dropbox already installed on my ubuntu system. I really want to be able to use this sync feature. Thanks!
I just made it. Just needed to move YNAB folder inside my dropbox folder, and then point the application there. Worked just fine and is syncing with YNAB on my android!