YNAB You Need A Budget

[barnabycourt]

Hi, I am reposting here since it was posted under the general discussion originally. I would really like a preference option to disable showing the account balances on the home screen. From a privacy/security standpoint it makes me very nervous to have all my balances available for the world to see looking over my shoulder when I am entering transactions out in the world. Regards,

Barnaby

[Joel]

Someone else mentioned they will be running ynab lite and the regular app, this way they can open the lite version if concerned about privacy. I thought that was a very cool *temporary* fix.

[barnabycourt]

Hi Joel, I'll give ynab lite a shot and look forward to when the full app is updated with the feature as well. Thanks!

[Kate_NYC]

Thanks, <b>barnabycourt</b>, for reposting here!

<b>Joel</b>, I dig the idea of running both Full and Lite version on my iPhone, as that is my current workaround; however, the bummer is that the Lite version does not have GEO.

<b>Moderator</b>, if you'd like to merge the threads -- /forum/iphone-f77/ability-hide-account-balances-rotate-landscape-t17231

[darnellk]

+1

For me, these balances are completely meaningless because I have off-budget accounts including my mortgage, lines of credit, savings, etc. Because these can be in the 10's to 100's of thousands it does not help when making small purchases. Why would I want to see my net worth on my iPhone? I realize others may not include these in their off-budget accounts, but then shouldn't it be optional?

[polymers]

+1 for me as well.

Definitely would like to be able to hide the balances. I enter my transactions as quickly as I can after purchase ( so I don't forget). Be nice not to display my balances for everyone to see.

[mergedplot]

From an astetic standpoint, I think it would be cool to have the budget and accounts buttons in more of a touch friendly size/location, with one MASSIVE "Add Transaction" button top dead center. The main page screen is nice, but certainly doesn't use all the real estate. Maybe just a great big circle with "ADD" in the middle...

That said, this is definitely picky and the app is the best app on iTunes.

[darnellk]

I'm having trouble remembering the first version now, but I believe you would just switch between Accounts, Budget, and Settings at the bottom like many other apps, and this seemed to work just fine as you could quickly switch between options without having to go back and forth to the home screen all the time. I vote to bring that back.

[jmbv1112]

Me too. I'd love to not have to try to hide my screen every time I go to enter a transaction.

[macaddiict]

I actually signed up specifically to request this same feature: I have all my accounts in YNAB and it makes me look like a baller when I pull up the app and see all those dollar signs. However, those dollars are all budgeted away and not for use. OFTEN, I am forced to just keep the receipt in my pocket and add the transaction later because I don't want friends/family/coworkers/etc. seeing my balances and walking away with some idea in their head.

Please consider this simple tweak! Even if it is just an option that allows the app to open directly into "add transaction" mode -- which is all most of us use the iPhone app for, I'd imagine.

Thanks!

[Patzer]

I actually signed up specifically to request this same feature: I have all my accounts in YNAB and it makes me look like a baller when I pull up the app and see all those dollar signs. However, those dollars are all budgeted away and not for use. OFTEN, I am forced to just keep the receipt in my pocket and add the transaction later because I don't want friends/family/coworkers/etc. seeing my balances and walking away with some idea in their head.

Please consider this simple tweak! Even if it is just an option that allows the app to open directly into "add transaction" mode -- which is all most of us use the iPhone app for, I'd imagine.

Thanks!

While we're waiting for something like this to happen . . .

At times I will open the app (in private) and navigate to my budget favorites, then put the app into the background. That way, when I open it again it's pointing at budget favorites. So someone looking over my shoulder could see that I have $45 left in the Food category and $30 left in the Dining category, but wouldn't see the total account balances that include the rather large e-fund category.

Then I can add transactions right from that screen, which has all the categories I need for over 90% of my on-the-go transactions. Once in a while, I'll have to navigate to the full budget list of categories; but I won't have to navigate to accounts to enter transactions.

Not perfect, but it's what we have to work with right now.

Patzer

[agg97]

You could also use the YNABLite app for such instances. It only has the budget side of things, but you can still add transactions.

[Cybertrail]

I specifically logged into the forum tonight to plead for the removal of aggregate balances on the opening screen. I think all users of YNAB would unanimously agree that the aggregate balance of accounts and the aggregate balance of the budget constitutes useless information and need not be available from the App let alone part of the splash screen. I see no good that can come from it.

My preference would be to open right to the "new transaction" screen however, since I understand others may disagree and want to open to the budget screen, I recognize I might not get that wish. If you are going to keep the opening screen with the three options (without aggregate balances) then I recommend the buttons be taller (or spaced out more vertically) such that they take up more of the screen. My hands are often full and that splash screen really is all about getting to the section of the app one wants to go.

Thanks for the great app. While this issue is important enough to get me online.... It id does not nullify other great aspects of the app (namely cloud sync)

[samuelbritt]

My preference would be to open right to the "new transaction" screen however, since I understand others may disagree and want to open to the budget screen, I recognize I might not get that wish.

Either one of these would be better than the current opening screen. I agree with you, I'd like to see the opening screen changed not because of a privacy concern, but simply from a usability standpoint.

[Turf_Hacker]

I would also like to see the total balances removed from the splash screen. As one of the YNAB teachers, I see some of these things more in terms of what areas typically create confusion rather than my own preferences. The total category balance (whether in the desktop software or the mobile apps) is definitely one of these. From the viewpoint of "what do I need to know to successfully operate my budget", the total category balance adds no value. What I really need to know is the amount in my individual categories.

I also don't personally gain any real value from seeing my total account balances in the mobile app. To me the mobile app works best for two things: checking category balances before making the purchase and entering transactions on the go.

I will disagree with opening straight to the add transaction screen (and I know some will disagree) because I would prefer to see the app encourage checking the category balance before making the purchase. Opening straight to the add transaction screen would tend to discourage this by opening with the transaction entry screen. Yes, I know that tapping the category will let me see the category list and includes the category balance but if you're using geo-aware payees you will likely be at the right payee with the category you want already selected. If it were to open to anything other than the splash screen, I would prefer that it be the budget screen.