Coding a transaction means assigning specific codes from the the Chart of Accounts (COA) to classify that financial event (like a sale, purchase, or payment) into the right ledger accounts (assets, expenses, revenue, etc.) and categories (funding sources, programs, etc). This ensures financial statements are accurate, reports are clear, and budgets are trackable.
Get Started
Go to your Transactions list.
Click View on any transaction
At the top of the pop-up you’ll see:
Total amount
Description (e.g., vendor name)
Status (e.g., Success)
Date and time of the transaction
Who initiated the transaction
Who last edited the coding
Working with receipts or documents
Uploading and viewing receipts
Use the Receipt drop zone in the center of the page to drag-and-drop or upload a receipt/invoice.
Once uploaded, the receipt appears on the right side of the screen so you can read it while coding.
If the receipt is taking too much space: Click View (or similar toggle) above the receipt pane to shrink/hide the large preview and return to a more compact coding view.
Downloading receipts
Use the down-arrow icon to download the stored receipt.
This is useful when assembling receipt packets for audits or pulling documentation for multiple transactions.
Code the transaction
Below the receipt area you’ll see a set of fields used to code the transaction:
Ledger account
Funding source
Budget category (if your budgets are set up)
Memo
Custom Tags, for example
Locations
Programs
Here's how to use each of them:
Ledger account dropdown
The ledger account dropdown has more space and is pre-filtered to the most relevant chart of accounts.
For expenses, you’ll typically see only expense accounts by default.
If you need to see all accounts, click “Show all” to view the full chart of accounts.
You can type to search instead of scrolling for the right account.
Funding source dropdown
Funding source name
Dollars remaining for that funding source (if available)
A search bar for organizations with many funding sources
Automated checks and budget pre-filtering
After you select a ledger account and funding source:
ImpactGraph runs a set of checks to validate that you’re coding to expected categories and confirm funding source availability, budget alignment, etc.
If your budgets are configured, the Budget category dropdown will auto-filter to the most relevant category.
Example: if this is a program expense, it may auto-suggest the Program Curriculum budget category.
To set up budgets and automate budget category suggestions, see the separate “How to set up a budget” documentation
Memo field best practices
Always add a clear memo describing the charitable purpose of the transaction.
Align the memo with the intent of the funding source (e.g., “STEM after-school supplies – Spring 2025 cohort”).
Good memos:
Help your fiscal sponsor review coding quickly
Support audits and funder reporting
Reduce back-and-forth clarification emails
Split transactions
Some transactions will need to be split to reflect amounts across different dimensions. This may be helpful for:
Payroll transactions that cover people and contractors working on multiple funding sources
Physical transactions where you bought supplier for multiple programs
If you're having trouble with a split, please check:
The total of all splits equals the full transaction amount
All required fields (e.g., ledger account, funding source) are filled out
Make sure each split has the right coding and tags before saving
Example
For a $42 transaction, you might:
Split 1: $20
Ledger account: Program Expense
Funding source: Grant A
Program: Program 1
Split 2: $22
Ledger account: Program Expense
Funding source: General Program Funds
Program: Program 2
Once all lines are complete and the total equals $42, you’ll be able to click Save.
Coding status icons on the transaction table
We’ve updated the coding icons to better reflect progress, especially when multiple people share coding work.
You may see:
Orange icon
Means the transaction is not coded at all.
Partial coding icon (e.g., a semi-filled pie or percentage)
Means the transaction is partially coded (some fields or splits have been completed, but not all).
Fully coded state
When all required coding is complete and saved, the transaction appears with the success state and without the partial coding warning.
This is designed so that:
If you’re the second person reviewing transactions, you can quickly see:
Which items haven’t been started
Which items are partially done and may need review or completion
FAQ
Q: How do I open the new coding view?
A: From your Transactions list, click View on any transaction. Instead of a side panel, you’ll see a centered pop-up with all transaction details, the receipt area, and coding fields.
Q: Why can’t I click Save on a split transaction?
A: Save is disabled until the sum of all splits matches the full transaction amount and all required fields (like ledger account and funding source) are filled out on each split line.
Q: How do I set up Locations and Programs as tags?
A: Locations and Programs are categories configured for your account. Work with your fiscal sponsor to define the list of locations/programs you want to use. Once set up, they’ll appear as dropdowns in the coding screen.
Q: Can I allocate one transaction to multiple programs or funding sources?
A: Yes. Use the Split section to break a transaction into multiple lines. Each split can have its own ledger account, funding source, programs/locations, and memo, as long as the total equals the transaction amount.
Q: How do I view a receipt while coding?
A: If a receipt it uploaded but you don't see it, click View (or the toggle) to bring out the preview pane.
Q: How do I download receipts for audits?
A: Inside a transaction, click the down-arrow icon to download the stored receipt. For larger audit needs, you can repeat this for relevant transactions to assemble a receipt packet.