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45 Guides Available Quick Start Guide
Learn AI Categorization View Guide
Have Questions? Check the FAQ
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Bill Reminders

Guide 21: Bill Reminders

Never miss a payment with bill tracking

Overview

Bill Reminders help you track due dates and avoid late fees. Unlike scheduled transactions (which auto-create entries), bill reminders alert you when payments are coming due.

What you'll learn:

  • Creating bill reminders
  • Tracking due dates
  • Recording payments
  • Managing recurring bills

Time required: 2 minutes per bill

Creating a Bill Reminder

Step 1: Open Bills

  1. Go to Bills in the sidebar
  2. Click Add Bill

Step 2: Enter Bill Details

Field Description
Payee Who you pay (Electric Co.)
Amount Expected amount (or estimate)
Due Date When payment is due
Frequency How often (Monthly, etc.)
Category Expense category
Account Default payment account

[Screenshot: Add Bill form]

Step 3: Set Reminder

Option Description
Remind before Days before due (3, 7, 14)
Remind on due Alert on due date
Auto-pay Check if auto-paid

Step 4: Save

Click Save Bill

Bills Dashboard

Upcoming Bills

Go to Bills to see:

Bill Due Date Amount Status
Electric Jan 15 ~$120 Due in 5 days
Internet Jan 20 $79 Due in 10 days
Rent Feb 1 $1,500 Upcoming

[Screenshot: Bills dashboard]

Status Indicators

Status Meaning
🟢 Paid This period's payment recorded
🟡 Due Soon Due within reminder period
🔴 Overdue Past due date, not paid
⚪ Upcoming Not yet due

Recording Payments

Mark Bill Paid

  1. Click on bill
  2. Click Record Payment
  3. Enter:
    • Payment date
    • Actual amount
    • Account used
  4. Click Save

Transaction is created automatically.

Quick Pay

From bills list:

  1. Click Pay button next to bill
  2. Confirm details
  3. Transaction created

Managing Bills

Edit Bill

  1. Click bill name
  2. Click Edit
  3. Update details
  4. Save

Pause Bill

For temporary holds:

  1. Open bill
  2. Click Pause
  3. No reminders until resumed

Delete Bill

  1. Select bill
  2. Click Delete
  3. Past payments remain as transactions

Bills vs. Scheduled Transactions

Feature Bills Scheduled Transactions
Creates transactions When you mark paid Automatically
Amount tracking Variable OK Fixed amount
Due date tracking Yes No
Best for Utilities, varying bills Subscriptions, fixed amounts

Dashboard Widget

The Upcoming Bills widget shows:

  • Bills due in next 7-14 days
  • Overdue bills (highlighted)
  • Quick pay actions

Tips & Best Practices

  1. Set up all recurring bills - Rent, utilities, subscriptions
  2. Use realistic estimates - Update when you know actual amount
  3. Check auto-pay status - Mark auto-paid bills accordingly
  4. Review weekly - Process due bills
  5. Record payments promptly - Keep status accurate

What's Next?

Need help? Visit the OtterLedger community at github.com/openledger or check the FAQ.