Using the Calculator: An Overview

March 10 2025 10:37pm • Est. Read Time: 3 MIN

Learn how to run calculations right in YNAB, without the need for a separate calculator. Make calculations in your budget and account registers on our iOS, Android, and web platforms.

Links with a ↗️ icon will open in a new tab.

 How to Use the Calculator in Your Budget and Accounts   

  •  Web
  •  iOS
  •  Android

The math icon is available any time you select the Inflow or Outflow fields in the account register, or the Assigned column on the budget page. You can click the icon to select an operator (or just type it!) and voilà—inline calculations!

In Your Budget:

  1. Click into the Assigned column for a category.

  2. Click the math icon button to select the specific operator or type of calculations you want to do (✚, ➖, ✖️, ➗) or you can type the operator signs with your keyboard. 

  3. Type the appropriate numbers. 

  4. Push Enter or Return on your keyboard to complete the calculation.

In Your Account Register:

  1. Click into either the Inflow or Outflow field of a transaction in your account register. The math icon button will appear in the field.

  2. Click the math icon button to select the specific operator or type of calculations you want to do (✚, ➖, ✖️, ➗) or you can type the operator signs with your keyboard. 

  3. Type the appropriate numbers.

  4. Push Enter or Return on your keyboard to complete the calculation.

 Calculating Split Transactions   

You'll also have these symbols when adding transactions ↗️. When entering a split transaction, the calculator buttons only works on a single line, so you'll still have to calculate split transactions separately.

Back to Top

  1. When you select a category or enter a transaction, a number pad will appear with minus (➖), plus (✚), and equal (🟰) options on the right to adjust your Assigned amount to your heart's content.

  2. Tap the symbols to add or subtract, enter the amount, and you'll find a preview of the calculation you've entered appear in the category Assigned column.

  3. To review the impact on the Assigned column, tap equal.

  4. You can cancel the change by selecting X in the bottom left of the number pad. To proceed with the change, make sure to save the changes by tapping Done and your budget will update!

 Moving Money and Calculating Transactions   

You'll also have these symbols when moving money ↗️ and entering the amount of a single-category transaction ↗️. The symbols aren't available when entering a split transaction on iOS.

In Your Categories:

  1. When you select a category, a number pad will appear with minus (➖), plus (✚), and equal (🟰) options on the right to adjust your Assigned amount to your heart's content.

  2. Tap the symbols to add or subtract, enter the amount, and you'll find a preview of the calculation you've entered appear in the category Assigned column.

  3. To review the impact on the Assigned column, tap equal.

  4. You can cancel the change by selecting X in the bottom left of the number pad. To proceed with the change, make sure to save the changes by tapping Done and your budget will update!

In Your Account Register:

  1. When you enter or edit a transaction, a number pad will appear with minus (➖), plus (✚), multiplication (✖️), division (➗), and equal (🟰) options on the right to adjust the transaction amount to your heart's content.

  2. Tap the symbols to add, subtract, multiply, divide, or enter the amount.

  3. To review the impact on the transaction amount, tap equal.

  4. You can cancel the transaction by selecting X in the upper left of the screen, or you can tap the backspace option to delete the amount. To proceed with the change, make sure to save the changes by tapping Done and your budget will update!

 Moving Money and Calculating Transactions   

You'll also have these symbols when moving money ↗️ and entering the amount of a single-category transaction ↗️. The symbols aren't available when entering a split transaction on Android.

Help Us Help You!

Our Knowledge Base team reviews article feedback responses weekly, and we actively revise these articles to make them as helpful as possible. That's where you come in! Our articles are scored based on the Yes or No ratings received below. We also collect freeform feedback for any No ratings (so our team can focus in on what you were specifically searching for!).

Success: Found what you were searching for? It would be super helpful if you click Yes below.

Suggestions: Didn't find what you're searching for and you'd like to share what terms or topics you wanted? Click No below. You'll then be able to submit your feedback about this article. Please note: the feedback submissions are anonymous, and we’re not able to respond, so make sure to use the next option if you have a specific scenario or question you would like a response to.

Support: If you have a question or would like a response to your specific question, please use the steps laid out in How to Get Help in YNAB ↗️ to ensure that your message gets to our Support team!