Help center · Accounts
What is an opening balance? (And why the label changes)
The starting number Extrack uses to derive every later balance.
On this page
An opening balance in Extrack is the amount in the account on the day you added it. The field label adapts to the account type: "Starting balance" for Checking / savings, Investment and Other; "Credit limit" for Credit card; "Principal owed (opening)" or "Principal lent (opening)" for Loan. Future transactions adjust from this starting point; you do not type the current balance manually.
How it works
You set the opening balance once at account creation. Every later expense / income / transfer adjusts the current balance automatically. To fix a wrong opening balance, edit the account — the current balance moves by the delta, no transactions touched.
Frequently asked
I got it wrong — can I fix it?
Yes. Edit the account and change the opening-balance field. The current balance recomputes; transactions are untouched.
Why "Credit limit" for credit cards?
For credit cards, the more useful starting reference is the limit. Your owed balance is tracked via posted Expenses; the field labels the cap, not what you currently owe.
Why does my current balance differ from the bank app?
Usually: unposted transactions you have not logged, or rows logged as the wrong kind (e.g. credit-card payment as Expense instead of Transfer). See "Why is my account balance wrong?".
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