Think of Category Manager as your interactive chart of accounts—just smarter. It’s where you can create, edit, and organize every account your firm tracks for clients.
Getting Started: Choosing Your Chart of Accounts Strategy
Option 1: Start Fresh with Digits (Bookkeeping Agent)
Use the Digits Bookkeeping Agent to automatically generate a standardized Chart of Accounts using ✨Digits' AI-powered modeling engine. This is ideal if you're looking to clean up an overbuilt or inconsistent account structure.
You’ll still have full control to edit, remove, or add categories without the manual lift.
Option 2: Migrate from QuickBooks
If your client is coming from QuickBooks, you can import their Chart of Accounts during signup. Digits will automatically create your categories based on that import—so you can get started quickly without rebuilding from scratch.
Option 3: Manually Upload a Custom CoA
For clients migrating from systems like Xero, Puzzle, or other tools, you can upload your own Chart of Accounts using a CSV Import Template.
⚠️ If you plan to use a custom CoA, upload it before connecting any accounts or importing transactions. This ensures ✨Digits AI categorizes transactions using your intended structure from the start.
Manually Importing Categories via CSV During Client Onboarding
The CSV upload to Import Categories is only for importing your Chart of Accounts (also known as the Category Manager in Digits). It does not support uploading opening balances or transactions.
To record opening balances, create or upload journal entries directly from the Ledger.
Steps to Upload
Click your firm name in the top left corner to open the dropdown.
Select + Add Client.
Choose Start Fresh or Migrate from another platform (e.g., Xero, Puzzle).
Select Manual Upload and click Next.
Complete the company profile and click Next.
Download the CSV template.
Add your data (names, types, and optional details).
Upload your completed CSV template, click Next, review the preview, then hit Submit.
⚠️ Important Notes on CSV Upload
Template format required: All uploads must follow the Digits template, including required fields:
Category name
Category type
Status (optional, assumed active if not entered)
Category number (optional)
Formatting tips:
Expand Row 2 in the template for detailed instructions.
Remove all blank lines before uploading.
Parent/child accounts:
Ensure parent categories are added as a separate row in the CSV file or already exist in your chart of accounts in Digits (i.e., if this is not a first-time category upload) and are correctly named.
Ensure to leave this field blank if the parent is one of the following top-level categories: Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenue, Cost of Revenue, Operating Expenses, Other Income, Other Expenses
Avoid duplicates: Don’t re-import categories that Digits already creates by default:
10000 – Assets
20000 – Liabilities
30000 – Equity
40000 – Revenue
50000 – Cost of Revenue
60000 – Operating Expenses
80000 – Other Income
90000 – Other Expenses
How to Access Category Manager
From the client’s home dashboard, click Accounting in the left nav menu, then Category Manager.
Bulk Importing Categories
If you're onboarding a new client, it's usually faster to import the Chart of Accounts during the signup flow. But bulk import is always available if you need to make changes later.
When to use this:
You're cleaning up or restructuring categories after onboarding.
Your client has been using Digits for a while and the Chart of Accounts needs refinement.
You want to make large updates or additions without editing each category manually.
How to:
From Category Manager, click the arrow next to + New Category and select Import Categories.
Download the CSV template.
Add your data: names, types, and optional parents.
Upload your updated CSV file, and click Next.
Review the import preview screen to confirm column mappings.
Click Submit to complete the upload.
Creating a New Category
Click + New Category in the top right corner.
Fill in the details:
Name
Parent Category (e.g., Assets, Revenue)
Subtype
Icon (optional)
Category Number (optional)
Description (optional)
Click Create.
Editing or Deactivating a Category
To make changes:
Hover over any category and click the Edit icon.
From here, you can:
Rename the category
Update the parent
Change the icon or number
Update the description
Deactivate the category if it's no longer needed
Can I deactivate a category that’s linked to a bank connection?
If your account is connected to a data source (like a bank or payment platform), and that category is in use, you’ll first need to remap the connection to another active category. Once it's no longer in use, you’ll be able to deactivate it.
Can I change a category’s subtype?
Yes, but subtypes usually follow the parent category. If you want a different subtype, update the parent’s subtype first—this will automatically update the child’s subtype as well.
Adding Child Categories
To create a sub-category under a parent category:
Hover over the parent account.
Click the Add Child icon.
You can go multiple layers deep—ideal for firms that use detailed hierarchies.
Viewing Connections
If a category is linked to a synced account (like a bank, credit card, or tool), a connection icon appears beside it.
Click the icon → view details → click Connections to jump to the main connection page.
You can also filter categories by Connections to quickly review your Connect-to-category mappings.
Not sure how to structure a client’s chart of accounts? Or need help fixing an import?
Reach out to Digits Support—we’re here to help you keep everything clean and client-ready.