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Getting Started

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Ken Lasko edited this page Mar 13, 2026 · 6 revisions

Getting Started

This guide walks you through setting up Monize and getting your financial data organized.

Table of Contents

Prerequisites

Before installing Monize, ensure you have:

  • Docker and Docker Compose installed on your server
  • A minimum of 1 GB RAM available
  • A modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)

Installation

Using Docker Compose (Recommended)

  1. Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/your-repo/monize.git
cd monize
  1. Create a .env file with your configuration:
# Required
JWT_SECRET=your-secret-key-minimum-32-characters-long

# Database (defaults shown)
POSTGRES_USER=monize
POSTGRES_PASSWORD=your-database-password
POSTGRES_DB=monize

# Optional: Email notifications
SMTP_HOST=smtp.example.com
SMTP_PORT=587
SMTP_USER=your-email@example.com
SMTP_PASS=your-email-password

Important: The JWT_SECRET must be at least 32 characters long. The application will refuse to start with a shorter secret.

  1. Start the application:
docker compose up -d
  1. Access Monize at http://localhost:3001

Using Kubernetes (Helm)

Helm charts are provided in the helm/ directory for Kubernetes deployments. Refer to the Helm README for detailed configuration options.

First-Time Setup

Registration

When you first access Monize, you will be presented with the login page.

Login Page

  1. Click Register to create your account
  2. Enter your first name, email address, and password
  3. Click Register to complete account creation
  4. You will be redirected to the dashboard

Registration Page

Setting Your Home Currency

After registration, navigate to Settings (gear icon in the top-right corner) to configure your home currency. This is the primary currency used for reporting and net worth calculations.

Settings Page

Creating Your First Account

  1. Navigate to Accounts from the top navigation bar
  2. Click Create Account
  3. Fill in the account details:
    • Account Name -- A descriptive name (e.g., "Main Chequing")
    • Account Type -- Select from the available types (see Accounts for details)
    • Currency -- The currency this account operates in
    • Opening Balance -- The starting balance as of a specific date
  4. Click Save

Create Account Form

Navigating the Application

The main navigation bar provides access to all major features:

Navigation Bar

Primary Navigation

Menu Item Description
Transactions View, search, and manage all transactions
Accounts Manage your accounts and view balances
Investments Track your investment portfolio
Bills & Deposits Manage scheduled and recurring transactions
Reports Access built-in and custom reports

Tools Menu

Click the Tools dropdown to access additional features:

Tool Description
Categories Manage income and expense categories
Payees Manage payee records
Tags Manage transaction tags for flexible labelling
Securities Manage investment securities
Currencies View and manage currencies and exchange rates
Import Transactions Import CSV, OFX/QFX, and QIF files from banks and financial software

Tools Dropdown

User Menu

The top-right corner shows your name and provides access to:

  • Settings -- Configure preferences, two-factor authentication, and trusted devices
  • Logout -- Sign out of the application

Next Steps

Once you have Monize installed and your first account created, here are recommended next steps:

  1. Migrating from Microsoft Money? Follow the detailed Importing from Microsoft Money guide
  2. Set up your categories -- Customize the default categories in Categories and Payees
  3. Add your accounts -- Create all your financial accounts in Accounts
  4. Schedule recurring transactions -- Set up your bills and regular deposits in Bills and Deposits
  5. Explore reports -- Check out the Reports section to see what insights are available

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