Question 1

What is Westara?

Accepted Answer

Westara is one morning overview for household wealth: budget and actuals on one side, investments on the other — cash, equities, and self-custody Bitcoin — with live marks, FIFO cost basis, and reports you can export. It is built for German and EU households: read-only Open Banking, broker and bank file import, year-end wealth, and books hosted in Germany. On Family, each person’s books stay on their own account. Filter **Me**, another person, or **All**. Westara does not buy or sell assets, does not send payments, and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Ask Westara is a private analyst on *your* books — not a licensed advisor. Watch (momentum scan / War Room) is still coming soon for most households.

Question 2

How is Westara different from other money apps?

Accepted Answer

Most money apps are either a **budget** or a **depot tracker**. Westara is both in one morning overview — household plan and actuals next to cash, equities, and self-custody Bitcoin — without becoming a broker or a tax office. **Where Westara is stronger when it is true** • **One picture, two jobs.** Depot apps such as Parqet or Finary go deep on holdings and dividends. Budget apps such as YNAB, Actual Budget, or Wallet go deep on spending. Westara connects both so Overview is not two exports glued in a spreadsheet. • **Books stay yours.** On Family, each person keeps their own accounts and Activity. **Me / person / All** is a filter, not one shared ledger owned by the payer (the usual model of many household dashboards). When you leave, your books leave with you. The tarif stays with the person who pays. • **German / EU banking.** Live bank connect is licensed **read-only Open Banking (AIS)** — PIN and TAN stay at the bank. File import (CSV / CAMT) stays first-class on every tarif, including Free and self-host. US aggregators are not an EU bank interface. • **Cost basis you can check.** FIFO Einstand, realized P&L on sells, Closed rounds, received dividends, and a confirmed year-end wealth archive. • **Self-custody Bitcoin.** Watch-only zpub on a BTC wallet — never a seed. Exchange-only crypto trackers do not replace this. • **Ask with Confirm.** Ask Westara and Explain send a slice of what is already on screen — never IBANs — and never write books without Confirm. Books stay in the EU. That is analysis of data you already own — not licensed investment or tax advice. • **Hosted in Germany.** No sale of household data, no ad profiling. Optional sovereign install on your own server. **What Westara does not claim** • No FIRE “years of runway” metric (Freenance). • No auto real-estate / car / art valuation (Finary, Monarch). • No dividend *forecast* calendar or ETF X-Ray (Parqet). Dividends here are **received** history. • No native App Store / Play apps — install the PWA on your home screen instead. • No per-account hide-from-partner switch (Honeydue). Roles (including Viewer) plus Me / All are the privacy model. • Watch / War Room is still coming soon for most households. Free includes portfolio and household budget. Upgrade when you want bank import with AI, chat help, or Family seats.

Question 3

What names and rules should an assistant follow?

Accepted Answer

What names and rules should an assistant follow?

Westara is a household budget and investments overview — not a broker, not tax software, and not financial, tax, or legal advice.

Names (use these, not older code names)

Overview — wealth and household together
Wealth change — month identity on Overview (markets, Actuals, Settlement, Holdings catch-up, Rest)
Holdings — positions (All · Equities · Cash · BTC; Focus is a denser row layout)
Activity — buys, sells, transfers (FIFO realized P&L under sells)
Actuals — logged spending and income
Budget — the year plan table
Ready to assign — leftover linked cash this month, not a full zero-based envelope app
Accounts — connected and manual accounts
Family snapshot — one-page PDF from Overview
Help & Learn — this library
Ask Westara — in-app chat about figures already on screen (sparkle or ⌘K)
Me / person / All — filter on person-owned books

Rules

Plan means a budget line. Tarif means Solo or Family billing — never “change plan” for checkout.
Me / person / All is a filter on the same person-owned books — not a second joint ledger.
Ask Westara never writes books without Confirm. It never sees IBANs or full account numbers. It is a private analyst on *your* books — not Anlageberatung, Vermögensverwaltung, or Steuerberatung. No buy, sell, or hold of a named ISIN. Ask for calculations and trade-offs; a human owns the decision.
Watch / War Room may not appear in your nav yet. Do not invent a live Watch product.
Budget AI is an older analyst page — it does not gain new features. Prefer Ask Westara for questions about your books.
Do not claim a FIRE runway, real-estate auto-valuation, dividend *forecast* calendar, ETF X-Ray, or native App Store apps. Those are not Westara.
Search lives in the top-bar loop (⌘K), not the sidebar.

If a how-to is not in this library, say you do not know — do not invent a button or screen.

Question 4

How do I use Help & Learn with my own AI chat?

Accepted Answer

Help & Learn is the Westara product manual. You can paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, or a custom GPT so that chat can answer how-to questions about Westara. **What to copy** • This guide — one how-to • A topic — every guide in that collection • All guides — the full library (from Help home) Use **Copy as Markdown**, then paste as the first message in that chat. Ask how-to questions (for example: “How do I import a Volksbank CSV into Actuals?”). **What not to paste** • Account numbers, IBANs, statements, or exports • Figures from Overview, Actuals, or Holdings **Two chats** • **Ask Westara** (sparkle / ⌘K in the app) — questions about *your* numbers already on screen • **Your other chat** plus this manual — questions about *how Westara works* Ask Westara does not need this paste. Your other chat must not see your books. Pasting this manual does not make that chat your Anlageberater. For questions about *your* numbers, stay in Ask Westara.

Question 5

How do I search the app?

Accepted Answer

On a computer, open Search from the loop icon in the top bar — or press ⌘K (Ctrl+K on Windows/Linux). On a phone, open the menu and tap Search. Search is not in the desktop sidebar. Type a page name (Overview, Holdings, Budget) or an action (refresh prices, Ask Westara, import). Arrow keys move, Enter selects, Esc closes. Press **?** (when you are not typing in a field) to open Help & Learn. See **What keyboard shortcuts are there?** for the full list. Search does not leave Westara or look up the web — it only jumps to places and actions in your account.

Question 6

What keyboard shortcuts are there?

Accepted Answer

Shortcuts work when you are not typing in a field. • **⌘K** / **Ctrl+K** — Search (same as the loop icon in the top bar) • **?** — Help & Learn • **R** — Refresh holdings prices • **⌘⇧I** / **Ctrl+Shift+I** — Import (desktop FAB on Holdings, Activity, Budget, Actuals) • **⌘⇧1–4** / **Ctrl+Shift+1–4** — Holdings views: All · Equities · Cash · BTC • **G** then **B** — Overview • **G** then **F** — Holdings • **G** then **L** — Activity • **G** then **A** — Ask Westara On a phone, open Search from the menu, use the Import control on the page, and the Holdings filter panel — the same jobs, without chords.

Question 7

How do I switch Dark / Light?

Accepted Answer

Open the account menu (⋯) at the bottom of the sidebar → Appearance. Use the segmented Dark / Light / System toggle (same control as on Profile). Your theme saves to your account and follows you on this device.

Question 8

Can I install Westara on my phone?

Accepted Answer

Yes — as a **home-screen app** (PWA), not a separate App Store or Play listing. • **iPhone** — Safari → Share → Add to Home Screen. Chrome or Firefox on iPhone: browser menu → Share → Add to Home Screen. • **Android** — Chrome may offer Install. Otherwise the browser menu → Install app / Add to Home screen. • **Desktop** — Chrome, Edge, or Safari can install Westara as a window (Install / Add to Dock). You stay signed in on that icon. An installed app opens the product directly — it does not bounce to the public website. Profile can reopen the install coach if you dismissed it. Price-alert email still follows your email preference.

Question 9

How do I see my total wealth?

Accepted Answer

Open Overview after you sign up — that's the overview for cash, investments, and household budget together. Follow **Getting started** on Overview (or the progress ring in the header). Best order in short: set up accounts → add spending and/or broker data → optional Open Banking and BTC → invite people only when you are on Family and have seen your own numbers. Details: see “What order should I set things up?” below.

Question 10

What order should I set things up?

Accepted Answer

Westara setup follows one clear principle: **containers → first real data → enrich → share**. Use Getting started on Overview (header progress ring). Steps adapt to your focus (All / Budget / Portfolio) under Profile. **Phases** 0) **Identity** — Household name only on Family (or wait until you invite someone). 1) **Containers** — Set up accounts (cash, broker, and/or BTC shells by focus) so import and logging never dead-end. 2) **First live picture** — One primary data path for a briefing in about two minutes (spending *or* broker, matching focus). 3) **Second surface** — On “All”, add the other side (budget ↔ investments). 4) **Live upgrades** — Open Banking on Solo and Family — never instead of a first manual import/log. 5) **Depth** — BTC watch-only (zpub only; never a seed). 6) **Share** — Invite people on Family after you have seen your own numbers. **Rules of thumb** • Never invite before you have seen your own overview. • Never treat Open Banking as the only bank path — file import or logging first; live bank link is a later upgrade. • Cash balance lives under Accounts (not a separate setup step). **By focus** • **All (default):** Accounts → spending & income → broker holdings → Open Banking → BTC → invite (Family). • **Budget:** Accounts → spending → Open Banking → invite. Broker and BTC stay out of the list. • **Portfolio:** Accounts → broker import → BTC → invite. Spending and Open Banking stay out of the list. Starter account shells may already exist after sign-up — then “Set up accounts” can show done and the gold step moves to your first real data.

Question 11

What plans are available?

Accepted Answer

Start free. Upgrade when you need bank import with AI, chat help, or shared access with others. Free (€0) — For you alone — explore portfolio and household budget. Morning summary, portfolio & household budget · Up to 25 investments tracked · Export your data Solo (€12.99/mo · €99/yr) — More investments, bank import with AI, and chat help — one person only — no invites. Up to 150 investments tracked · Bank import & AI autopilot · Chat help & AI insights Family (€17.99/mo · €139/yr) — Invite up to six people. The person who pays keeps the tarif; invited people use Family features while they have a seat. Books stay on each person’s account. Unlimited investments tracked · Invite people (up to 6) · Bank import & AI autopilot Sovereign (private server) instances include full features — optional supporter donations only. Online upgrades are managed in your account. Online Solo and Family can be paid by **card** or, when offered, **Bitcoin / Lightning**. See “Can I pay Solo or Family with Bitcoin?” for the Bitcoin path. Switching between Solo and Family does not refund your card. Unused time becomes credit on the next invoice — see “What happens when I change plan?”

Question 12

What happens when I change plan?

Accepted Answer

Plan changes are managed in **Plans & usage** by the household owner. Features change as soon as the switch applies. **Free → Solo or Family** Checkout starts a new subscription (card or Bitcoin). A card trial may apply — no charge until it ends. **Solo → Family (card)** Family starts immediately. Unused Solo time is credited against the remaining Family charge for this period. **Family → Solo (card)** Solo starts immediately. Unused Family time becomes credit on your next invoice — your card is not refunded. Solo is one person: extra members must leave before you switch. Pending invites cannot be accepted on Solo. **Bitcoin** A new invoice is required for the target plan. The change applies after it settles. There is no automatic proration or refund. **Cancel** Cancel from Manage Billing (card) or let a Bitcoin period end without paying renewal. You keep the paid plan until the date shown, then return to Free. EU 14-day withdrawal is a separate right at first purchase (when it still applies). It is not a mid-cycle refund for switching Solo ↔ Family.

Question 13

Can I pay Solo or Family with Bitcoin?

Accepted Answer

Yes on the cloud app when the Bitcoin rail is available. Open **Plans & usage**, choose Solo or Family, and pick **Bitcoin** at checkout — you pay a one-shot invoice (Lightning and/or on-chain) on our payment page. Your plan activates when the invoice settles. Near period end Westara creates a renewal invoice and emails you the same way. Card checkout (Stripe) stays available; card promos do not apply to Bitcoin invoices. Changing plan on Bitcoin needs a new invoice for the target plan. There is no automatic proration or refund. Card billing uses invoice credit instead — see “What happens when I change plan?” Westara never holds wallet keys for plan payments — invoices are issued on our payment server; you pay from your own wallet. Self-hosted **Sovereign** instances have no subscription paywall.

Question 14

Can I self-host Westara?

Accepted Answer

Westara can run on your own hardware as **Sovereign** mode — the same full app on **Start9 OS** (or Docker) at home: no subscription paywall; optional donations support the project. Self-hosting is for households who want data only on their own server. If you use Westara on **app.westara.io**, you can ignore this — cloud stays the simple path. Packaging and install notes live in the project docs when you are ready to deploy.

Question 15

How do I load my portfolio for the first time?

Accepted Answer

Fastest path for most households: Import → **Broker activity** → pick your broker (or Auto-detect) → drop the depot export (CSV), choose a file, or **Paste from clipboard** after copying a table → map accounts → Import. Volksbank Depotumsatz exports need zero column mapping. Alternative: restore a Westara Activity JSON export, or use the multi-sheet import template (JSON) for advanced tabs (holdings snapshots, dividends, budget). Holdings always rebuild from Activity events after import. Use Quick Import (⌘⇧I) from Holdings or Activity for the same broker flow.

Question 16

How do I sign in?

Accepted Answer

Sign in with your email and password, or request a one-time magic link sent to your inbox. You stay signed in securely on each device until you sign out.

Question 17

Is my data encrypted? Who can see my data?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your financial data stays private — encrypted, Germany/EU-hosted, and never sold or used for ads. Who can see your data? • Only you, with your sign-in. • On Family, seated members see household numbers according to their role (Owner, Admin, Member, Viewer). Viewer can look, not edit. This is not a per-transaction hide. • Other households never see your numbers. • When someone leaves, their own books stay on their account. The Family tarif stays with the person who pays. How we protect it • In transit — encrypted HTTPS connections. • At rest — secrets (e.g. integration keys) are encrypted before storage. • Hosting — app data in Germany / the EU. • Not sold — no sale of household data, no ad profiling. Optional Ask Westara sends only a minimal slice of what you already see — never a full dump, and never IBANs. The model is a named provider (xAI) under our DPA; books stay in the EU. Details: What Ask Westara sends. Self-custody Bitcoin keys stay in your wallet; Westara only tracks balances you log. You can export or delete your data anytime from your account.

Question 18

What does Ask Westara send to the model?

Accepted Answer

Chat help is optional on Free. On Solo and Family it is included. Your books stay in the EU. Ask Westara only ever sees a minimal slice of what you can already see on screen — never IBANs, full account numbers, or data outside your current Me / person / All filter. Nothing is used for training, nothing is kept as a profile, and nothing is written to your books without your explicit Confirm. When you use Ask Westara or Explain, that slice is sent to xAI under our DPA — not used for training, not kept as a profile. • Figures already on screen for that question: actuals (date, payee, amount, category, account name), plan vs actual, holdings, Activity trades, cash by account name, and payee-rule hit rates • Viewers can read answers but never Confirm. Members can only confirm changes to their own rows. Owner and admin can confirm for another member only when the person filter is that member • You can clear the conversation anytime. Local insight fallback remains when chat is off or your plan quota is reached

Question 19

Can I export everything GDPR-style?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Account menu → **Export my data** downloads a complete copy of your Westara data in a standard file format. Profile also shows your alert email and security settings. Activity, Closed, and Dividends also export CSV from those report pages. Overview can download a one-page **family snapshot** PDF — that is a briefing, not the GDPR file. To wipe books or delete the account, see **How do I clear data or delete my account?**

Question 20

How do I clear data or delete my account?

Accepted Answer

Profile → Security & data (danger zone), after you export if you still need a copy. • **Clear budget** — removes the year plan, Actuals, and payee rules. Type the confirmation shown on the sheet. • **Clear portfolio** — removes Activity, holdings, and import history. Accounts stay so you can start again. • **Delete account** — removes your Westara login and books. Type DELETE. Staff accounts cannot self-delete this way. On Family, deleting your account does not transfer books to someone else. Invited people should leave first if you are ending sharing. Ending sharing (owner) removes seats and keeps the tarif — that is not the same as delete. Export first. Cleared or deleted rows cannot be undone from the app.

Question 21

How does the household budget work?

Accepted Answer

Westara keeps your plan and real spending in three places — Overview connects them with your investments: • **Budget** — your **year plan** table (income, fixed bills, flexible spending, one-offs). Tap a cell to edit. When you change a planned amount, choose this month only, the rest of the year, or the full year. After you log spending on Actuals, use **Build plan** to copy logged months into the plan and optionally project the rest of the year. • **Actuals** — what really happened each month. Prefer **Import bank statement** for bank exports; rare single rows via ⋯ → log manually (pick a **Cash** account — required). You get summary cards, a trend, category cards, and a transaction inbox. • **Ready to assign** — leftover linked cash this month after amounts already in the plan. It is a confidence check, not a full zero-based envelope system (every euro assigned before you spend). • **Budget AI** — older plan-vs-actual analyst with scenarios and PDF. It does not import bank statements. Prefer Ask Westara or Explain for questions about figures on the page. Bill type (fixed, flexible, or one-off) comes from the category; override under More options. Consistent categories and complete cash accounts are what make Ask Westara a useful briefing — not a licensed advisor. See **What books and questions make a useful household briefing?**

Question 22

How do custom budget categories work?

Accepted Answer

Built-in labels (Groceries, Rent, Salary) are always available. Add your own under **Household → Custom categories** — they appear in Budget, Actuals, rules, and bank-import mapping. Removing a custom label asks for confirm. That also deletes matching **plan lines**, **actuals**, and **rules** on your books. It cannot be undone. Built-in categories stay. In Family, the label and the cascade follow the person whose books you are writing (your books on Household unless you opened another person). Another member’s leftover rows with the same name stay on their books.

Question 23

How does Build plan from actuals work?

Accepted Answer

On **Budget**, open **Build plan** in the toolbar (it appears once you have logged actuals). Then choose: • **Scope** — only months you already logged, or the full year (January–December). • **Projection** — smart (fixed bills repeat the last amount; flexible spending uses a category average; one-offs stay in logged months), category average, or repeat last month. • **Merge** — replace existing plan lines, or only fill empty cells. Preview shows what comes from real spending vs what is projected before you apply. Only planned amounts change — your logged actuals stay untouched. Typical flow: import bank data on Actuals → check categories → save → Build plan on Budget → fine-tune cells in the year table.

Question 24

How do I get started with my own data?

Accepted Answer

After sign-up, Overview opens with Getting started. Best path: set up accounts (shells) → import a statement or log one expense → import broker holdings if you invest → invite people only on Family after your overview shows real numbers. Change focus anytime in Profile (Budget / Portfolio / All). Full order: see “What order should I set things up?” under Getting started.

Question 25

How do I import a bank statement into Actuals?

Accepted Answer

Same bank tools, two entry points: • **Import → Bank statements** — drop or choose a bank export on the Import page; Westara opens the review sheet (CSV or CAMT). • On **Actuals**, use **Import bank statement** (toolbar, FAB, or empty state) to stay on the page you are already on. Supported exports include Volksbank, N26, Revolut, Commerzbank, Sparkasse, Wise, and standard bank statement packages when your bank provides one. Inbox title is **who** (counterpart) — the same split as online banking, ISO 20022 CAMT, and Open Banking. Hover the name for the full bank memo. Card acquirers such as SG-VR Payment stay in the memo so the shop can be the title. Existing lines keep their old label; **Replace import** on those months refreshes file-import titles. Review categories line by line, save payee rules (Merken), skip internal transfers, and save to Actuals. Free uses local categories; Solo and Family also run Grok. Payee rules apply when you save. You can name the import run and link a Westara account. **Add new** (default) inserts new lines and skips exact duplicates — safe for re-uploads and a second bank. **Replace import** only refreshes earlier file-import lines for those months; manual actuals and bank connections stay. **Open Banking (Solo/Family)** only pulls the last 90 days of bookings. For older months, export a statement (CSV or CAMT) from online banking and use this file import. Exact matches of already synced lines are skipped. Extra cash rows for the same IBAN merge from the account overview — see How do I merge cash accounts that share the same IBAN? **Note:** Broker **Paste from clipboard** on Import is for depot trade tables into Activity — not this bank path. Bank statements use drop or choose file (and the review sheet). Then on Budget use **Build plan** to turn logged months into your year plan. Optional deeper plan-vs-actual analysis lives on **Budget AI**. Imported rows show a small upload mark in the transaction list.

Question 26

What are transaction rules?

Accepted Answer

Rules are the automation layer for incoming (and optionally existing) Actuals. New bank imports and quick logs pick a category from a matching payee rule — so you do not recategorize the same shop every month. Rules belong to your account. They set a category; they do not hide lines from other household members, split a booking, or move ownership. Open **Household → Rules**. From there you can: • Create a rule — during import, tap **Remember** on a row after you pick a category. Westara stores a payee pattern and category. • Manage rules — edit, reorder, or turn rules off. • Preview matches — see recent lines that would match, newest first. • Apply to history — optionally recategorize older matches and refresh totals. Matching uses the counterpart name plus the bank memo (the same split as online banking). Rules never invent amounts. They only place lines you already have.

Question 27

What is the transaction inbox on Actuals?

Accepted Answer

Below the month summary numbers, the transaction inbox lists individual bank and manual lines for the selected month — separate from category rollup rows in Recent activity. • Tap a row to edit payee, amount, category, account, or date. • Desktop — sort by date, payee, category, account, or amount. • Mobile — swipe right to categorize, swipe left to delete. • The Account column shows the cash account the line is booked on. Imported lines add a subtle upload icon; a custom statement name can sit next to the account, and Bank/CSV plus date-time stay in the tooltip. • The **⋯** menu opens **Review duplicates** and **No account** after messy imports, reconnects, or rematch. Category totals still come from rollup math — editing a line updates your month actuals automatically.

Question 28

How do I review duplicate Actuals?

Accepted Answer

On **Actuals**, a short **n duplicates** count appears next to **⋯** when Westara sees likely pairs. Tap it — or **⋯ → Review duplicates** — to open the review sheet. Westara pairs: • a file or Open Banking import with a manual line you also logged, or • two imported lines for the same spend (CSV and Open Banking, or a reconnect). In the review sheet: • Each pair shows **Keep** and **Duplicate**, plus the Westara account (name, holder, bank, last four). • Tick the pairs — **Select all** is on by default. Uncheck a false match for this pass. • Two real payments the same day (same shop, same amount): **Keep both**. Both lines stay, and the pair will not be suggested again on this device. • Tap a twin to open the transaction and edit or delete it. • **Accept all matches** (or **Merge n**) keeps the Keep line and drops the duplicate so Actuals count the spend once. • **Delete selected** removes both lines in the ticked pairs. This cannot be undone. Use it when you want a clean re-import or bank fetch. • **Not now** closes the sheet without changing the ledger. Lines with no current account are a different job — **⋯ → No account**. This is not statement check (opening + bookings = closing) and not Holdings vs Activity.

Question 29

What is statement check?

Accepted Answer

Statement check verifies that a bank statement's numbers add up: opening balance + booked lines should equal the closing balance (± €0.01). • In import preview you see Balanced, Gap €X, or No balances in file. • CAMT.053 usually supplies opening/closing balances automatically; for CSV you can enter them optionally. • Saving is never blocked — the check builds confidence in the numbers. • After save, Actuals and Accounts may show a period chip (e.g. Mar 2026 · Balanced). This is different from **Review duplicates** on Actuals (import or import–import twins) and from Holdings reconcile (Activity vs holdings).

Question 30

What does No account mean on Actuals?

Accepted Answer

On **Actuals**, **⋯ → No account** lists lines that are not on a current Westara account — typical after rematch, disconnect, or a deleted cash container. • Tick leftovers and **Delete selected**. This cannot be undone. • **Select all** marks every line in the period you are viewing; uncheck keepers. • To keep a line, close the sheet and edit it on Actuals — assign an account there. This sheet does not assign accounts. • **Done** closes the sheet. The list follows the month (or year) on the page. This is separate from **Review duplicates** — those pairs still have accounts.

Question 31

How is Ready to assign calculated?

Accepted Answer

Ready to assign is the cash you can still budget this month — shown on Budget, Actuals, and Overview when cash accounts are linked. Formula: linked cash in Holdings → Cash minus amounts already assigned to categories this month (planned/actual envelope from your budget rows). Tap the small i next to Ready to assign for the same explainer in context. If no cash is linked yet, the strip links to Holdings → Cash instead of a number. Negative ready to assign means categories overspent against linked cash — the strip highlights the top overspend category. This is **not** a full envelope app where every euro must be assigned before you spend. Westara’s year plan can have empty months; Build plan fills them from logged actuals. Ready to assign is there so the leftover cash figure is honest.

Question 32

What does forecast drift mean?

Accepted Answer

On Budget and Overview, a quiet **This month** line can appear when this month’s actual net is meaningfully off the year plan — ahead or behind, with the euro amount. It only shows when planned expenses are large enough to compare (about €100+) and the gap is material (about €50 or 5% of planned spend). Small noise stays off the chip. Tap **Explain** next to the line for the formula and the figures already on the page. Drift does not change the plan. Adjust cells on Budget, or log the missing Actuals, if the gap is real.

Question 33

How does offline mode work for household budget?

Accepted Answer

On **Westara cloud**, you can opt in under Profile → Advanced → Offline edits. When enabled, quick logs and budget edits wait safely on this device instead of failing — you'll see the queue count on Profile. Nothing is lost: changes apply automatically after reconnect. No technical setup required. On a **self-hosted (Sovereign)** install, budget edits always queue on the device when offline, then sync when you're back online.

Question 34

What does Explain do on Overview and Actuals?

Accepted Answer

Tap the small **Explain** control next to a number — Ready to assign, **Wealth change**, Total, day change, reconcile status, or forecast drift — to open a side sheet with the formula, parts, and citations for that exact value. On Wealth change the sheet lists markets, income, spend, optional Giro settlement and start-snapshot catch-up, then Rest, plus the trades, snapshot dates, and lots that built those sleeves. Ask Westara uses the same helper. The figures are the ones already on the page, including the current Me / person / All filter. Optional narrate does not change the math. Nothing auto-fires — Explain only runs when you tap. Explain is how a number is built — not a recommendation to buy, sell, or change a product. Works offline with demo mode or shows a short local answer when chat help is unavailable — Solo and Family include full replies.

Question 35

What does Overview show if I only track household spending?

Accepted Answer

Overview stays a complete wealth overview even before you add investments. When you have household activity (logged spending or plan/actual rows) but no portfolio holdings yet, Overview shows the household overview — month summary numbers, optional ready-to-assign when cash is linked, and short links into Actuals and Budget — instead of an empty investments dead zone. A short line at the bottom invites you to log your first trade when you are ready — never pushy. Connect cash in Holdings → Cash and open Actuals from the overview CTAs to keep building the picture.

Question 36

How do I export a family snapshot PDF?

Accepted Answer

On Overview, when there is something to show (wealth, cash, or this month’s actuals), **Download family snapshot** (and **Share** on phones that support it) saves a one-page PDF. The page includes family wealth, cash on hand, ready to assign, this month’s income / spent / net against plan, allocation, and a 30-day wealth trend when those figures exist. It is a briefing for a partner or your records — not the GDPR export and not a tax form. Budget and Actuals can also export a PDF of the table you are on. The family snapshot is the Overview one-pager.

Question 37

How does Family sharing work?

Accepted Answer

Family lets you invite up to six people. Each person signs in with their own Westara account. • The person who pays keeps the Family tarif. Invited people use Family features while they have a seat. Leaving does not take the tarif with them. • Invite from **Household** settings. Pick Admin, Member, or Viewer (you stay Owner). • Each person’s accounts, actuals, and investment log stay on their account. Sharing is not one ledger owned by the payer. • Filter **Me**, another person, or **All** on Overview, Accounts, Actuals, Budget, Activity, Fleet, and money reports. All adds each person’s marked value — it does not mix cost basis. • You can leave anytime. The owner can remove a member. After you leave, you see your own books again. Seated members see household numbers according to their role. This is not a hide-per-transaction privacy tool, and not a per-account “share only this Giro” switch.

Question 38

What does Me / person / All mean?

Accepted Answer

On Family, money pages carry a filter: **Me**, another seated person, or **All** (Overview, Accounts, Actuals, Budget, Activity, Holdings, money reports). • **Me** — only your books. • **A person’s name** — only that person’s books (Owner and Admin can edit that view; Member edits only Me; Viewer never edits). • **All** — a read union of marked values. Totals add. Cost basis / FIFO stay per person — All does not invent a joint Einstand. Ask Westara and Explain follow the same filter. They never send IBANs. This is not a second joint budget, not labels on one payer ledger, and not a hide-this-account switch. Attribution (mine / joint / partner) on an account you already own is a label, not access control.

Question 39

What can Owner, Admin, Member, and Viewer do?

Accepted Answer

Roles are the permission set — not a second tarif. • **Owner** — billing, invites, roles, and ending sharing. Full household access. • **Admin** — manage members and invites (not other admins or the owner). Cannot change the tarif or end sharing. • **Member** — use household books; cannot manage people or billing. • **Viewer** — look only. Edits return an error. The owner cannot leave their own household. Invited people can leave. See “How do I leave or stop sharing?”

Question 40

How do I leave or stop sharing?

Accepted Answer

Invited people can leave under **Household** settings. Your own accounts and bookings stay with you. The Family tarif stays with the person who pays. The owner can remove a member (same result for that person). The owner does not “leave” their own household — those books and the tarif live there. To stop sharing without cancelling the tarif, the owner ends sharing (removes seats) rather than deleting the household. Deleting the household or the owner’s Westara account is teardown and can end billing. Extra members must leave before switching Family → Solo.

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