Some business expenses need to be divided across more than one category. Maybe a team dinner included both food and client entertainment, or a bulk purchase from Amazon included office supplies and tech equipment. Relay makes it easy to split a single transaction into multiple line items with different categories, vendors, and memos.
This article walks you through how to split transactions and best practices for staying organized.
What Does It Mean to Split a Transaction?
When you split a transaction, you divide a single expense into multiple parts — each with its own:
- Amount
- Category
- Memo
For example:
A $500 Amazon purchase might be split into:
- Amount - Category - Memo
- $300 – Office Supplies - Paper & Pens
- $200 – IT Equipment - Keyboards & Monitors
This level of detail flows into your accounting platform if you’re using QuickBooks Online or Xero.
When to Use Split Transactions
- Bulk purchases from one vendor that span multiple departments
- Meal expenses that include both employee meals and client entertainment
- Travel expenses that include hotel, meals, and incidentals
- Any transaction that affects multiple general ledger accounts
How to Split a Transaction
- Sign in to your Relay account on your desktop.
- Go to the Expenses tab
- Locate the transaction you want to split
- Scroll to and click on the three-vertical dot menu on the right
- Select Split line item
-
In the split editor:
- Enter a description for each line
- Assign a category
- Enter the amount for each split (they must total the full amount)
- Click Split transaction
You’ll now see a "Split" label next to that transaction in your table. Each part will sync individually to your accounting software.
Editing or Removing a Split
- Scroll to and click the three-dot menu next to a split transaction
- Select Start Over to revert the changes
Can I Split on Mobile?
Not yet — splitting is only available on the web. But you can view already-split transactions in the Relay mobile app.
Pro Tip: Snap your receipt from mobile and add a memo if you know it needs to be split later on the web.
Tips for Split Transactions
- Use clear memos for each part of the split to help your bookkeeper (e.g., “Team supplies,” “Software license”)
- Double-check totals before saving — Relay will prompt you if the math doesn’t add up
- Split before syncing to avoid rework in your accounting platform
Still have questions? Our team is ready to help! Talk to our Customer Experience team