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Choose columns for a register

Use Choose columns to control which transaction fields appear in a register, their left-to-right order, and how rows are sorted. The layout and sort are saved with the view, so each view can look exactly how you want.

A common reason to customize columns: a Payment app register (for example PayPal) often works as a pass-through for purchases, so a running Balance column can look alarming or meaningless. You can hide Balance (and Tags or Cleared if you never use them) for that view while keeping the full layout for your checking account.

Prerequisites​

  • Big Picture Money is unlocked
  • A transaction register is open (All transactions, an account view, or any saved view)

Open Choose columns​

  1. Open Transactions from the left navigation, or open a view.
  2. Click Columns (next to Filters).

The Choose columns dialog lists the standard columns with on/off checkboxes and reorder arrows, a Sort section, and an Advanced section for raw import fields.

Show or hide columns​

  1. In Choose columns, turn columns on or off with their checkboxes.
  2. Date and Amount stay on and cannot be turned off. Every other column (except the always-present row Actions) can be hidden.
  3. Click Apply.

The register updates immediately to show only the columns you kept.

Reorder columns​

  1. In Choose columns, use the up and down arrows next to a column to move it.
  2. The top-to-bottom order in the dialog becomes the left-to-right order in the register.
  3. Click Apply.

Choose how rows are sorted​

Sorting is set only in Choose columns — not by clicking column headers.

  1. Under Sort, pick a Sort by column. Only sortable columns you are currently showing appear in the list (for example Date, Payee, Category, Amount, Tags, Account).
  2. Choose Ascending or Descending.
  3. Click Apply.

Balance and Advanced import fields can be shown but are not available in Sort by. If you hide the column that was the sort field, the register falls back to Date, newest first, until you pick another sort field.

Show advanced import fields​

Imports and bank downloads often keep the original file fields with each transaction (for example PayPal Item Title, Type, or Note).

  1. In Choose columns, scroll to the Advanced section.
  2. Turn on any raw field you want as an extra column, then reorder it if you like.
  3. Click Apply.
  • The Advanced list only shows fields that appear on transactions in the current view (rows matching the view’s filters).
  • Values use simple formatting when the app recognizes a date or a currency string that includes a $; bare numbers (for example zip codes) and other text stay as imported. A row with no such field shows an empty cell.
  • Advanced columns are display-only and cannot be used for sorting.

Save the layout with a view​

  • On a saved view, applying columns and sort saves them to that view. Reopening the view restores the layout, sort, and filters together.
  • On All transactions (no saved view), your last columns and sort are remembered locally, so the register keeps your layout the next time you open it.

Reset to default​

  1. In Choose columns, click Reset to default.

This restores the stock column layout and the default date sort for that register kind (single-account or multi-account). On All transactions, it also clears the remembered layout.

Expected result​

  • Hidden columns disappear from the register; Date and Amount always remain.
  • The column order matches the order you set in the dialog.
  • Rows sort by the column and direction you chose; Balance and Advanced fields are not offered for sorting.
  • Advanced raw import fields appear as extra columns; dates and $… currency strings get light formatting, bare numbers stay as imported.
  • A saved view reopens with its columns and sort; All transactions remembers your last layout.
  • Reset to default restores the stock layout and date sort.