Words used in this guide
A short list, in alphabetical order.
Alert. A message from VIVA, such as Budget exceeded or Low balance warning. See Notifications and alerts.
Bank (and Cash). The two parts of Money available. Entries paid in cash count as Cash. Everything else counts as Bank.
Budget. A monthly limit you set for a category, such as groceries.
Category. The kind of money an entry is, such as Groceries, Utilities, CPP or OAS.
Expense. Money you spent. The computer page for it is called Money out.
Income. Money you received. The computer page for it is called Money in.
Money available. Your starting balance, plus the income you have recorded, minus the expenses you have recorded. It is only as complete as what you enter.
Plan. The total of your category limits for the month.
Quick Entry. A way to record an entry by speaking or typing a sentence.
Safe to spend. What is left of your plan this month. With no plan, it is your income minus your expenses so far this month.
Starting balance. What you had across all your accounts when you began using VIVA. You can’t change it yourself.
Transaction. One entry, either an expense or income.
This guide explains how to use the VIVA app. It is not financial, legal or tax advice. Dollar amounts are made-up examples, not what you should expect to receive or spend. For advice about your own situation, please speak to a qualified professional.
Updated November 2026, for VIVA app version 1.0.4. Pictures use made-up examples.