How to create a bill in Ambrook
If you’re looking to track what you owe and when it’s due—especially if you plan to pay it through Ambrook or want your books right on an accrual basis—creating a bill is the way to go.
Bills and Checks help you work ahead. Tagging transactions directly help you catch up. Here’s how to tell the difference.
When to create a bill
Use Create Bill when:
You’ve received a bill—by email, mail, or handed across a truck bed.
You want to track an upcoming payment, even if you haven’t paid it yet.
You plan to pay through Ambrook—either by ACH or check.
You want accurate accrual records—meaning expenses reflect when you owe them, not just when they clear your bank.
Tip: Creating a bill is the most proactive way to track expenses in Ambrook.
When to record a check
Use Check Recording (see Check Recording for more details) if:
You already wrote a paper check from your external account that hasn’t shown up on your bank feed.
You want to track what it was for, but you paid it right away—no need for a full bill workflow.
When to tag a transaction directly
Use Tagging when:
The transaction already cleared and shows up in your Ledger.
You paid with a card swipe, mobile payment, or synced check and are just categorizing after the fact.
You’re catching up on bookkeeping from the beginning of the year or prior years, versus trying to stay on top of new bills that come in.
Additional Clarifications
Creating a bill is the most proactive way to track what you owe. It’s best when you’re trying to stay ahead—like when a bill shows up in your inbox and you know you’ll pay it later. It helps ensure your books reflect when the expense was due, not just when money left your account. This matters most if you’re using accrual accounting.
Recording a check is best for when you’ve already written a paper check from your outside bank account. Use this to document the expense without creating a bill. It’s quick, direct, and helps keep track of what your bank balance will be when checks written clear your account.
Tagging a transaction works when the payment already happened—most often through a synced account. This is ideal for catching up or when you’re not managing bills ahead of time. If the money already left your account, just tag it in your Ledger.
Connected bank accounts mean you don’t need to enter most expenses manually. Ambrook will pull them in once they clear. If you already created a bill, you’ll just match the transaction to the bill—you won’t need to re-categorize.
Tips
🟫 Manual transaction entry makes sense when you're not using a connected account. In these cases, if you've already paid the expense, there's no need to create a bill—just add it straight to the Ledger and tag it. Only create a bill if you’re planning to use Ambrook’s payment options to send the payment later.
FAQ
Q: What’s the difference between recording a check and creating a bill?
A: Recording a check logs a payment you’ve already made. Creating a bill tracks what you owe—whether or not you’ve paid it yet. Bills are better for planning and reporting. Checks are better for quick record-keeping.
Q: Can I pay bills through Ambrook?
A: Yes. You can pay by:
ACH (add vendor account + routing info)
Mailed check (add mailing address) See Paying Bills for full details