Splitting a transaction lets you divide one expense into multiple parts, each with its own category, amount, and memo, so every part syncs individually to your accounting software.
What you need before you start
A Relay account, signed in on desktop web (splitting is not available in the mobile app)
The transaction you want to split, already posted to your Expenses feed
A QuickBooks Online or Xero connection, if you want the split to flow through to your books
What does it mean to split a transaction?
Splitting divides a single expense into multiple parts, each with its own category, amount, and memo, and each part syncs to your connected accounting software as a separate line item. Your bookkeeper sees clean, categorized entries instead of one lumped charge.
For example, a $500 Amazon purchase can split into $300 to Office Supplies (Paper & Pens) and $200 to IT Equipment (Keyboards & Monitors). Those two entries land in QuickBooks Online or Xero as two separate lines, not one.
When should you split a transaction?
Split any transaction that hits more than one general ledger account. The most common cases:
Bulk purchases from a single vendor that cover multiple departments or categories
Meal expenses that combine employee meals and client entertainment
Travel expenses covering hotel, meals, and incidentals on one card charge
Any transaction that affects multiple GL accounts in your accounting software
How do you split a transaction in Relay?
Splitting is done from Relay on desktop web. Here are the steps:
Sign into your Relay account on desktop.
Open the Expenses tab.
Find the transaction you want to split.
Click the three-dot menu on the right side of the transaction row.
Select Split line item.
In the split editor, enter a description, assign a category, and enter an amount for each split. The amounts must total the original transaction amount.
Click Split transaction.
Once saved, a Split label appears next to the transaction in your Expenses feed. Each part syncs individually to your connected accounting software on the next sync cycle.
How do you edit or remove a split?
Click the three-dot menu next to the split transaction and select Start Over. That reverts the transaction to a single line item, and you can then re-split it with different amounts and categories, or leave it as one entry.
There is no partial-edit path today; Start Over is the way to change a split after it's saved.
Can you split transactions from the mobile app?
Splitting itself is web-only. Already-split transactions display in the Relay mobile app so you can review them on the go, and you can snap a receipt or add a memo to a transaction from mobile, then complete the split from desktop later.
Common issues when splitting transactions
The split totals don't match the original amount. The Split transaction button stays disabled until every split line adds up to the full transaction amount. Adjust one line to close the gap.
The transaction already synced to accounting software as a single entry. Split before your next sync. If the transaction already synced, reverse or unsync it in QuickBooks Online or Xero first, then split in Relay and re-sync.
You cannot find the Split line item option. Splitting is only available on desktop web. Sign in from a browser rather than the mobile app.
You need to change a split after saving. Use Start Over to revert to a single line item, then re-split with the updated amounts and categories.
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