This setup uses Lode's Add Transaction shortcut action. It reads the Apple Pay amount, merchant, and date from the Wallet automation, then creates an expense in Lode and tries to match the category automatically.

Requirements

• iPhone with iOS 18 or later

• Apple Pay set up with at least one card

• Lode installed

• At least one account already created in Lode

Step-by-Step Setup

Step 1: Create a New Automation

1. Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.

2. Open the Automation tab.

3. Tap +.

4. Select Wallet.

Step 2: Choose the Wallet Trigger

1. Select the card you want to track.

2. Select the payment categories you want the automation to react to.

3. Set the automation to Run Immediately.

4. Turn off Notify When Run.

5. Tap Next.

Step 3: Add the Lode Action

1. Tap Create New Shortcut.

2. Search for Lode.

3. Select Add Transaction.

Step 4: Pass the Apple Pay Data to Lode

Now map the Wallet values into the Lode action.

Set Amount:

1. Tap the Amount field.

2. Tap Select Variable.

3. Choose Shortcut Input.

4. Tap Shortcut Input again and select Amount.

Set Merchant:

1. Tap the Merchant field.

2. Tap Select Variable.

3. Choose Shortcut Input.

4. Tap Shortcut Input again and select Merchant.

Set Date:

1. Tap the Date field.

2. Tap Curent Date.

3. Leave Default settings

Set Account:

1. Tap the Account field.

2. Choose the Lode account that matches this card.

This step is important. Setting the account manually is the most reliable setup.

Step 5: Final Shortcut Settings

1. Turn off Show When Run.

2. Tap Done to save the shortcut.

3. Tap Done again to save the automation.

You're all set. The next time you pay with Apple Pay using that card, Lode will try to save the transaction automatically.

How It Works

Every time you pay with Apple Pay using the selected card:

1. The Wallet automation runs automatically.

2. Apple Pay sends the transaction data into the Add Transaction action.

3. Lode reads the amount, infers the currency when possible, and uses your selected account as the fallback currency.

4. Lode uses the merchant name to pick the closest matching expense category.

5. Lode saves the transaction to the account you selected.

If the merchant cannot be matched confidently, Lode falls back to the closest available expense category.

Tips

• Create one automation per card and set the Account field explicitly in each one.

• Match your Lode account names to your Wallet card names if you want better fallback account matching.

• Unlock your iPhone before tapping to pay. Wallet automations are more reliable when the phone is already unlocked.

Important Notes

• This setup creates expense transactions only.

• Category selection is based on the merchant name and your existing expense categories in Lode.

• If the account currency differs from the payment currency, Lode will try to convert the amount before saving.

• Some merchants, terminals, online checkouts, or card providers may not trigger the Wallet automation consistently. This is a Shortcuts limitation, not a Lode-specific one.

Troubleshooting

The automation does not run

• Make sure the automation is set to Run Immediately.

• Make sure Notify When Run is turned off and the automation is enabled.

• Unlock your phone before paying.

• Check that you paid with the same card selected in the automation.

• Test again with an in-store Apple Pay payment. Some online flows do not trigger Wallet automations reliably.

The transaction is not saved

• Make sure the shortcut action is Add Transaction.

• Check that the Amount field is mapped from Shortcut Input -> Amount.

• Open Lode and verify that at least one account exists.

The wrong account is used

• Open the shortcut and set the Account field manually to the correct Lode account.

• If you leave Account empty, Lode may fall back to matching by card name or use the first available account.

The wrong category is used

• Lode chooses a category from your existing expense categories based on the merchant name.

• Rename categories to be clearer if similar merchants keep landing in the wrong place.

The amount or currency is wrong

• Re-check that Amount is mapped to Shortcut Input -> Amount.

• Check that the selected Account in Lode uses the currency you expect for this card.