Setup guide

Log every Apple Pay purchase automatically

Auto-log is a one-time setup. From then on, every time you pay with Apple Pay, HeyJerni records the merchant, amount and date by itself and sends you a notification. Nothing to type, no bank linking, and it all runs on your iPhone.

Before you start

  • An iPhone on iOS 17 or later. The Wallet transaction trigger that makes this work arrived in iOS 17.
  • Apple's Shortcuts app. It comes with iOS; if you deleted it, reinstall it from the App Store.
  • HeyJerni 2.0 or later, and at least one card in Apple Wallet.

How it works

  1. 1You pay with Apple Pay. iOS fires a Shortcuts automation for the cards you chose.
  2. 2The automation runs the HeyJerni Auto-Log shortcut and hands it the merchant and the amount.
  3. 3HeyJerni saves the expense, dated now, and shows a notification. Everything stays on the phone.

Step 1

Turn on logging notifications

Open HeyJerni. On the Records home, tap Set up on the Apple Pay auto-logging card. You can also reach the same screen later from Settings.

Tap Turn on notifications and allow them. The notification is how you see each expense the moment it lands.

Step 2

Add the ready-made shortcut

Tap Add Shortcut. The Shortcuts app opens with the HeyJerni Auto-Log shortcut, already wired to pass the amount and merchant. Confirm Add Shortcut.

There is nothing to edit inside the shortcut. If Shortcuts does not open, install it from the App Store and try again.

Step 3

Create the Apple Pay automation in Shortcuts

Back in HeyJerni, tap Open Shortcuts. It lands on the Automation tab. Then:

  1. Shortcuts app, step 1

    1. Tap New Automation.

  2. Shortcuts app, step 2

    2. Choose Transaction, the Wallet trigger, from the list.

  3. Shortcuts app, step 3

    3. Select the cards to watch, turn on Run Immediately, then tap Next.

  4. Shortcuts app, step 4

    4. Under My Shortcuts, pick Auto-Log.

  5. Shortcuts app, step 5

    5. The automation now appears under Personal. Done.

Run Immediately matters. With it off, iOS asks you to confirm every payment before anything is logged.

Step 4

Pay once to test

Make any Apple Pay payment. Within a few seconds a notification arrives and the expense sits at the top of Records. Back in HeyJerni, the Auto-log card now reads Set up.

After setup: what to do with each logged expense

  • Give it a category once. HeyJerni remembers the merchant and applies it next time.
  • Set the purpose (work, personal or mixed) and a work-use percentage for anything you plan to claim.
  • Add the receipt photo to the record for claimed expenses. Record Check lists what is still missing before you lodge.

Troubleshooting

Nothing was logged after I paid

Open Shortcuts, Automation tab. Check that the automation exists, the card you used is selected, and Run Immediately is on. With Ask Before Running on, iOS only shows a prompt and waits for you.

The expense is there but I got no notification

Settings, HeyJerni, Notifications: allow them. Notifications from Shortcuts itself can stay off; HeyJerni sends its own.

I cannot find the Transaction trigger

Your iPhone is on iOS 16 or earlier. Update to iOS 17 or later.

I paid with a physical card or cash

Only Apple Pay payments are logged. Scan the receipt or add the expense manually.

I want to start over

Settings, Reset auto-log setup. The setup card returns to Home and you can run the steps again.

Questions

Does Auto-log need my bank login?

No. It reads the Apple Pay transaction through Apple's Shortcuts app on the phone. No bank linking, no account.

Which payments are logged?

Apple Pay payments from the cards you selected: in store, in apps and on the web. Physical card taps, cash and bank transfers are not.

Does HeyJerni see my card number?

No. Shortcuts passes only the merchant name and the amount to HeyJerni.

Does it work offline?

Yes. The automation and the app both run on the device; no server is involved.

Is an auto-logged transaction enough evidence for a tax deduction?

Usually not on its own. The ATO generally wants a receipt that shows what you bought. Auto-log makes sure the expense is captured; scan the receipt for the ones you claim.

Can I use it on an iPad or an older iPhone?

It needs an iPhone on iOS 17 or later. HeyJerni is iPhone-only for now.

Read next

Get HeyJerni

Free on the App Store. Receipt scanning, on-device AI and Apple Pay auto-log, with no account and no bank linking.

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