How to Use Wave: A Step-By-Step Guideline in 2025

Doing your own taxes is a total nightmare.

Most software costs too much and feels way too hard to learn.

You just want to track your money without a headache.

Wave is a free tool that can solve these problems fast.

It makes sending invoices and tracking expenses very simple.

You do not need to be a math genius to use it.

Our guide shows you exactly how to use Wave to get started today.

You will feel like a pro in just a few minutes.

Let’s get your business organized right now.

Wave

Ready to ditch the spreadsheets and save time? Docyt users report saving up to 20 hours per month on accounting tasks. Start your free trial today and see how Docyt can revolutionize your business!

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Wave Tutorial

Getting started with Wave is easier than you think.

First, set up your free account and link your bank.

This lets the software automatically track your spending.

Next, we will show you how to create professional invoices and quickly organize your business receipts.

How to Use Account Reconciliation

Small business owners need smart solutions to focus on growth.

You must access your bank transactions to get rid of every error. This point is vital.

You will match online payments, bills, and other transactions to catch mistakes.

Follow these tips to ensure every payment is correct.

Step 1: Start a New Reconciliation

• Navigate to the sidebar and click on Accounting.
• Select Reconciliation from the dropdown menu to view your accounts.
• Choose the specific bank account or credit card you want to check.
• Click on Get Started or New Reconciliation to begin the process.

Step 2: Enter Statement Details

• Grab your physical or digital bank statement for the month.
• Find the Ending Balance and the Ending Date on your statement.
• Enter these exact numbers into the Wave reconciliation screen.
• Click Next to verify your data and view the transaction list.

Step 3: Match Transactions

• Look at the list of charges on your screen.
• Check the box next to every item that matches your bank statement.
• Watch the “Difference” number at the top of the page.
• Keep checking boxes until the difference reaches $0.00.
• Click Save to finish reconciling your month.

How to Use Expense Tracking

Running a business is hard work.

Many people face tax issues for years because they lose receipts.

You must avoid this mess. It takes a bit of time to set up, but Wave runs the checks for you.

You can view where money goes and share data easily.

Read these steps to make your life easier.

This simple process works great.

Step 1: Connect Your Bank Account

• Navigate to the left-hand menu on your dashboard.
• Click on Banking and then select Connected Accounts.
• Choose your specific bank from the secure list.
• Enter your online banking login details to link the data.
• Select the checking or savings accounts you want to import.

Step 2: Classify Your Transactions

• Go to the Accounting tab and click on Transactions.
• Look at the list of imported spending from your bank.
• Click on a specific transaction to open the details.
• Select a Category (like “Office Supplies” or “Rent”).
• Wave learns your habits and will categorize similar items automatically next time.

Step 3: Upload Receipts

• Download the Wave mobile app or use the desktop version.
• Take a clear photo of your paper receipt.
• Upload the image to the Receipts section in the menu.
• Wait for Wave to scan the numbers and date for you.
• Click Verify to save the expense to your books officially.

How to Use Multi-Currency Support

Selling to people in other countries is a great way to grow your business.

But dealing with different money types can be confusing and hard.

You do not need to do the math yourself every time.

Wave handles the exchange rates automatically for you.

This tool lets you send bills in Euros, Pounds, or Pesos easily.

It keeps your records accurate without extra work.

You can now do business globally without stress.

Step 1: Add a New Currency

• Scroll to the bottom of the menu & click Settings.
• Look for the Currencies section in the list.
• Click the button that says Add Currency.
• Select the specific money type you need from the dropdown list.
• Click Save to add it to your system.

Step 2: Assign Currency to a Customer

• Go to the Sales tab, then click Customers.
• Click Add a customer to make a new profile or edit an old one.
• Find the Currency field in their profile settings.
• Change it from your home currency to their local currency (like Euros).
• Click Save to update the customer profile.

Step 3: Create a Foreign Invoice

• Go to Invoices and click Create New.
• Select the global customer you just set up in Step 2.
• Notice that the invoice automatically switches to their currency symbols.
• Enter your prices (Wave estimates the exchange rate for your reports).

Click Send to email the invoices to your client.

Alternatives to Wave

Wave Compared

• Wave vs Puzzle IO: This software focuses on AI-powered financial planning for startups. Its counterpart is for personal finance.
• Wave vs Dext: This is a business tool for capturing receipts and invoices. The other tool tracks personal expenses.
• Wave vs Xero: This is popular online accounting software for small businesses. Its competitor is for personal use.
• Wave vs Synder: This tool syncs e-commerce data with accounting software. Its alternative focuses on personal finance.
• Wave vs Easy Month End: This is a business tool to streamline month-end tasks. Its competitor is for managing personal finances.
• Wave vs Docyt: This uses AI for business bookkeeping and automation. The other uses AI as a personal finance assistant.
• Wave vs Sage: This is a comprehensive business accounting suite. Its competitor is an easier-to-use tool for personal finance.
• Wave vs Zoho Books: This is an online accounting tool for small businesses. Its competitor is for personal use.
• Wave vs Quicken: Both are personal finance tools, but this one offers more in-depth investment tracking. The other is simpler.
• Wave vs Hubdoc: This specializes in document capture for bookkeeping. Its competitor is a personal finance tool.
• Wave vs Expensify: This is a business expense management tool. The other is for personal expense tracking and budgeting.
• Wave vs QuickBooks: This is well-known accounting software for businesses. Its alternative is built for personal finance.
• Wave vs AutoEntry: This is designed to automate data entry for business accounting. Its alternative is a personal finance tool.
• Wave vs FreshBooks: This is accounting software for freelancers and small businesses. Its alternative is for personal finance.
• Wave vs NetSuite: This is a powerful business management suite for large companies. Its competitor is a simple personal finance app.

Conclusion

Wave helps you take control of your business money.

You do not need to be an expert to use it well.

We showed you how to track your spending and easily fix mistakes.

We also looked at how to get paid in other currencies.

This tool takes the heavy stress out of tax season.

Your financial records will be clean and safe from now on.

You can finally stop worrying about messy spreadsheets.

The best part is that it costs nothing to start. Go set up your account today.

Your future self will thank you for being organized.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Facts about Wave Software

• WAVE is a set of tools designed to help you make websites easier for everyone to use.
• The tool cannot decide on its own if a website is perfect; a human still needs to make the final decision.
• It is easy to use. You can check a webpage just by typing in its address.
• You can add WAVE to Chrome, Firefox, or Edge browsers to check pages directly on your computer.
• WAVE adds small icons to the webpage to provide information about accessibility.
• If you see red icons, it means there are errors you need to fix.
• It helps you follow important accessibility guidelines, such as WCAG 2.2, to ensure your site works for everyone.
• It helps you check things that computers can’t understand, like whether a picture has a good description.
• You can turn off the website’s design (CSS) to see the page structure clearly.
• WAVE checks the page after it has fully loaded to give you an accurate report.
• The tool is designed for use by people with disabilities.

Wave (The Accounting & Finance App)

• You can create reports to see how much profit your projects are making.
• Wave Payments lets your clients pay bills with credit cards, bank transfers, or Apple Pay to help you get money faster.
• The Pro Plan lets you link your business bank account so transactions appear automatically.
• Scanning receipts helps you prepare for taxes by saving the proof right next to your purchase records.
• The mobile app can read text from your receipts and sort them into the right projects for you.
• You can create your own income & expense groups to organize your spending.
• It is a good idea to keep your business money and personal money separate when using this tool.
• Wave is built for freelancers and small businesses, offering free tools for accounting and sending invoices.
• You can let partners view or edit your data without giving them your password.
• To start, you sign up with a business email and set up your company’s look, like your logo and colors.
• It lets small business owners create professional-looking invoices and accept online payments.
• The software is simple and made for people running their own businesses at any stage.
• You can easily track your cash flow & read important business reports.
• There is a Google Sheets tool that lets you move your customer and product data in and out of Wave.
• You can add buttons to your invoices so customers can pay by card or bank transfer.
• If a customer needs a refund, you can issue a full or partial refund.
• If you type in a transaction that the bank also sends automatically, you might see the same entry twice.