How to track, pay out and deduct rewards

Kids earn a reward when they finish a chore that has one. You can see each person's balance, pay it out, or adjust it. To take money or points away, for example as a fine, use Adjust Balance (see below). Each home uses either allowance (money) or points. See How to choose allowance or points.

Add a reward to a chore

1. Create or edit a chore.
2. Enter the Reward Amount (allowance homes) or Points (points homes).
3. To change when it's earned, tap More options and choose:
   • Completion (the default): the full reward is earned every time the chore is done.
   • Weekly: the reward is the total for a week, spread over the times the chore is due that week.
4. Tap Save.

For example, a daily chore with a Weekly reward of 7.00 earns 1.00 each day it is done. A chore due 3 days a week with a Weekly reward of 6.00 earns 2.00 each time. The same daily chore with a Completion reward of 2.00 earns 2.00 every time.

Weekly is only offered for Daily and Weekly schedules. Chores due Once, As Needed or Monthly earn their reward on each completion.

How rewards are earned

• The reward is added when every task in the chore is checked off. If the chore needs a photo, the photo must be added too.
• If a task is unchecked or flagged as incomplete, the reward is taken back. If a required photo is removed, the reward is taken back until a photo is added again.
• On a Shared chore, the reward is split by how many tasks each person checked off.
• On an Individual chore, each person earns their own reward.
• On a rotating chore, the reward goes to the person whose turn it was, even if a Household Manager checked it off.
• Only members with Earn Rewards turned on earn anything. Members you add have it on. The profile created for you when you set up the home has it off.
• The reward is set when the chore is first finished. If you change a chore's reward later, what was already earned stays the same, and the new reward counts the next times the chore is finished.

If a reward is missing, see Why didn't my child earn a reward?.

See balances

1. Tap the Rewards tab. Balances lists everyone in the home with their balance.
2. Tap a person to see their Current Balance and Recent Activity.
3. Tap a chore in Recent Activity to open it and see which tasks were done.

Recent Activity lists everything that changed the balance:

• Chores they finished.
• Missed chores, as "Missed:" and the chore name.
• Balance Adjustment entries.
• Payouts, as Paid out, and redeemed rewards, as the reward's name, both with a minus amount. A payout with a bonus or deduction says "Includes a ... bonus" or "Includes a ... deduction". A redemption you added points to says "... added to cover it".

If your home switched between allowance and points, entries earned in the other type are greyed out. They say "From allowance mode, not counted in points" or "From points mode, not counted in allowance".

Kids can see balances, but only a Household Manager can pay out or adjust them. On a kid's profile, the Rewards tab lists only that kid and the other kids who earn rewards.

Pay out an allowance

1. On the Rewards tab, tap the person.
2. Tap Choose Action, then Settle Balance ("Pay out the balance and start again from zero.").
3. If you want to pay more or less, change the Adjustment Amount.
4. Add a Note (Optional), such as "Paid in cash".
5. Tap Settle Balance, then confirm.

The balance goes back to zero, even when you add a bonus or a deduction. The adjustment only changes what you pay this time. Paying out an allowance never changes a points balance.

Redeem points for a reward

In a points home, kids trade points for one of your custom rewards.

1. On the Rewards tab, tap the person.
2. Tap Choose Action, then Redeem a Reward ("Spend points on one of your custom rewards.").
3. Under Available Rewards, pick a reward. A one-time reward this person already redeemed shows "Already claimed." and can't be picked.
4. If they are short, add points under Need More Points?.
5. Check the Summary, add a Note (Optional), and tap Redeem.
6. Confirm.

The reward's Point Cost is taken from their balance, and the rest stays. Redeeming points never changes an allowance balance. To set up rewards to redeem, see How to create custom rewards.

Deduct or add points or allowance (fines and bonuses)

Use this for a bonus, or a fine or deduction that is not tied to a chore, such as for behavior. The option reads "Add or take away points, with a reason." in a points home, or "Add or take away money, with a reason." in an allowance home. There is no balance option on a person's profile: it is on the Rewards tab.

1. On the Rewards tab, tap the person.
2. Tap Choose Action, then Adjust Balance.
3. Use the minus and plus buttons to set the amount.
4. Enter a Reason (Required).
5. Tap Adjust Balance, then confirm.

The change shows in Recent Activity as a Balance Adjustment.

Missed chores and requests

• A chore can take points or money away when it isn't done in time. It shows in Recent Activity as "Missed:" and the chore name. A Household Manager sees "Tap to excuse" on it and can tap it to Excuse it. See How missed-chore penalties work.
• In a points home, kids can ask for a custom reward, and you approve or decline it on their rewards. See How kids ask for a reward.

A balance that penalties took below zero shows in red. There's nothing to pay out until it's back above zero.

See past payouts

Payouts and redemptions show in the person's Recent Activity. To see only those, tap the balance card on their rewards screen to open Settlement History. Each entry shows Paid out for a payout, or the reward's name for a redemption (or the note you added when redeeming). It also shows the amount, any bonus, deduction or added points, the note, the date and who settled it.

Undo a payout or a redemption

You need to be a Household Manager.

1. Find the entry in Recent Activity or Settlement History.
2. Tap the three dots on the entry, then tap Undo.
3. Confirm Undo this?.

• Undoing a payout puts the balance back to what it was before the payout. It only changes the balance in the app, so it doesn't take back money you already handed over.
• Undoing a redemption gives the points back. That person can redeem a one-time reward again, and the request it approved, if any, shows Declined.

Troubleshooting

• There is no Choose Action button. Only a Household Manager can settle or adjust balances. Switch to a manager's profile, or see How to manage the members of your home.
• "Earn Rewards is off for this profile" Tap the message to edit the profile and turn on Earn Rewards.
• "The adjustment would result in a negative settlement. Please reduce the negative adjustment." The deduction is larger than the balance.
• "The balance changed to ... while this screen was open. Check it and settle again." Something changed the balance after you opened the screen, for example a chore finished on another phone. Nothing was paid. The screen now shows the new balance: check it and tap Settle Balance again.
• "A reason is required for balance adjustments." Fill in Reason (Required) before saving.
• "... owes ... from missed chores, so there is nothing to pay out yet." Missed-chore penalties took the balance below zero. Wait until they earn more, or use Adjust Balance.
• "Not enough points" The person does not have enough points for that reward. Add points under Need More Points?, or pick another reward.
• "Already claimed." That person already redeemed this one-time reward. Turn on Renewable for the reward, or undo the earlier redemption.
• "No custom rewards available. Ask your parent to create some!" Create a custom reward first.