YNAB

Overview

This node integrates with the YNAB (You Need A Budget) API to automate budget management tasks. Specifically, for the Categories resource and the Update Category operation, it allows users to update details of an existing category within a YNAB budget. This is useful for keeping category names and notes up-to-date as budgeting needs evolve.

Practical examples include:

• Renaming a category to better reflect its purpose.
• Adding or updating notes on a category to provide additional context or instructions for budget users.

Properties

Output

The node outputs a JSON object representing the updated category as returned by the YNAB API. This includes all standard category fields such as id, name, note, and other metadata reflecting the current state of the category after the update.

No binary data output is involved in this operation.

Dependencies

• Requires an active connection to the YNAB API using an API key credential configured in n8n.
• The node dynamically constructs the API URL based on the budget ID obtained from credentials or configuration.
• Uses HTTP PATCH requests to update category data via the YNAB REST API.

Troubleshooting

• Common issues:

  • Invalid or missing Category ID will cause the API request to fail.
  • Providing empty or invalid values for name or note may result in no changes or errors.
  • Incorrect budget ID or API authentication failure will prevent successful updates.

• Error messages:

  • Authentication errors indicate problems with the API key setup; verify credentials.
  • "Category not found" errors suggest the Category ID does not exist in the specified budget.
  • Validation errors from the API may occur if input data does not meet expected formats.

To resolve these, ensure:

• Correct and existing Category ID is used.
• Valid API credentials are configured.
• Optional fields are provided correctly or omitted if not needed.

Links and References

• YNAB API Documentation - Categories
• YNAB Official Website