On Track Status Calculation
How Cake Budget predicts whether you'll meet your slice funding goals on time
One of Cake Budget’s smartest features is the “On Track” status—a real-time prediction of whether you’ll meet your slice funding goals by the target date. This guide explains how that calculation works and how to use it.
The Four Status Levels
When you open a slice’s details, you’ll see a colored status badge in the header next to the slice name.
🟢 Ready
Meaning: Your slice is fully funded.
Calculation:
Current Balance ≥ Target Amount
Example:
Emergency Fund:
- Current: $5,000
- Target: $5,000
Status: READY
What to do: Nothing! You’ve reached your goal. Spend from this slice as needed, or adjust your target amount higher.
🔵 On Track
Meaning: Based on your funding schedules and auto-contributions, you’re projected to meet your target by the due date.
Calculation:
Projected Balance at Target Date ≥ Target Amount
Example:
Rent Fund:
- Current: $600
- Target: $1,200
- Target Date: 30 days from now
- Funding Schedule: $600 next paycheck (in 14 days)
- Projection: $600 + $600 = $1,200
Result: Projected to have $1,200 by target date
Status: ON TRACK
What to do: Keep doing what you’re doing. Your current automation will get you there.
🟡 Behind
Meaning: Even with your current funding schedules and auto-contributions, you won’t reach your target by the due date.
Calculation:
Projected Balance at Target Date < Target Amount
Example:
Car Repair Fund:
- Current: $200
- Target: $1,000
- Target Date: 45 days from now
- Funding: $100/month auto-contribution
- Projection: $200 + ~$150 = ~$350
Result: Will only have ~$350 by target date
Shortfall: ~$650
Status: BEHIND
What to do:
- Increase your funding amount
- Extend the target date
- Lower the target amount
- Make a one-time deposit to catch up
🔴 Past Due
Meaning: The target date has passed and you haven’t reached your goal.
Calculation:
Target Date < Today AND Current Balance < Target Amount
Example:
Monthly Groceries:
- Current: $350
- Target: $500
- Target Date: October 31
- Today: November 5
Status: PAST DUE
What to do:
- Fund the slice to catch up
- If it’s a recurring slice, check if it already advanced to next month
- Review why you fell short
How Projections Work
Cake Budget calculates projections by simulating your configured automations into the future.
What Gets Projected
Funding Schedule Contributions:
The system calculates how many paychecks will arrive before your target date and how much each will contribute.
Example:
Today: October 1
Target Date: December 31
Funding Schedule: Biweekly, $250 to this slice
Calculation:
- Days until target: 91 days
- Paycheck frequency: Every 14 days
- Expected paychecks: ~6
- Projected from funding: ~$1,500
Auto-Contribution Contributions:
The system calculates how many auto-contributions will occur before your target date.
Example:
Today: October 1
Target Date: December 31
Auto-Contribution: $50 weekly
Calculation:
- Days until target: 91 days
- Contribution frequency: Every 7 days
- Expected contributions: ~13
- Projected from auto-contributions: ~$650
Combined:
Current Balance: $500
Funding Schedules: ~$1,500
Auto-Contributions: ~$650
Total Projected: $2,650
If Target = $2,000: ON TRACK
If Target = $3,000: BEHIND
What’s NOT Projected
Projections only use configured, predictable automation:
Not included:
- ❌ Future manual deposits (can’t predict)
- ❌ Future spending from the slice (unknown)
- ❌ Rule-based funding (too variable)
- ❌ One-time bonuses or windfalls
- ❌ Variable income without funding schedules
Why: The projection shows what will happen if you change nothing. It’s based only on automation you’ve set up.
What Affects Your Status
Makes Status Better (Higher Projection)
- ✅ Manually add money to the slice now
- ✅ Create or increase funding schedule allocation
- ✅ Enable or increase auto-contributions
- ✅ Extend target date (more time = more contributions)
- ✅ Lower target amount
Makes Status Worse (Lower Projection)
- ❌ Spend from the slice
- ❌ Remove or decrease funding allocation
- ❌ Disable auto-contributions
- ❌ Move target date closer
- ❌ Increase target amount
No Effect on Status
- Other slices’ balances
- Safe-to-Spend amount
- Account balances
- Past spending patterns
Each slice’s status is calculated independently based on its own configuration.
Real-World Scenarios
Scenario 1: Behind → On Track (Added Funding)
Initial State:
Vacation Fund:
- Current: $500
- Target: $3,000
- Target Date: 6 months away
- Funding: None configured
Status: BEHIND (No automation = stays at $500)
After adding funding schedule:
Vacation Fund:
- Current: $500
- Target: $3,000
- Target Date: 6 months away
- Funding: $500/month from paychecks
- Projected: $500 + ($500 × 6) = $3,500
Status: ON TRACK (Will exceed target!)
Scenario 2: On Track → Behind (Increased Goal)
Initial State:
Emergency Fund:
- Current: $2,000
- Target: $3,000
- Target Date: 90 days
- Funding: $200/paycheck biweekly
- Projected: $2,000 + (~$1,200) = $3,200
Status: ON TRACK
You increase target to $5,000:
Emergency Fund:
- Current: $2,000
- Target: $5,000 (increased)
- Projected: Still $3,200
Status: BEHIND (Need $1,800 more)
Scenario 3: Slice Without Automation
State:
Gift Fund:
- Current: $100
- Target: $500
- Target Date: 60 days
- No funding schedules
- No auto-contributions
Status: BEHIND
Why Behind? Without automation, the projection equals current balance ($100). System can’t predict manual deposits, so it assumes you won’t reach $500.
Solution: Either add automation (funding schedule or auto-contribution) or accept manual funding.
Using On Track Status
Where You See Status
In Slice Details:
- Colored badge next to slice name
- Green = Ready
- Blue = On Track
- Yellow = Behind
- Red = Past Due
What You Don’t See (Yet):
- Exact projected amounts
- Specific shortfall numbers
- Projected completion dates
The status gives you a quick health check without overwhelming detail.
Daily Decision-Making
When reviewing your slices:
Ready: ✅ Goal achieved, use as intended
On Track: ✅ Continue your current plan, no action needed
Behind: ⚠️ Review: Can you increase funding? Is the goal realistic?
Past Due: 🔴 Urgent: Fund this slice or adjust expectations
Planning New Slices
When creating a new slice:
- Set target amount and date
- Configure funding (schedule or auto-contribution)
- Save the slice
- Open it to check status
- If Behind: Adjust funding or timeline before it’s a problem
Slices Without Automation
Key Insight: Slices with no funding schedule or auto-contribution will show as Behind (unless already fully funded).
Why? The system can only project based on configured automation. Without it, projection = current balance.
Example:
Gift Slice:
- Current: $200
- Target: $500
- No automation
Projected: $200 (current balance only)
Status: BEHIND
This doesn’t mean it’s broken! It means you’ll need to manually fund this slice to reach the goal.
When This Is Fine:
- Irregular savings (you’ll fund when you can)
- One-time goals (vacation, specific purchase)
- Flexible timelines
When to Add Automation:
- You want to reach the goal reliably
- You prefer automatic progress
- You forget to manually fund
Pro Tips
💡 Status Is a Guide, Not a Rule: Behind doesn’t mean failure—it’s early warning.
💡 On Track ≠ Ignore: Still review monthly to ensure automation is running.
💡 Behind on Day 1 Is Normal: New slices without automation start Behind. Add funding or accept manual management.
💡 Ready Is Good (Usually): But check if you’ve over-allocated. Could that money help elsewhere?
💡 Past Due on Recurring Slices: May have auto-advanced to next month—check the target date.
💡 Use for Prioritization: Focus your attention on Behind slices during weekly reviews.
Related Guides
- How to Setup a Funding Schedule - Enable accurate projections
- How to Create Your First Slice - Set up auto-contributions
- How to Setup Recurring Slices - Understand how recurring affects status
- Concept: How Funding Schedules Work - Deep dive into automated funding
The Bottom Line: On Track status is your early warning system. It tells you if your current automation will reach your goals, or if you need to make adjustments before it’s too late.