# Memos \[Annotate transactions for clean books]

A memo is a short note attached to a transaction. Memos appear alongside transactions throughout the app, filter the [Accounting page](/docs/accounting), and are included in CSV exports.

## Adding a memo

Add memos when creating a transaction, or retroactively from the transaction's row menu (*Add memo*) in any feed, including on inbound transactions, where retroactive memos matter most. Any member can add or edit memos.

## Requiring memos

The *Require memos* [team setting](/docs/teams/settings) rejects any new transaction without a memo, on every surface: the app, the [CLI / MCP](/docs/introduction/agents), and [schedules](/docs/transactions/schedules). It applies at creation only; memos on existing transactions stay editable.

## Programmatic access

Via the [Splits CLI / MCP](/docs/introduction/agents):

* `splits transactions memo <id> --memo "text"`: set or clear a memo, max 500 characters (**Write** scope)
* `splits transactions properties set <id> --properties '{"k":"v"}'`: structured JSON metadata beyond a memo; see [Agents](/docs/introduction/agents#transaction-metadata) (**Write** scope)