A purchase shows twice (PayPal and card)

One purchase shows up on two of your accounts: once as a PayPal payment and once as the bank or card charge that paid for it. Both count in your spending, so the purchase is counted twice. Linking the two as one purchase makes it count once.

What you'll see

• Two transactions on two different accounts for one purchase, both money out.
• The names often differ. One side may show the shop's name and the other a PayPal funding description.

If your AI tries to link them as a transfer, Pennyweight refuses and tells your AI:

signs must oppose for transfer / reimbursement (money leaves one account and enters the other). If these are the SAME purchase seen by two feeds (e.g. a PayPal leg plus its card funding leg), use link_type 'pass_through' with counted_txn_id so it counts exactly once

That message points to the right fix: a pass-through link.

Why it happens

Each account reports its own side of the purchase. Both records are real, and each account's balance is right. Only your spending totals count the purchase twice.

How to fix it

1. Ask your AI to find both sides. Give it the amount, the shop and both accounts if you know them.
2. Tell your AI which side should keep counting. Pennyweight's guidance to your AI is to keep the side that paid, such as the bank account that funded the PayPal payment.
3. Ask your AI to link them as one purchase. Only the side you chose stays in your spending.

What you'll see from your AI

Your AI confirms the two transactions are linked and names the side that keeps counting. The other side is left out of your spending and cash flow reports. Both transactions stay in place, and your account balances don't change. A link moves no money.

Delete or link?

• Both accounts really show the charge: link them. Both balances are right, so nothing should be deleted.
• One copy was entered on the wrong account by mistake: delete that copy. Deleting it also corrects that account's balance. Find and fix duplicate transactions shows how. A deleted transaction can be restored for 30 days.
• A pending charge and its posted version on one account: see the same charge appears pending and posted.

Good to know

• The duplicate check may miss these pairs. It compares merchant names after ignoring a "PayPal" prefix, so names such as "PayPal Inst Funding" and "PayPal Bluebird Books" don't match. By default it also looks back only 60 days. Tell your AI the two transactions instead. When the check does pair them, it suggests this same link.
• Both sides must move the same way. If one is money out and the other money in, Pennyweight refuses the link and tells your AI: signs oppose — a pass_through pair is one purchase seen twice, so both legs move the same direction. For money moving between accounts use 'transfer'/'reimbursement'; for a purchase + refund use 'refund_match'. Money moving between your accounts is a transfer: see link the two sides of a transfer. A purchase and its refund are matched differently: see match a refund to its purchase.
• Only the counted side's category shows in your spending. If that side is uncategorized, ask your AI to categorize it.
• The amounts don't have to match. A purchase in another currency can be linked to the charge in your own currency. Keep the side in your currency counting.
• A transaction can belong to only one link. If either side is already linked, Pennyweight refuses and says to unlink it first.
• To undo the link, ask your AI to unlink the pair. Your balances aren't affected either way. See undo a wrong transfer match.
• Transfers aren't spending explains how links change your totals.