> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.finerd.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How it works

The easiest way to understand Checkpie is a regular dinner with friends.

Picture five of you splitting dinner at a pizza place, and the waiter brings one bill for the table. One person had just a salad, another had pizza, beer, and dessert, and one pizza you ordered to share. Splitting it evenly wouldn't be fair.

You take a photo of the receipt, finerd reads the items, and you create a Checkpie. Drop the link in the group chat; your friends open it on their phones — no app needed — and each marks what they had. Split the shared pizza in two, leave the beer with whoever ordered it. finerd instantly works out who owes what — tax and tip included — and turns it into debts you just need to settle.

## Owner and guests

A Checkpie has one **owner** — the person who paid the bill and created the Checkpie — and any number of **guests**.

* The **owner** reviews the receipt, shares the link, watches the split fill in, and completes it.
* **Guests** open the shared link, pick the items they ordered, and see what they owe. They join straight from the browser and don't need a finerd account.

## Items and charges

A receipt is made of two things:

* **Items** — the actual things on the bill, each with a quantity and price (a burger, two coffees, a bottle of wine).
* **Charges** — amounts added on top of the items: **Tax**, **Tip**, **Discount**, **Service**, **Delivery**, or a **Custom** charge. A tip can be a fixed amount or a percentage of the items.

Guests claim **items**. Charges are never claimed directly — they're shared automatically.

## How each share is calculated

Each person pays for the items they claimed, plus a fair slice of every charge. Charges are split **in proportion to the items each person had**, not evenly.

For a \$100 bill — \$90 of items and \$10 tax — where two people each claim \$45 of items:

* Items: \$45 each
* Tax: \$10 × (\$45 / \$90) = \$5 each
* **Total: \$50 each**

<Note>
  Items nobody claims stay unclaimed and are not charged to anyone. The dashboard flags them so the owner can chase them before completing.
</Note>

## Everyone splits in real time

Owner and guests see the same receipt live. As people join and claim items, the counts and amounts update on the spot — no refresh and no need to re-send the link.

## Completing a Checkpie creates debts

When the owner completes the Checkpie, finerd rebuilds the original transaction so each person's share becomes a **debt**: the money you're owed is recorded against a debtor, and guests can mark their part as paid.

<Warning>
  Completing a Checkpie is final. Once it's completed, items and amounts are locked and guests can't change their selections.
</Warning>