Configuring the Core Engines

Configuring the Core Engines ⚙️

The middle section of the Settings hub contains gateways to Vanlife Assistant’s four main processing engines: Trips, Money, Smart Van, and the Voice Assistant.

Here is what you can configure inside each one.

🗺️ Trips Settings

This menu controls how the app tracks your physical journey.

• Journey Start Date: Set the official “Day 1” of your vanlife adventures. The app uses this to calculate long-term statistics and build your trip timelines.
• Home Location: By setting a Home Location, the app can calculate distances to and from your base. You can set this by typing in an address (using the “Lookup Address” tool) or by manually entering GPS coordinates. The app will display a mini-map to visually confirm you have the right spot.
• GPX Import: If you track your drives or hikes using a Garmin, Strava, or another GPS app, you can launch the GPX Import Wizard here to bring those routes directly into your Vanlife Assistant history. 👉 See GPX Import.

💷 Money Settings

The Money engine is incredibly powerful, and this menu acts as its structural foundation.

• Structure: Access the dedicated managers for your Categories, Category Groups, and Milestones. 👉 See Category - Group Management and Milestones - Goals and Predicted Landmarks.
• Forecasting Engine (Assumptions): This is where you configure the mathematical variables that power your 10-Year Runway chart. You can set your Home Currency, estimate global Inflation, set your savings Interest Rate, and define your Starting Nest Egg (your initial capital before travel). 👉 See Understanding Financial Scenarios.
• Data & Maintenance: Use this section to bulk Import Bank CSVs, Export your Ledger to a spreadsheet with a specific date range, or run the Duplicate Scanner to clean up messy transactions. 👉 See Importing Your History - The CSV Wizard and Exporting Your Data (CSV).

⚡ Smart Van Settings

If you have built out a smart van using Apple HomeKit (e.g., smart lights, temperature sensors, or relays), you can integrate it here.

• Enable Smart Van: Toggling this on gives Vanlife Assistant permission to connect to your local HomeKit devices and use background location services for geofence automation (like automatically turning on your porch lights when you arrive at camp). 👉 See How Weather Alerts work with SmartVan.
• Note: If you do not use HomeKit, leave this toggled OFF to save battery life and hide the feature from view. (No point looking at a feature you’re not using right?)

🎙️ Voice Assistant Settings

Make your digital co-pilot sound exactly how you want.

• Assistant Voice: Browse and select from all the available Siri and system voices installed on your device. The app filters for English voices by default.
• Speech Rate: If the assistant speaks too quickly or slowly, use the slider to adjust its speed.
• Tap Test Voice to hear exactly how your assistant will sound the next time you ask it to log an expense or check the manifest! 👉 See What The Assistant Can Do.