Fintolog user guide

Fintolog is a food and complaints diary for Android. It helps you record meals, symptoms, medication, stress, and comments, and then compare complaints with meals eaten shortly beforehand.

Fintolog supports Android 8.0 or newer and does not require a user account. Install the app, open it, and begin with the main screen. You can use the device's system language or select English, German, French, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, or Traditional Chinese in Fintolog's settings. Screenshots in this guide use English.

Important: Fintolog is a documentation aid, not a medical device. Its analysis shows time-based associations only and does not diagnose allergies, intolerances, or other medical conditions. Discuss medical concerns with a qualified healthcare professional.

Contents

1. Overview
2. Recording a meal
3. Recording complaints
4. Reviewing and deleting entries
5. Using the analysis
6. Settings, export, backup, and restore
7. Data and privacy
8. Practical tips

1. Overview

The main screen provides five functions:

• Add Meal records one meal with one or more foods or ingredients.
• Add Complaints records one or more symptoms and their intensity.
• Show Food Log displays all saved meals.
• Show Complaints Log displays all saved complaint entries.
• Analysis places complaints beside meals from the configured preceding period.

Open the three-dot menu in the top-right corner to access Settings. Use Android's Back button or the arrow in the title bar to return to the previous screen.

2. Recording a meal

1. On the main screen, tap Add Meal.
2. Check the date and time shown in the green bar. To change them, tap the bar, choose the date, and then choose the time.
3. Enter an Amount, a Unit, and the name of the food or ingredient.
4. Tap Add. The ingredient appears in the list below the fields.
5. Repeat the previous step for every ingredient in the meal.
6. Optionally enter the preparation method and a comment.
7. Tap the large Add Meal button at the bottom to save the complete meal.

As you type, Fintolog suggests common foods, units, and preparation methods in the selected app language. Previously entered values are included as well, and earlier comments can also appear as suggestions. Tap a suggestion to reuse it. If you add an ingredient by mistake, tap that ingredient in the list and confirm its removal.

Note: Adding an ingredient to the on-screen list does not save the meal yet. The meal is stored only after you tap the large Add Meal button. At least one ingredient is required.

3. Recording complaints

1. On the main screen, tap Add Complaints.
2. Check the date and time. Tap the green timestamp bar if it needs to be changed.
3. Select the symptom's Intensity from one to five markers.
4. Enter the symptom name and tap Add.
5. Repeat these steps for any additional symptoms in the same complaint entry.
6. Optionally enter medication and a comment.
7. Select the overall stress level from zero to five markers.
8. Tap the large Add Complaints button to save the entry.

Fintolog suggests common symptoms and medications in the selected app language while you type. Previously entered symptoms, medications, and comments are included as well. To remove a symptom from the current entry before saving, tap it in the list and confirm its removal.

Note: At least one symptom is required. Fintolog stores the intensity separately for each symptom, while stress, medication, and the comment apply to the complete complaint entry.

4. Reviewing and deleting entries

Meal log

Tap Show Food Log to see saved meals in chronological order. Each entry shows its date and time, ingredients, amounts, and units. Preparation and comments are shown when present.

Complaints log

Tap Show Complaints Log to see saved complaints in chronological order. Each entry shows its symptoms and intensities, stress, and any medication or comment.

Deleting one saved entry

Tap a meal or complaint entry in its log. Fintolog asks for confirmation before deleting it. Tap OK to delete the complete entry or Cancel to keep it. Deleted entries cannot be recovered unless they are contained in a previous backup.

5. Using the analysis

Tap Analysis to compare complaints with meals. Complaint entries are displayed in red. Under each complaint, Fintolog lists meals recorded during the configured number of hours immediately before that complaint.

For example, with an analysis period of five hours, a complaint recorded at 20:00 is shown together with meals recorded after 15:00 and no later than 20:00. Meals outside that period are not displayed below that complaint.

Interpret results carefully: A meal appearing beside a complaint means only that the meal occurred within the selected time period. It does not prove that the meal or any ingredient caused the complaint.

6. Settings, export, backup, and restore

Open the three-dot menu and select Settings.

General settings

• Analysis period in hours: defines how far Fintolog looks back for meals preceding a complaint. The default is five hours.
• App language: uses the device's current language when set to System default, or lets you select English, German, French, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, or Traditional Chinese. The app returns to the main screen after a change so all controls and screen titles use the new language.
• Your name: is used as the suggested filename for XLSX exports. The name must contain at least two characters and must be valid as part of a filename.

Data operations

• Delete all saved data: permanently removes every meal and complaint after confirmation.
• Export log as XLSX: creates a spreadsheet containing the diary. On current Android versions, choose the filename and destination in Android's document picker.
• Email log: creates an XLSX file and opens the Android sharing chooser. A compatible email or sharing app must be installed.
• Backup data: stores both the diary database and settings. On current Android versions, choose the destination folder in Android's folder picker; older supported Android versions use the Fintolog backup folder on external storage.
• Restore backup: replaces the current diary and settings with a previous backup. On current Android versions, select the backup folder in Android's folder picker.

Before restoring: Restoring a backup replaces the current data. Create a fresh backup first if the current entries may still be needed. Keep the database and settings files together in the same backup folder.

About

The About section links to the online documentation and displays license information and the author.

7. Data and privacy

• Meals, complaints, and settings are stored locally by Fintolog on the Android device.
• Fintolog does not require an account for diary use.
• Diary data leaves the app only when you explicitly export, share by email, or create a backup, or when device-level Android backup functionality is active.
• XLSX exports and backup folders can contain sensitive health information. Store them securely and share them only with intended recipients.
• Deleting the app or clearing its storage can remove local diary data. Make regular backups if the records are important.

8. Practical tips

• Record meals and complaints promptly so their timestamps are accurate.
• Use consistent ingredient and symptom names. The autocomplete suggestions help you reuse earlier wording.
• Record individual ingredients rather than only a dish name when you want more useful comparisons.
• Use comments for context such as location, exercise, sleep, or unusual circumstances.
• Choose an analysis period appropriate to the question you are investigating and review the result with a healthcare professional.
• Export or back up the diary before deleting entries, restoring an older backup, clearing app storage, or changing devices.

Screenshots illustrate the workflow. Button placement, colors, dialogs, and Android system controls can vary depending on the Fintolog and Android versions.