Checkbook

Use the state’s searchable checkbook to view spending details about how Tennessee state government dollars are spent. The checkbook includes payments recorded since August 2011, when the state’s centralized accounting system began. Note: the information shown is unaudited and is provided for transparency and accountability.  

What this tool shows
The Searchable Checkbook includes state expenditures that flow through Tennessee’s centralized accounting system, including payments to:
Cities and counties
University systems
Vendors and contractors
Program clients
State employees 

You can view the information in two ways:
Annual Payments by Agency (detailed view): Helps you explore spending by fiscal year and agency, and narrow results to specific payees or categories.
Protected Annual Payments Summarized by Program (summary view): Groups certain payments by program or service type when individual payment details cannot be shown.

How to use the checkbook: 
Start broad, then narrow down:
1. Open the tool using the button above.
2. Choose a fiscal year (if a year filter is available).
3. Pick an agency (or department) to focus your results.
4. Search for a payee (vendor/recipient name) or use filters to narrow by type of spending.
5. Review totals and details. Many dashboards let you click on a row, bar, or section to drill into more detail.
6. Sort and filter results to focus on what you care about (for example, largest payments first).
7. Download what you see (if available in the tool) so you can save or share your results.

Helpful Tips:
1. Try partial names if you do not find what you expect (for example, type one key word instead of the full name).
2. Spelling and naming can vary. A vendor may appear under a legal business name rather than a common name.
3. A payment is not the same as a contract. The checkbook shows payments made, not the full contract value or future obligations.
4. Use the summary view if you are looking for spending that may be protected for privacy reasons. 

Protected payments and privacy
Some spending cannot be listed line-by-line online because of protections in federal law, Tennessee law, or privacy requirements. When that happens, spending is shown in the Protected Annual Payments Summarized by Program view, grouped by the type of service paid rather than itemized to an individual recipient. 


Accessibility Disclaimer
This Tableau dashboard has been designed with accessibility in mind. However, some interactive features may have keyboard or screen reader limitations, including:

  • Tooltips or hover-only interactions
  • Complex or high-density visualizations
  • Certain server-rendered or platform-specific Tableau features

    Text objects and individual marks may not be fully keyboard-accessible, and some functionality may differ from mouse interaction. Where full keyboard support is not available, accessible alternatives are provided, such as View Data, summary text, or CSV downloads, to ensure all users can access the underlying information.