diff --git a/src/components/layout/AppShell.render.test.tsx b/src/components/layout/AppShell.render.test.tsx
index e486f3f..c458582 100644
--- a/src/components/layout/AppShell.render.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/layout/AppShell.render.test.tsx
@@ -150,10 +150,7 @@ describe("AppShell — the getting-started banner (#397)", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  it.each([
-    ["/transactions", IMPORTED],
-    ["/budget", BUDGET_LEFT],
-  ] as const)(
+  it.each([["/budget", BUDGET_LEFT]] as const)(
     "keeps the banner on %s, the page of the next step, while no step card is delivered",
     (pathname, snapshot) => {
       expect(CARD_PAGES.has(pathname)).toBe(false);
@@ -176,6 +173,17 @@ describe("AppShell — the getting-started banner (#397)", () => {
     expect(renderAt("/reports", loaded(NEW_PROFILE))).toContain('href="/import"');
   });
 
+  it("gives /transactions, the page of the next step, its step card instead of the banner (#399)", () => {
+    expect(CARD_PAGES.has("/transactions")).toBe(true);
+    const value = pathAt("/transactions", loaded(IMPORTED));
+    expect(value.nextStep?.to).toBe("/transactions");
+    expect(value.mode).toBe("card");
+    expect(value.cardPage).toBe("/transactions");
+    expect(renderWith("/transactions", value)).not.toContain(BANNER);
+    // Anywhere else, the same profile keeps the banner and its link to /transactions.
+    expect(renderAt("/reports", loaded(IMPORTED))).toContain('href="/transactions"');
+  });
+
   it("shows nothing on a page that carries a step card", () => {
     const value = { ...pathAt("/import", loaded(NEW_PROFILE)), mode: "card" as const, cardPage: "/import" };
     expect(renderWith("/import", value)).not.toContain(BANNER);
diff --git a/src/components/transactions/TransactionTable.render.test.tsx b/src/components/transactions/TransactionTable.render.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d36696b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/transactions/TransactionTable.render.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+// TransactionTable — the getting-started target (#399). No jsdom:
+// react-dom/server renders in vitest's node environment, and the markup says
+// which element carries the highlight: a wrapper around the category of the
+// first row shown, CategoryCombobox itself left as it is.
+import { describe, it, expect, vi } from "vitest";
+import { renderToStaticMarkup } from "react-dom/server";
+
+vi.mock("react-i18next", () => ({
+  useTranslation: () => ({
+    t: (k: string, o?: Record<string, unknown>) =>
+      o ? `${k}[${Object.entries(o).map(([a, b]) => `${a}=${String(b)}`).join(",")}]` : k,
+    i18n: { language: "fr" },
+  }),
+}));
+
+import TransactionTable, { TRANSACTION_CATEGORY_TARGET } from "./TransactionTable";
+import type { Category, TransactionRow } from "../../shared/types";
+
+const HIGHLIGHT = 'data-onboarding-highlight="true"';
+const count = (html: string, needle: string) => html.split(needle).length - 1;
+
+const GROCERIES: Category = {
+  id: 7,
+  name: "Épicerie",
+  type: "expense",
+  is_active: true,
+  is_inputable: true,
+  sort_order: 1,
+  created_at: "",
+};
+
+const row = (id: number, description: string, category: Category | null = null): TransactionRow => ({
+  id,
+  date: "2026-09-12",
+  description,
+  amount: -42.5,
+  category_id: category?.id ?? null,
+  category_name: category?.name ?? null,
+  category_color: null,
+  source_name: "Exemple Desjardins",
+  notes: null,
+  is_manually_categorized: false,
+  is_split: false,
+});
+
+/** The guided entry: uncategorized rows only. */
+const UNCATEGORIZED = [row(1, "IGA 123"), row(2, "METRO 456"), row(3, "SAQ 789")];
+
+const markup = (rows: TransactionRow[], onboardingTarget?: boolean) =>
+  renderToStaticMarkup(
+    <TransactionTable
+      rows={rows}
+      sort={{ column: "date", direction: "desc" }}
+      categories={[GROCERIES]}
+      onSort={vi.fn()}
+      onCategoryChange={vi.fn()}
+      onNotesChange={vi.fn()}
+      onAddKeyword={vi.fn(async () => undefined)}
+      onLoadSplitChildren={vi.fn(async () => [])}
+      onSaveSplit={vi.fn(async () => undefined)}
+      onDeleteSplit={vi.fn(async () => undefined)}
+      onboardingTarget={onboardingTarget}
+    />,
+  );
+
+/** The rows of the table's body, in order. */
+const bodyRows = (html: string) => html.split("<tbody")[1].split("<tr").slice(1);
+
+/** The highlighted wrapper around a closed combobox, whose input shows `value`. */
+const ringedCategory = (value: string) =>
+  new RegExp(
+    `<div class="rounded-lg" data-onboarding-target="${TRANSACTION_CATEGORY_TARGET}" ${HIGHLIGHT}>` +
+      `<div class="relative"><input [^>]*role="combobox"[^>]*value="${value}"[^>]*/></div></div>`,
+  );
+
+describe("TransactionTable — getting-started target (#399)", () => {
+  it("highlights exactly one element: a wrapper around the first row's category", () => {
+    const html = markup(UNCATEGORIZED, true);
+    expect(count(html, HIGHLIGHT)).toBe(1);
+    const [first, ...others] = bodyRows(html);
+    expect(first).toContain("IGA 123");
+    expect(first).toMatch(ringedCategory("transactions.table.noCategory"));
+    expect(others).toHaveLength(2);
+    for (const other of others) {
+      expect(other).not.toContain("data-onboarding");
+      // Every row has the same wrapper, without the ring.
+      expect(other).toContain('<div class="rounded-lg"><div class="relative"><input');
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("rings the category only: a categorized first row keeps its keyword and split buttons outside", () => {
+    const html = markup([row(1, "IGA 123", GROCERIES), row(2, "METRO 456")], true);
+    expect(count(html, HIGHLIGHT)).toBe(1);
+    const [first] = bodyRows(html);
+    expect(first).toMatch(new RegExp(`${ringedCategory("Épicerie").source}<button`));
+  });
+
+  it("highlights nothing without the property", () => {
+    expect(markup(UNCATEGORIZED)).not.toContain("data-onboarding");
+    expect(markup(UNCATEGORIZED, false)).not.toContain("data-onboarding");
+  });
+
+  it("highlights nothing without a row: the card stays, without a ring", () => {
+    const html = markup([], true);
+    expect(html).toContain("transactions.noTransactions");
+    expect(html).not.toContain("data-onboarding");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/components/transactions/TransactionTable.tsx b/src/components/transactions/TransactionTable.tsx
index 74b1263..a51d965 100644
--- a/src/components/transactions/TransactionTable.tsx
+++ b/src/components/transactions/TransactionTable.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import type {
   SplitChild,
 } from "../../shared/types";
 import type { LinkedTransferTooltipRow } from "../../services/balance.service";
+import { onboardingTargetAttributes } from "../../utils/onboardingPath";
 import CategoryCombobox from "../shared/CategoryCombobox";
 import SplitAdjustmentModal from "./SplitAdjustmentModal";
 
@@ -31,8 +32,16 @@ interface TransactionTableProps {
    * to avoid an N+1 hit on the table render.
    */
   linkedTransfersByTxId?: Map<number, LinkedTransferTooltipRow[]>;
+  /**
+   * Highlight the category of the first row for the getting-started card
+   * (#399). The ring sits on a wrapper: `CategoryCombobox` stays as it is.
+   */
+  onboardingTarget?: boolean;
 }
 
+/** `data-onboarding-target` of the highlighted category. */
+export const TRANSACTION_CATEGORY_TARGET = "transaction-category";
+
 function SortIcon({
   column,
   sort,
@@ -62,6 +71,7 @@ export default function TransactionTable({
   onDeleteSplit,
   onRowContextMenu,
   linkedTransfersByTxId,
+  onboardingTarget,
 }: TransactionTableProps) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const [expandedId, setExpandedId] = useState<number | null>(null);
@@ -144,7 +154,7 @@ export default function TransactionTable({
           </tr>
         </thead>
         <tbody className="divide-y divide-[var(--border)]">
-          {rows.map((row) => (
+          {rows.map((row, index) => (
             <Fragment key={row.id}>
               <tr
                 onContextMenu={onRowContextMenu ? (e) => onRowContextMenu(e, row) : undefined}
@@ -189,16 +199,29 @@ export default function TransactionTable({
                 </td>
                 <td className="px-3 py-2">
                   <div className="flex items-center gap-1">
-                    <CategoryCombobox
-                      categories={categories}
-                      value={row.category_id}
-                      onChange={(id) => onCategoryChange(row.id, id)}
-                      placeholder={t("transactions.table.noCategory")}
-                      compact
-                      extraOptions={noCategoryExtra}
-                      activeExtra={row.category_id === null ? "" : null}
-                      onExtraSelect={() => onCategoryChange(row.id, null)}
-                    />
+                    {/*
+                      Every row has the wrapper and only the first one's carries
+                      the ring (#399): the ring coming or going never remounts
+                      the combobox, so it never drops the focus.
+                    */}
+                    <div
+                      className="rounded-lg"
+                      {...onboardingTargetAttributes(
+                        TRANSACTION_CATEGORY_TARGET,
+                        onboardingTarget && index === 0
+                      )}
+                    >
+                      <CategoryCombobox
+                        categories={categories}
+                        value={row.category_id}
+                        onChange={(id) => onCategoryChange(row.id, id)}
+                        placeholder={t("transactions.table.noCategory")}
+                        compact
+                        extraOptions={noCategoryExtra}
+                        activeExtra={row.category_id === null ? "" : null}
+                        onExtraSelect={() => onCategoryChange(row.id, null)}
+                      />
+                    </div>
                     {row.category_id !== null && (
                       <>
                         <button
diff --git a/src/hooks/useTransactions.test.ts b/src/hooks/useTransactions.test.ts
index b2bcfb5..312bad4 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useTransactions.test.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useTransactions.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// useTransactions — reducer unit tests (issue #353).
+// useTransactions — reducer unit tests (issues #353, #399).
 //
 // The project has no jsdom / renderHook harness, so the EXPORTED reducer and
 // its initial state are exercised directly (same approach as
@@ -6,14 +6,19 @@
 // profile-wide transaction count (`totalInDb`) is orthogonal to the paging
 // state — setting it never touches `filters`, `sort` or `page` — and the
 // 0 → N transition takes the page from the empty state back to the table.
+// Then the start filters (#399): the guided entry, its single fallback when
+// no transaction is left uncategorized, and the ordinary visit.
 
 import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
 import {
   transactionsReducer,
   initialTransactionsState,
+  initTransactionsState,
   showsEmptyState,
+  GUIDED_ENTRY_FILTERS,
   type TransactionsState,
 } from "./useTransactions";
+import type { TransactionPageResult } from "../shared/types";
 
 const populated = (): TransactionsState =>
   transactionsReducer(
@@ -92,3 +97,118 @@ describe("transactionsReducer — SET_TOTAL_IN_DB (issue #353)", () => {
     expect(after.totalInDb).toBe(5);
   });
 });
+
+/** A page of `totalCount` transactions, as `getTransactionPage` returns it. */
+const page = (totalCount: number): TransactionPageResult => ({
+  rows: [],
+  totalCount,
+  totalAmount: 0,
+  incomeTotal: 0,
+  expenseTotal: 0,
+});
+
+const result = (state: TransactionsState, totalCount: number) =>
+  transactionsReducer(state, { type: "SET_PAGE_RESULT", payload: page(totalCount) });
+
+describe("initTransactionsState — the start filters (#399)", () => {
+  const JANUARY_FIRST = `${new Date().getFullYear()}-01-01`;
+
+  it("an ordinary visit keeps the default filters: since January 1st, every category", () => {
+    for (const state of [initTransactionsState(), initTransactionsState(undefined)]) {
+      expect(state).toEqual(initialTransactionsState);
+      expect(state.filters).toEqual({
+        search: "",
+        categoryId: null,
+        sourceId: null,
+        dateFrom: JANUARY_FIRST,
+        dateTo: null,
+        uncategorizedOnly: false,
+      });
+      expect(state.guidedFallback).toBe(false);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("the guided entry starts on the uncategorized transactions, without a date bound", () => {
+    expect(GUIDED_ENTRY_FILTERS).toEqual({ dateFrom: null, uncategorizedOnly: true });
+    const guided = initTransactionsState(GUIDED_ENTRY_FILTERS);
+    expect(guided.filters).toEqual({
+      search: "",
+      categoryId: null,
+      sourceId: null,
+      dateFrom: null,
+      dateTo: null,
+      uncategorizedOnly: true,
+    });
+    expect(guided.guidedFallback).toBe(true);
+    // Nothing else moves: same sort, first page, nothing loaded yet.
+    expect({ ...guided, filters: initialTransactionsState.filters, guidedFallback: false }).toEqual(
+      initialTransactionsState,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("applies any start filter over the defaults; only 'uncategorized only' arms the fallback", () => {
+    const searched = initTransactionsState({ search: "epicerie" });
+    expect(searched.filters).toEqual({ ...initialTransactionsState.filters, search: "epicerie" });
+    expect(searched.guidedFallback).toBe(false);
+    expect(initTransactionsState({ uncategorizedOnly: false }).guidedFallback).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("transactionsReducer — the guided entry's fallback (#399)", () => {
+  const guided = () => initTransactionsState(GUIDED_ENTRY_FILTERS);
+
+  it("an empty first page drops 'uncategorized only', keeps the other start filters, and reads again", () => {
+    const before = guided();
+    const after = result(before, 0);
+    expect(after.filters).toEqual({ ...before.filters, uncategorizedOnly: false });
+    expect(after.filters.dateFrom).toBeNull();
+    // A new filters object is what makes the hook read again.
+    expect(after.filters).not.toBe(before.filters);
+    expect(after.page).toBe(1);
+    // The loading placeholder, not an empty table, until that read.
+    expect(after.isLoading).toBe(true);
+    expect(after.guidedFallback).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("falls back once: an empty page after the fallback keeps the filters, so nothing reads again", () => {
+    const fellBack = result(guided(), 0);
+    const again = result(fellBack, 0);
+    expect(again.filters).toBe(fellBack.filters);
+    expect(again.isLoading).toBe(false);
+    expect(again.guidedFallback).toBe(false);
+    expect(result(again, 0).filters).toBe(fellBack.filters);
+  });
+
+  it("a first page with uncategorized transactions keeps the filter, and a later empty page too", () => {
+    const before = guided();
+    const listed = result(before, 3);
+    expect(listed.filters).toBe(before.filters);
+    expect(listed.isLoading).toBe(false);
+    expect(listed.guidedFallback).toBe(false);
+    // Every one categorized, then a read comes back empty: the filter stays.
+    const emptied = result(listed, 0);
+    expect(emptied.filters).toBe(before.filters);
+    expect(emptied.filters.uncategorizedOnly).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("a filter changed by the user before the first page is never dropped", () => {
+    const touched = transactionsReducer(guided(), {
+      type: "SET_FILTER",
+      payload: { key: "search", value: "epicerie" },
+    });
+    expect(touched.guidedFallback).toBe(false);
+    const after = result(touched, 0);
+    expect(after.filters).toBe(touched.filters);
+    expect(after.filters.uncategorizedOnly).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("an ordinary visit never drops 'uncategorized only', even picked by hand and empty", () => {
+    const picked = transactionsReducer(initTransactionsState(), {
+      type: "SET_FILTER",
+      payload: { key: "uncategorizedOnly", value: true },
+    });
+    const after = result(picked, 0);
+    expect(after.filters).toBe(picked.filters);
+    expect(after.filters.uncategorizedOnly).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/hooks/useTransactions.ts b/src/hooks/useTransactions.ts
index bddfef2..01aaee3 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useTransactions.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useTransactions.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,13 @@ export interface TransactionsState {
    * profile without any transaction from a year without any.
    */
   totalInDb: number | null;
+  /**
+   * The start filters asked for the uncategorized transactions only (the
+   * guided entry, #399) and their first page has not come back yet. If it
+   * comes back empty, `SET_PAGE_RESULT` drops that filter, once. Off after
+   * that first page, after any filter change, and for an ordinary visit.
+   */
+  guidedFallback: boolean;
 }
 
 export type TransactionsAction =
@@ -60,7 +67,7 @@ export type TransactionsAction =
   | { type: "UPDATE_ROW_NOTES"; payload: { txId: number; notes: string } }
   | { type: "SET_AUTO_CATEGORIZING"; payload: boolean };
 
-const initialFilters: TransactionFilters = {
+const defaultFilters: TransactionFilters = {
   search: "",
   categoryId: null,
   sourceId: null,
@@ -69,13 +76,24 @@ const initialFilters: TransactionFilters = {
   uncategorizedOnly: false,
 };
 
+/**
+ * The guided entry of the "categorize by hand" step (#399): the uncategorized
+ * transactions, whatever their date. No date bound, because the default
+ * filter starts on January 1st and, in January, the sample statements fall in
+ * the previous year.
+ */
+export const GUIDED_ENTRY_FILTERS: Partial<TransactionFilters> = {
+  dateFrom: null,
+  uncategorizedOnly: true,
+};
+
 export const initialTransactionsState: TransactionsState = {
   rows: [],
   totalCount: 0,
   totalAmount: 0,
   incomeTotal: 0,
   expenseTotal: 0,
-  filters: initialFilters,
+  filters: defaultFilters,
   sort: { column: "date", direction: "desc" },
   page: 1,
   pageSize: 50,
@@ -85,8 +103,25 @@ export const initialTransactionsState: TransactionsState = {
   isAutoCategorizing: false,
   error: null,
   totalInDb: null,
+  guidedFallback: false,
 };
 
+/**
+ * The hook's initial state (#399): the default filters with `initialFilters`
+ * over them. Start filters that ask for the uncategorized transactions only
+ * arm the fallback of their first page (`guidedFallback`). Without
+ * `initialFilters`, an ordinary visit: the default state.
+ */
+export function initTransactionsState(
+  initialFilters: Partial<TransactionFilters> = {}
+): TransactionsState {
+  return {
+    ...initialTransactionsState,
+    filters: { ...initialTransactionsState.filters, ...initialFilters },
+    guidedFallback: initialFilters.uncategorizedOnly === true,
+  };
+}
+
 export function transactionsReducer(
   state: TransactionsState,
   action: TransactionsAction
@@ -96,8 +131,8 @@ export function transactionsReducer(
       return { ...state, isLoading: action.payload };
     case "SET_ERROR":
       return { ...state, error: action.payload, isLoading: false };
-    case "SET_PAGE_RESULT":
-      return {
+    case "SET_PAGE_RESULT": {
+      const next: TransactionsState = {
         ...state,
         rows: action.payload.rows,
         totalCount: action.payload.totalCount,
@@ -105,12 +140,30 @@ export function transactionsReducer(
         incomeTotal: action.payload.incomeTotal,
         expenseTotal: action.payload.expenseTotal,
         isLoading: false,
+        guidedFallback: false,
       };
+      // The guided entry's first page is empty: no transaction is left
+      // uncategorized (#399). Drop that filter, once, so the page lists every
+      // transaction instead of an empty table. The new filters make the hook
+      // read again (the filters' 300 ms debounce); until then, the loading
+      // placeholder takes the place of the empty table.
+      if (state.guidedFallback && action.payload.totalCount === 0) {
+        return {
+          ...next,
+          filters: { ...state.filters, uncategorizedOnly: false },
+          page: 1,
+          isLoading: true,
+        };
+      }
+      return next;
+    }
     case "SET_FILTER":
       return {
         ...state,
         filters: { ...state.filters, [action.payload.key]: action.payload.value },
         page: 1,
+        // The user's own filters: never dropped behind their back.
+        guidedFallback: false,
       };
     case "SET_SORT":
       return { ...state, sort: action.payload };
@@ -161,8 +214,13 @@ export function showsEmptyState(state: Pick<TransactionsState, "totalInDb" | "is
   return state.totalInDb === 0 && !state.isLoading;
 }
 
-export function useTransactions() {
-  const [state, dispatch] = useReducer(transactionsReducer, initialTransactionsState);
+/**
+ * The Transactions page's state. `initialFilters` go over the default filters
+ * (the guided entry passes `GUIDED_ENTRY_FILTERS`, #399); like any initial
+ * state, they are read once, at mount, and a later value changes nothing.
+ */
+export function useTransactions(initialFilters?: Partial<TransactionFilters>) {
+  const [state, dispatch] = useReducer(transactionsReducer, initialFilters, initTransactionsState);
   const fetchIdRef = useRef(0);
   const searchTimerRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
   const debouncedFiltersRef = useRef(state.filters);
diff --git a/src/i18n/config.ts b/src/i18n/config.ts
index 6fa15be..152ce67 100644
--- a/src/i18n/config.ts
+++ b/src/i18n/config.ts
@@ -15,4 +15,9 @@ i18n.use(initReactI18next).init({
   },
 });
 
+// `{{value, lowercase}}`: a label named inside a sentence (the "Uncategorized"
+// filter of the Transactions step card, #399) keeps its own key and loses its
+// capital, in each language's own way. The sentence decides, not the code.
+i18n.services.formatter?.add("lowercase", (value, lng) => String(value).toLocaleLowerCase(lng));
+
 export default i18n;
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/en.json b/src/i18n/locales/en.json
index cb5de2c..b961253 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/en.json
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/en.json
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@
         "confirm": "Click {{button}}: the source is saved and your transactions come in.",
         "importing": "Importing…",
         "failed": "The import added no transaction; the report below says why."
+      },
+      "transactions": {
+        "uncategorized": "Only {{filter, lowercase}} transactions are shown. Click the category of one of them and pick one from the list. Simpl'Résultat keeps your choice, and automatic categorization will not replace it.",
+        "all": "Click a transaction's category and pick one from the list. Simpl'Résultat keeps your choice, and automatic categorization will not replace it."
       }
     },
     "state": {
diff --git a/src/i18n/locales/fr.json b/src/i18n/locales/fr.json
index b55bca3..ec1481c 100644
--- a/src/i18n/locales/fr.json
+++ b/src/i18n/locales/fr.json
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@
         "confirm": "Cliquez {{button}} : la source est enregistrée et vos transactions arrivent.",
         "importing": "Import en cours…",
         "failed": "L'import n'a ajouté aucune transaction ; le rapport ci-dessous dit pourquoi."
+      },
+      "transactions": {
+        "uncategorized": "Seules les transactions {{filter, lowercase}} sont affichées. Cliquez sur la catégorie de l'une d'elles et choisissez-en une dans la liste. Simpl'Résultat retient ce choix, et la catégorisation automatique ne le remplacera pas.",
+        "all": "Cliquez sur la catégorie d'une transaction et choisissez-en une dans la liste. Simpl'Résultat retient ce choix, et la catégorisation automatique ne le remplacera pas."
       }
     },
     "state": {
diff --git a/src/pages/TransactionsPage.render.test.tsx b/src/pages/TransactionsPage.render.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ad3fde
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pages/TransactionsPage.render.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,215 @@
+// TransactionsPage and its getting-started card (#399). No jsdom:
+// react-dom/server renders in vitest's node environment. The page runs the
+// real `useTransactions` (its reducer and initial state; no effect runs, so
+// nothing is read) with the rows a first read would have brought, and the path
+// is a fake `useOnboarding()` built from the real checklist. What is pinned is
+// the page's wiring: the guided entry's start filters, where the card sits,
+// what it says, and which control carries the one highlight.
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from "vitest";
+import { renderToStaticMarkup } from "react-dom/server";
+import { MemoryRouter } from "react-router-dom";
+import type { TransactionRow } from "../shared/types";
+
+// The page's services pull the database: stub the connection.
+vi.mock("../services/db", () => ({ getDb: vi.fn(), withTransaction: vi.fn() }));
+vi.mock("react-i18next", () => ({
+  useTranslation: () => ({
+    t: (k: string, o?: Record<string, unknown>) =>
+      o ? `t(${k}[${Object.entries(o).map(([a, b]) => `${a}=${String(b)}`).join(",")}])` : `t(${k})`,
+    i18n: { language: "fr" },
+  }),
+}));
+vi.mock("../components/shared/PageHelp", () => ({ PageHelp: () => null }));
+
+const harness = vi.hoisted(() => ({ onboarding: null as unknown, rows: [] as TransactionRow[] }));
+
+vi.mock("../contexts/OnboardingContext", () => ({ useOnboarding: () => harness.onboarding }));
+vi.mock("../hooks/useTransactions", async (importOriginal) => {
+  const actual = await importOriginal<typeof import("../hooks/useTransactions")>();
+  return {
+    ...actual,
+    useTransactions: (...args: Parameters<typeof actual.useTransactions>) => {
+      const hook = actual.useTransactions(...args);
+      return { ...hook, state: { ...hook.state, rows: harness.rows } };
+    },
+  };
+});
+
+import TransactionsPage from "./TransactionsPage";
+import { TRANSACTION_CATEGORY_TARGET } from "../components/transactions/TransactionTable";
+import type { OnboardingValue } from "../hooks/useOnboardingChecklist";
+import { computeChecklist } from "../utils/onboardingChecklist";
+import { nextStep, stepNavState } from "../utils/onboardingPath";
+import type { OnboardingCounters } from "../shared/types";
+
+/** Folder, source and import done: the next step is the manual category. */
+const IMPORTED: OnboardingCounters = {
+  sources: 1,
+  imports: 1,
+  manualCategorized: 0,
+  budgetEntries: 0,
+  transactions: 41,
+};
+/** A transaction categorized by hand: the step is checked. */
+const CATEGORIZED: OnboardingCounters = { ...IMPORTED, manualCategorized: 1 };
+
+/** The path latched on /transactions (card mode), as the provider shares it. */
+function path(
+  counters: OnboardingCounters,
+  overrides: Partial<OnboardingValue> = {},
+  budgetAllowed = true,
+): OnboardingValue {
+  const checklist = computeChecklist(counters, { importFolderSet: true, budgetAllowed });
+  return {
+    status: "ready",
+    checklist,
+    counters,
+    hidden: false,
+    budgetReady: true,
+    nextStep: nextStep(checklist),
+    mode: "card",
+    cardPage: "/transactions",
+    hide: vi.fn(async () => undefined),
+    show: vi.fn(async () => undefined),
+    skip: vi.fn(async () => undefined),
+    resume: vi.fn(async () => undefined),
+    refresh: vi.fn(async () => undefined),
+    ...overrides,
+  };
+}
+
+const row = (id: number, description: string): TransactionRow => ({
+  id,
+  date: "2025-12-18",
+  description,
+  amount: -42.5,
+  category_id: null,
+  category_name: null,
+  category_color: null,
+  source_name: "Exemple Desjardins",
+  notes: null,
+  is_manually_categorized: false,
+  is_split: false,
+});
+
+/** What the link of the "categorize by hand" step carries. */
+const GUIDED = stepNavState("manualCategory");
+
+const render = (state: unknown = null) =>
+  renderToStaticMarkup(
+    <MemoryRouter initialEntries={[{ pathname: "/transactions", state }]}>
+      <TransactionsPage />
+    </MemoryRouter>,
+  );
+
+const CARD = 'aria-label="t(onboarding.banner.label)"';
+const HIGHLIGHT = 'data-onboarding-highlight="true"';
+const JANUARY_FIRST = `${new Date().getFullYear()}-01-01`;
+const count = (html: string, needle: string) => html.split(needle).length - 1;
+
+/**
+ * The card's sentence: the paragraph that follows its title. The card always
+ * hands `t` its interpolations, so a sentence without any reads `t(key[])`.
+ */
+const sentence = (html: string) => html.match(/<\/h2><p [^>]*>(.*?)<\/p>/)?.[1] ?? null;
+/** The filter bar's start date, "" without a bound (React writes `value` last). */
+const dateFrom = (html: string) =>
+  html.match(/<input type="date" placeholder="t\(transactions\.filters\.dateFrom\)"[^>]* value="([^"]*)"/)?.[1];
+/** The period button shown as active. */
+const activePeriod = (html: string) =>
+  html.match(/<button class="[^"]*bg-\[var\(--primary\)\] text-white">t\(dashboard\.period\.(\w+)\)<\/button>/)?.[1];
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  harness.onboarding = path(IMPORTED);
+  harness.rows = [];
+});
+
+describe("TransactionsPage — the guided entry (#399)", () => {
+  it("arriving by the step's link: the uncategorized transactions, without a date bound", () => {
+    const html = render(GUIDED);
+    expect(dateFrom(html)).toBe("");
+    expect(activePeriod(html)).toBe("all");
+    expect(html).toContain('value="t(transactions.filters.uncategorized)"');
+  });
+
+  it("an ordinary visit keeps the default filters: since January 1st, every category", () => {
+    const html = render();
+    expect(dateFrom(html)).toBe(JANUARY_FIRST);
+    expect(html).toContain('value="t(transactions.filters.allCategories)"');
+    expect(html).not.toContain('value="t(transactions.filters.uncategorized)"');
+  });
+
+  it("reads a malformed navigation state as an ordinary visit (CWE-476)", () => {
+    for (const state of ["guided", { guided: true }, { onboarding: null }, { onboarding: { guided: "yes" } }]) {
+      expect(dateFrom(render(state)), JSON.stringify(state)).toBe(JANUARY_FIRST);
+    }
+  });
+});
+
+describe("TransactionsPage — the step card (#399)", () => {
+  it("renders the card first, before the page's heading, at its place in the path", () => {
+    const html = render(GUIDED);
+    expect(count(html, CARD)).toBe(1);
+    expect(html.indexOf(CARD)).toBeLessThan(html.indexOf("<h1"));
+    expect(html).toContain("t(onboarding.card.stepOf[n=5,total=6])");
+    expect(html).toContain("t(onboarding.checklist.items.manualCategory)");
+  });
+
+  it("the guided entry: only the uncategorized transactions, the filter named by its own label", () => {
+    expect(sentence(render(GUIDED))).toBe(
+      "t(onboarding.card.transactions.uncategorized[filter=t(transactions.filters.uncategorized)])",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("an ordinary visit: the sentence for every transaction", () => {
+    expect(sentence(render())).toBe("t(onboarding.card.transactions.all[])");
+  });
+
+  it("the first row's category is the one target", () => {
+    harness.rows = [row(1, "IGA 123"), row(2, "METRO 456")];
+    const html = render(GUIDED);
+    expect(count(html, HIGHLIGHT)).toBe(1);
+    expect(html).toContain(`data-onboarding-target="${TRANSACTION_CATEGORY_TARGET}" ${HIGHLIGHT}`);
+    const ring = html.indexOf(HIGHLIGHT);
+    expect(ring).toBeGreaterThan(html.indexOf("IGA 123"));
+    expect(ring).toBeLessThan(html.indexOf("METRO 456"));
+  });
+
+  it("without the card on screen, no control is highlighted", () => {
+    harness.rows = [row(1, "IGA 123"), row(2, "METRO 456")];
+    for (const overrides of [
+      { mode: "banner" as const, cardPage: null },
+      { mode: "none" as const, cardPage: null },
+      { mode: "card" as const, cardPage: "/import" },
+    ]) {
+      harness.onboarding = path(IMPORTED, overrides);
+      const html = render(GUIDED);
+      expect(html).not.toContain(CARD);
+      expect(count(html, HIGHLIGHT)).toBe(0);
+      expect(html).toContain("IGA 123");
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("a transaction categorized by hand: the card stays, says 'Done.' and offers the Budget step", () => {
+    harness.rows = [row(1, "IGA 123"), row(2, "METRO 456")];
+    harness.onboarding = path(CATEGORIZED);
+    const html = render();
+    expect(count(html, CARD)).toBe(1);
+    expect(html).toMatch(/<p role="status"[^>]*>.*t\(onboarding\.card\.done\)/);
+    expect(html).toMatch(
+      /<a [^>]*href="\/budget"[^>]*>t\(onboarding\.card\.next\[step=t\(onboarding\.checklist\.items\.budget\)\]\)/,
+    );
+    expect(sentence(html)).toBeNull();
+    expect(html).not.toContain("t(onboarding.card.skip)");
+    expect(count(html, HIGHLIGHT)).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("in the Free edition, the step checked ends the path", () => {
+    harness.onboarding = path(CATEGORIZED, {}, false);
+    const html = render();
+    expect(html).toContain("t(onboarding.card.stepOf[n=5,total=5])");
+    expect(html).toContain("t(onboarding.card.done)");
+    expect(html).toContain("t(onboarding.banner.complete)");
+    expect(html).not.toContain('href="/budget"');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/pages/TransactionsPage.tsx b/src/pages/TransactionsPage.tsx
index abbda16..4391066 100644
--- a/src/pages/TransactionsPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/TransactionsPage.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,21 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import { useLocation } from "react-router-dom";
 import { Wand2, Tag, Receipt } from "lucide-react";
 import { PageHelp } from "../components/shared/PageHelp";
 import EmptyState from "../components/shared/EmptyState";
-import { useTransactions, showsEmptyState } from "../hooks/useTransactions";
+import OnboardingStepCard from "../components/onboarding/OnboardingStepCard";
+import { useOnboarding } from "../contexts/OnboardingContext";
+import {
+  readOnboardingNavState,
+  showsStepCard,
+  transactionsCardModel,
+} from "../utils/onboardingPath";
+import {
+  useTransactions,
+  showsEmptyState,
+  GUIDED_ENTRY_FILTERS,
+} from "../hooks/useTransactions";
 import TransactionFilterBar from "../components/transactions/TransactionFilterBar";
 import TransactionSummaryBar from "../components/transactions/TransactionSummaryBar";
 import TransactionTable from "../components/transactions/TransactionTable";
@@ -18,8 +30,16 @@ import type { TransactionRow } from "../shared/types";
 
 export default function TransactionsPage() {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
+  const location = useLocation();
+  // The link of the "categorize by hand" step opens the guided entry (#399),
+  // read like any navigation state through `readOnboardingNavState` (CWE-476).
+  // The hook takes its start filters at mount only: the card consuming the
+  // navigation state afterwards changes nothing.
   const { state, setFilter, setSort, setPage, updateCategory, saveNotes, autoCategorize, addKeywordToCategory, loadSplitChildren, saveSplit, deleteSplit } =
-    useTransactions();
+    useTransactions(
+      readOnboardingNavState(location.state).guided ? GUIDED_ENTRY_FILTERS : undefined
+    );
+  const onboarding = useOnboarding();
   const [resultMessage, setResultMessage] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [menu, setMenu] = useState<{ x: number; y: number; row: TransactionRow } | null>(null);
   const [pending, setPending] = useState<TransactionRow | null>(null);
@@ -58,8 +78,18 @@ export default function TransactionsPage() {
   // can still sit on a populated profile.
   const isEmptyProfile = showsEmptyState(state);
 
+  // The getting-started card follows the list's filter (#399). Its target is
+  // highlighted only while the card is on screen: a ring needs the card that
+  // explains it.
+  const cardModel = transactionsCardModel(state.filters, onboarding.checklist);
+  const target = showsStepCard(onboarding.mode, onboarding.cardPage, location.pathname)
+    ? cardModel.target
+    : null;
+
   return (
     <div>
+      <OnboardingStepCard model={cardModel} />
+
       <div className="relative flex items-center gap-3 mb-6">
         <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold">{t("transactions.title")}</h1>
         <PageHelp helpKey="transactions" />
@@ -128,6 +158,7 @@ export default function TransactionsPage() {
                 onDeleteSplit={deleteSplit}
                 onRowContextMenu={handleRowContextMenu}
                 linkedTransfersByTxId={linkedTransfersByTxId}
+                onboardingTarget={target === "firstRowCategory"}
               />
 
               <TransactionPagination
diff --git a/src/utils/onboardingPath.test.ts b/src/utils/onboardingPath.test.ts
index 510b051..075617d 100644
--- a/src/utils/onboardingPath.test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/onboardingPath.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import i18n from "../i18n/config";
 import { computeChecklist, type Checklist } from "./onboardingChecklist";
 import {
   CARD_PAGES,
@@ -13,8 +14,11 @@ import {
   showsStepCard,
   stepNavState,
   stepsOfPage,
+  transactionsCardModel,
   type BannerModeInput,
   type ImportCardModel,
+  type StepCardText,
+  type TransactionsCardModel,
 } from "./onboardingPath";
 import {
   CHECKLIST_ITEM_KEYS,
@@ -342,10 +346,14 @@ describe("stepNavState (#397)", () => {
   });
 });
 
-describe("CARD_PAGES (#398)", () => {
+describe("CARD_PAGES (#398, #399)", () => {
   it("carries the Import page", () => {
     expect(CARD_PAGES.has("/import")).toBe(true);
   });
+
+  it("carries the Transactions page", () => {
+    expect(CARD_PAGES.has("/transactions")).toBe(true);
+  });
 });
 
 describe("showsStepCard (#398)", () => {
@@ -569,6 +577,84 @@ describe("importCardModel (#398)", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("transactionsCardModel (#399)", () => {
+  /** Folder, source and import done: the next step is the manual category. */
+  const imported = checklistOf({ ...zero, sources: 1, imports: 1, transactions: 41 }, { importFolderSet: true });
+  const UNCATEGORIZED: TransactionsCardModel = {
+    text: {
+      key: "onboarding.card.transactions.uncategorized",
+      labels: { filter: "transactions.filters.uncategorized" },
+    },
+    done: false,
+    target: "firstRowCategory",
+  };
+  const ALL: TransactionsCardModel = {
+    text: { key: "onboarding.card.transactions.all" },
+    done: false,
+    target: "firstRowCategory",
+  };
+
+  /** A sentence of the card as StepCard renders it, through the app's real i18n. */
+  const render = (text: StepCardText | null, lng: "fr" | "en") =>
+    text &&
+    i18n.t(text.key, {
+      lng,
+      ...text.values,
+      ...Object.fromEntries(
+        Object.entries(text.labels ?? {}).map(([name, key]) => [name, i18n.t(key, { lng })]),
+      ),
+    });
+
+  it("only the uncategorized transactions listed: says so, the filter named by its own label", () => {
+    expect(transactionsCardModel({ uncategorizedOnly: true }, imported)).toEqual(UNCATEGORIZED);
+  });
+
+  it("every transaction listed: the sentence without the filter", () => {
+    expect(transactionsCardModel({ uncategorizedOnly: false }, imported)).toEqual(ALL);
+  });
+
+  it("points at the first row's category until the step is checked", () => {
+    expect(transactionsCardModel({ uncategorizedOnly: true }, null).target).toBe("firstRowCategory");
+  });
+
+  it("the step checked: 'Done.', nothing to point at, whatever the filter", () => {
+    const categorized = checklistOf(upToManual, { importFolderSet: true });
+    for (const uncategorizedOnly of [true, false]) {
+      expect(transactionsCardModel({ uncategorizedOnly }, categorized)).toEqual({
+        text: null,
+        done: true,
+        target: null,
+      });
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("a skipped step is not a checked one", () => {
+    const skipped = checklistOf(
+      { ...zero, sources: 1, imports: 1, transactions: 41 },
+      { importFolderSet: true, skipped: ["manualCategory"] },
+    );
+    expect(transactionsCardModel({ uncategorizedOnly: false }, skipped)).toEqual(ALL);
+  });
+
+  it("reads the two sentences in French, the filter's label in lowercase", () => {
+    expect(render(UNCATEGORIZED.text, "fr")).toBe(
+      "Seules les transactions non catégorisées sont affichées. Cliquez sur la catégorie de l'une d'elles et choisissez-en une dans la liste. Simpl'Résultat retient ce choix, et la catégorisation automatique ne le remplacera pas.",
+    );
+    expect(render(ALL.text, "fr")).toBe(
+      "Cliquez sur la catégorie d'une transaction et choisissez-en une dans la liste. Simpl'Résultat retient ce choix, et la catégorisation automatique ne le remplacera pas.",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("reads the two sentences in English, the filter's label in lowercase", () => {
+    expect(render(UNCATEGORIZED.text, "en")).toBe(
+      "Only uncategorized transactions are shown. Click the category of one of them and pick one from the list. Simpl'Résultat keeps your choice, and automatic categorization will not replace it.",
+    );
+    expect(render(ALL.text, "en")).toBe(
+      "Click a transaction's category and pick one from the list. Simpl'Résultat keeps your choice, and automatic categorization will not replace it.",
+    );
+  });
+});
+
 describe("onboardingTargetAttributes (#398)", () => {
   it("marks the target and its highlight when on, nothing otherwise", () => {
     expect(onboardingTargetAttributes("wizard-next", true)).toEqual({
diff --git a/src/utils/onboardingPath.ts b/src/utils/onboardingPath.ts
index 2984ce6..2c5a0ac 100644
--- a/src/utils/onboardingPath.ts
+++ b/src/utils/onboardingPath.ts
@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@ import type {
   ChecklistItemKey,
   ImportCardInput,
   OnboardingStatus,
+  TransactionFilters,
 } from "../shared/types";
 
 /**
- * Pure rules of the guided getting-started path (#396, #398).
+ * Pure rules of the guided getting-started path (#396, #398, #399).
  *
  * The provider (`useOnboardingChecklist`) feeds them its state; the banner,
  * the step cards and the pages that carry a card only read what they decide.
@@ -24,10 +25,10 @@ export function nextStep(checklist: Checklist): ChecklistItem | null {
 
 /**
  * Routes whose page carries a step card. Each card issue adds its page (#398:
- * Import), and a page without a delivered card keeps the banner, so a partly
- * merged stack never removes any guidance.
+ * Import, #399: Transactions), and a page without a delivered card keeps the
+ * banner, so a partly merged stack never removes any guidance.
  */
-export const CARD_PAGES: ReadonlySet<string> = new Set<string>(["/import"]);
+export const CARD_PAGES: ReadonlySet<string> = new Set<string>(["/import", "/transactions"]);
 
 const PAGE_STEPS: Readonly<Record<string, readonly ChecklistItemKey[]>> = {
   "/import": ["importFolder", "source", "import"],
@@ -332,6 +333,41 @@ export function importCardModel(
   };
 }
 
+/** The control of the Transactions page that the card points at. */
+export type TransactionsCardTarget = "firstRowCategory";
+
+export interface TransactionsCardModel extends StepCardModel {
+  /** The control to highlight, null for none. */
+  target: TransactionsCardTarget | null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * The Transactions page's card (#399), read from the page's filters and the
+ * checklist:
+ * - the "categorize by hand" step checked: "Done.", nothing to point at;
+ * - otherwise, the sentence that matches the list: the uncategorized
+ *   transactions only (the guided entry, or the filter picked by hand), the
+ *   filter named by its own label, or every transaction (an ordinary visit,
+ *   or a guided entry that found none uncategorized); and the category of the
+ *   first row shown.
+ */
+export function transactionsCardModel(
+  filters: Pick<TransactionFilters, "uncategorizedOnly">,
+  checklist: Checklist | null,
+): TransactionsCardModel {
+  if (checked(checklist, "manualCategory")) return { text: null, done: true, target: null };
+  return {
+    text: filters.uncategorizedOnly
+      ? {
+          key: "onboarding.card.transactions.uncategorized",
+          labels: { filter: "transactions.filters.uncategorized" },
+        }
+      : { key: "onboarding.card.transactions.all" },
+    done: false,
+    target: "firstRowCategory",
+  };
+}
+
 /** The attributes of a highlighted control; `styles.css` draws the ring on the second one. */
 export interface OnboardingTargetAttributes {
   "data-onboarding-target"?: string;