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User ManualNeed configuration, code or deployment details? In the Technical Manual: Banking

Bank Rules

A bank rule recognizes a transaction by words of its description, and categorizes it (or excludes it) for you. Rules run on every import, and when you choose Apply rules on the review page.

MenuBanking > Bank rules
PermissionView bank transactions and bank rules (to see them); Import, categorize and transfer bank transactions, and keep the bank rules (to change them)
FeatureBanking
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What you see depends on your role. If the menu, a button or a setting on this page is missing, ask your administrator to give you the permission listed above or to turn on the feature. Only administrators can turn features on and change site settings.

Make a rule​

From transactions: on Review transactions, select them and choose Make a rule from selected. Or open Banking > Bank rules and select New rule.

  1. Look for: the words to find in the description, such as COMCAST or COSTCO WHSE. Numbers that change each time (store numbers, dates) are best left out.

  2. Match:

    • Has the words: every word appears, in any order;
    • Starts with: the description starts with the words;
    • Is exactly: the description is the words.

    Words are compared whole and ignore case: COST does not match COSTCO.

  3. Money: Spent, Received or Either.

  4. Optionally limit it to one Bank account and to amounts From and To.

  5. Then: choose what the money is for, and optionally the vendor or customer and a memo; or check Exclude from the books.

  6. Priority: lower runs first. Leave 100 unless two rules compete.

  7. Select Show what it matches to see the transactions to review it would catch, then Save (or Save and apply when made from transactions).

Check Use once, then turn off for a rule meant for one import only.

Which rule wins​

When several rules match a transaction, the one with the lowest priority number wins. At the same priority, Is exactly wins over Starts with, which wins over Has the words; then the rule with the most words; then the oldest rule. So COMCAST CABLE wins over COMCAST without your having to order them. The Windows app picked the alphabetically last title instead.

Rules never change a transaction you categorized or excluded yourself, nor a transferred one. Deleting a rule leaves the transactions it categorized as they are.

See also Review transactions.