The Apply Rules window offers an excellent level of control over changes to accounting transactions because it shows a preview of existing rules, with an indication of which transactions match each one and which transactions do not yet match any rules. You then have the option of creating new rules, modifying or deleting existing ones.

▶ Video: Rules for completing imported transactions (Apply Rules dialogue)

The dialogue may be displayed:

• From the Import Transactions dialogue, when the Apply Rules option is checked
  Rules are only applied to imported rows
   
• From the Actions menu > Recurring transactions > Apply rules...
  Rules are applied to the entire contents of the Transactions table

The Apply Rules dialogue, coupled with the import of banking data, becomes a crucial tool for setting up all repetitive records. In this dialogue window, when faced with multiple repetitive transactions of the same type, it suffices to set the rule for just one of the transactions, and the rules are automatically applied to all other transactions in the dialogue, eliminating the need to set the rule again.

Once the rules are confirmed, all transactions are listed in the Transactions table, ensuring consistency and accuracy in records of the same type, and speed in accounting for all transactions.

This dialogue box is divided into three sections:

Apply rules to transactions with...

• Temporary contra account:
  This field is mandatory.
  It filters all imported transactions that contain that specific contra account, e.g. [CA], which was indicated in the Import transactions dialogue.
• Account:
  Filters all imported transactions that contain a specific account, usually a bank account or [A], which has been indicated in the Import Transactions Dialogue.

The rule-based auto-completion system assumes that once the transactions have been completed, there is no longer any transaction containing the temporary contra account.

Imported data corresponding to rules or not

The window shows all transactions that have temporary contra accounts indicated above (e.g. [CA]). These are grouped in four main sections:

• Incoming transactions with rules 
  Transactions with positive change of account (credit) and with indication of the rule to which they correspond
• Outgoing transactions with rules
  Transactions with negative account variation (debit) and with indication of the rule to which they correspond
• Incoming transactions without rules
  Transactions with positive change of account (credit) and not belonging to any rule
• Outgoing transactions without rules
  Transactions with negative account variation (debit) and not belonging to any rule

Contextual commands

From the row of a transaction without a rule, a simple click or the three dots (...) to the right, or a right click anywhere on the row, opens a menu allowing you to:

• Add/Edit Rule
• Cancel an existing rule
• Change an overlapping rule

The commands at the bottom of the dialogue

• Expand All/Collapse All: displays or hides the elements of the Transactions.
• Display unused rules: checking this option displays all rules defined in the Recurring transactions table; if the option is not checked, the programme only displays rules that have matches.
• Display rows without rules: if this option is checked, all imported transactions are displayed; if the option is not checked, the programme only shows transactions that match a rule.
• Remove accounts between [ ]: in multi-row transactions, the import account is placed in square brackets [ ] in the detail rows. If this option is activated, the programme removes the import account from the detail rows.
  Rules with transactions on multiple rows can only be defined in the Recurring transactions table.
• OK: this button applies the active rules and closes the window.
  • The temporary contra account is replaced in all transactions that have a match with a rule.
  • New or changed rules are also saved in the Recurring Transactions table.
• Cancel: this button closes the window without applying the rules.
  • If there have been changes to one or more rules, you will be asked for confirmation before closing the window.
  • With this button you cannot undo the Apply Rules command; to do so, you must close this window and use the Undo command from the Edit menu.
• Apply Rules: this button applies the rules without closing the window.
  • The temporary contra account is replaced in all transactions that have a match with a rule.
  • Rules that are added or changed are saved in the Recurring transactions table.
  • If you wish to undo changes, you must close the window and use the Undo command from the Edit menu.

Tips on how to use the Apply Rules window

The most effective way to work with the Apply Rules window is as follows:

1. Check that the transactions matching rules are correct.
2. Use the Apply Rules button to update the Transactions table with the selected rules.
3. Add new rules for the remaining transactions and check that they are applied correctly.
4. Use the Apply Rules button again.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all recurring transactions are associated with rules.

Recurring transactions table

Rules are saved and may be edited in the Recurring transactions table.

You can complete or add rules also with transactions on multiple rows in the Recurring transactions table.
As time goes by, you will see that more and more imported transactions will have matches with rules; the more rules you add, the more your accounting work will be reduced.

From the Apply rules dialogue you may access the Add/Edit rule section as follows: 

• By right-clicking on one of the transactions or rules:
  • For transactions that already have a rule, you can choose Edit Rule or Delete Rule.
  • For transactions that do not have a rule, you can choose Add New Rule.

Add New Rule example

The following example in the dialogue below is an outgoing transaction of the payment of a health insurance.

To add a new rule:

• Right-click on the movement row and choose Add New Rule.
• The dialogue Add rule appears.
• Fill in the fields available.
• Confirm with OK.

Add New Rule dialogue

The Add New Rule dialogue shows the data of the selected transaction from which you are creating the rule.

• Complete the rule with the matching parameters (conditions) and the rule completion parameters.
• All rules are saved in the Recurring Transactions table (rules for completion), where you can also:
  • Edit, add and delete rules.
  • Add any other column for completion, which is not available in this dialogue (e.g. Notes or DocLink columns).
  • Colour the row if you want to highlight the imported transaction.
  • Add transactions on multiple rows (SplitRule).

The Rule

• Rule type.
  The programme, depending on the type of transaction, if in credit or debit on the bank account, sets the rule as Money in or Money out transaction.
• Rule title.
  It is optional, it is displayed in the Apply Rule dialogue.

Conditions

These are the elements that are used to check whether there is a match for each individual transaction.

• A match is given if all conditions are found.
• If a match is given, the entry is listed among the transactions with rule.

The description

In the description, enter the text to be searched in the text of the imported transaction. If the text is found the transaction will be considered suitable for applying the rule, if the other conditions are then met.

• Exact word or phrase
  • If you write only Best Insurance 982-948 as a condition of the rule, only transactions containing those words in that exact order will be considered matches.
  • If you write only Insurance, as a condition of the rule, all entries containing this exact word will be considered matches.
• All words (starting with the "+ "sign)
  • If you write +Best Insurance 982-948 as a condition of the rule, all records containing these exact words, in any position, will be considered matches.
    All words must be present in the description of the transaction.
    The position of the words in the sentence is not relevant.
    The "+" sign is not considered in the search.
• List of words (using |)
  • If you enter "coffee|restaurant", the program searches for imported transactions that contain the word "coffee" or "restaurant".
  • This mode is useful for identifying multiple categories without having to create separate searches.
• Upper and lower case
  When searching for input text, no case difference is made.
  The text you enter is applied to both upper and lower case text.

Amount

If you indicate an amount in the rule, only transactions with the same amount, as well as a match in the Description, will be considered as matches.
If you do not indicate any amount, any transaction of any amount that meets all other criteria will be treated as a match.

Account

In this field you will already find by default the account from which you imported the transactions. If you leave the account field empty, all transactions, imported from any account, that meet all other criteria will be considered as matches.

Actions

These are the elements used to complete the transaction row if a match is given.

If the contra account or other items to be completed are not present, you can abort the Apply rules command, add the missing account, and call up the Actions > Recurring transactions > Apply rules... command.

Contra account

Enter the account in your chart of accounts that is to be matched in the rule. In this example, the correct contra account is the Health Insurance account.

VAT

You can already enter in the rule the VAT code that the programme must add to each movement considered as a match.

CC1, CC2, CC3

You can already enter in the rule the Cost Centres that the programme must add to each movement considered as a match.

By confirming with the OK button, the new rule is saved. You will return to the previous window where the imported movements with and without rules are displayed again.  

Matching Transactions

This table shows all imported transactions selected in the Apply Rules dialogue, which fall under this rule.

Buttons

• The Delete button, cancels the rule.
• The OK button, saves the rule data.
  Be aware though that, until you do not give the command Apply Rules, the new rules won't be saved in the Recurring transactions table.