To keep the company's accounting up to date, it is essential to regularly import bank transactions. These transactions allow the automation of the accounting process, avoiding the manual entry of individual transactions and potential errors.

Where to download the transactions

The documents containing the bank transactions, regardless of how they are obtained, should always be saved in the same folder. This folder can be located inside the main accounting folder or in an external one. For better organization, it is recommended to structure your folders by creating a general folder and more specific subfolders: this reduces the risk of errors, especially if you decide to import the transactions manually.

By keeping the data always in the same location, import issues are avoided and there is no need to update the default import path each time. Additionally, it is not recommended to open or modify these files before importing, as this can cause errors in recognizing the transactions.

Different file formats for bank transactions

Our software offers numerous extensions that allow you to import accounting data in different formats. Among the most common formats are CAMT, CSV and XLSX.

The CAMT format (Cash Management), defined by the ISO 20022 standard, is used by banks to provide electronic account statements in a structured way. The files contain detailed information such as the date, amount, description, and references for each transaction. There are several types of CAMT files:

• camt.052: intraday statement (transactions during the day)
• camt.053: end-of-day statement
• camt.054: notification of debits and credits with details of individual transactions

The CSV format (Comma-Separated Values) is a text file that uses commas to separate the data contained within individual cells of a table. This format is compatible with most software applications. The CSV format varies from one bank to another and is updated regularly.

The XLSX format is a Microsoft Excel file used to store spreadsheets. The XLSX file can contain data, formulas, formatting, charts, and multiple worksheets within the same document.
 

Methods for downloading transactions

The main methods for obtaining these data are:

• Online banking
• Multibanking
• Software by Mammut Soft Computing AG

Depending on the chosen method, more or less attention should be paid to where the files are saved. Manual download from the bank portal requires extra attention.

Online banking

The manual method, traditional and most common, involves direct access to your bank’s online banking portal. Once logged in, you can navigate to the section dedicated to account transactions and download the files in one of the standard formats compatible with accounting software.

Although simple, this process requires manual interaction: the user must log in to the banking platform, select the account, download and save the files on their computer, and then import them into the accounting software.

Multibanking

Multibanking is an evolution of traditional manual methods, designed for businesses or professionals managing multiple current accounts across different banks. Thanks to this functionality, you can access a single e-banking platform or interface that aggregates multiple accounts, even from different institutions, simplifying interactions with each bank. Most multibanking solutions are based on the international EBICS standard (Electronic Banking Internet Communication Standard), which ensures secure exchange of information and payment orders between companies and banks.

The main steps for implementing multibanking are:

• Update the contract with the main bank
  The first step is to contact your main bank to request activation of the multibanking service. You will need to sign an addition to the existing contract that authorizes the bank to act as the manager of multiple bank accounts.
• Sign mandates with the linked banks
  For each third-party bank you want to connect, you need to sign an authorization allowing the main bank to access the corresponding account information.
• Technical activation and credential provisioning
  Once the contractual steps are completed, you will need to follow technical instructions to enable access via API or third-party tools. This may include providing credentials or activating specific authentication methods.

Once all banking relationships are connected, it becomes possible to centrally download bank transactions and data, and process payment operations from a single tool. Although still partly a manual process, multibanking helps optimize time and resources by reducing the number of logins and simplifying overall management.

Software by Mammut Soft Computing AG

A more modern and fully automated solution is offered by the software developed by Mammut Soft Computing AG. Once implemented, this system allows you to completely skip the manual step of downloading bank files, as they are automatically saved in a folder defined during setup.

The software focuses on data exchange interfaces between banks and companies, offering connections to multiple banks worldwide and securely and automatically retrieving bank data in the required formats. These data are then automatically synchronized with the accounting software, making user intervention unnecessary.

The steps to start using the Mammut Soft Computing AG software are as follows:

• Choosing the solution
  Based on your needs, you can choose a cloud solution or an on-premise installation, the latter being a physical installation on the user's devices.
• Configuring bank connections
  To configure and activate the bank connections, it is necessary to sign the corresponding bank agreements. These connections with banks (EBICS, SWIFT, API) allow downloading account statements and sending payments. Mammut provides support for activation with the banks.
• Authorization for account access
  The client, for whom the accounting is managed, grants the accountant access to their data so that all necessary information is available.
• Integration with accounting/management software
  The software is connected to the internal accounting or management system for automatic import and export of bank data.

The true added value of the software is the constant update of the accounting: automated downloads from all banks and direct synchronization with the accounting system ensure that the data is always up to date and ready to use.

Automated import and accounting

Once transactions are available, you can take advantage of the various features offered by Banana. Regardless of the method chosen to download the bank data, the “Import bank transactions in ISO 20022 format (advanced) [BETA]” function allows you to automate the update of the accounting in double-entry or income/expense mode using CAMT files (052/053/054). The program reads the XML files from a designated folder, saves them to a local database, identifies new transactions not yet recorded, and suggests them for import, avoiding duplicates.

Once imported, bank transactions are automatically transformed into complete accounting entries thanks to our auto-completion rules (Advanced plan), saving time and avoiding input errors. This makes accounting faster, more efficient, and more accurate.

 The dialogue Import transactions is activated from the menu:

• Actions → Import to accounting→ Import: Transactions

Dialogue contents

The display of dialogue elements depends on the type of file being imported:

• Single account transactions and bank statements
  All elements are displayed.
• Double-entry accounting transactions or others
  The following elements are not displayed:
  • Account
  • Temporary contra account
  • Apply rules.
• Grouping by invoice
  This element is only displayed if there is content in the import file in the DocInvoice column.

Import Transactions dialogue

This is followed by the dialogue box that allows the data to be integrated into the accounts.

Destination account

This option appears when data is imported from a bank or postal statement or the entry and exit transactions of an account in text format.

• Enter the bank account number of your chart of accounts, relative to the imported statement.
• If it is left blank, the programme enters account [A] (Account) so that you can tell whether it is a Debit or a Credit movement.

Select transactions

Start date, End date

Insert the start and end dates of the period related to the transfer of the transactions. The period can also be selected automatically in the boxes under the dates area.

Don't import if exists same External reference, Date, Amount 

If activated, this option allows the user to not import already entered transactions, in order to avoid recording transactions twice. This option can only be activated when the column "ExternalRef" is present in the transactions that are going to be imported. If not, this option will be deactivated.

Sort by date

The option is active by default and allows you to have the imported transactions sorted by date.

Complete the transactions with

Autocomplete values

The option is only necessary for accounting with VAT/Sales tax and multi-currency. If activated, it allows the automatic completion of values that are missing in the imported data (for example, the exchange rate in the Exchange rate table).

Apply Rules (Advanced plan only)

The option is not available for imports of transactions from double-entry accounting files (.ac2 format).

See: Rules for transactions auto-completion.

•  If this option is activated, when you confirm with OK, the Apply Rules dialogue opens.
• If you have not activated this option, you can also access the Rules by issuing the command from the menu Actions → Recurring transactions→ Apply rules...
• This option is activated by default if there are already import rules in the Recurring Transactions table.

 Temporary contra account

The option is not available for imports of transactions from double-entry accounting files (.ac2 format).

A temporary account needs to be indicated to complete the contra account of the entry. The account must then be replaced with the correct contra-account, either manually or with the auto-completion rules.
The programme suggests the commented account [CA] (ContraAccount) by default.
Once the entries have been completed, there should be no more transactions using the temporary account.

Initial document number

The option is not available for imports of transactions from double-entry accounting files (.ac2 format).
This is the document number that is allocated to the first record among those imported.
The number is incremented.

Group transactions by invoice number

If the import file contains values in the DocInvoice column, the dialogue will also contain the following options:

• Group transactions by invoice number
  In this case, the rows of the same invoice are being grouped in such a way that there is only one transaction for the same account and the same VAT code. Please check the explanation Import invoice data.
   
• Destination account for balance differences
  When VAT codes are being applied, there may be rounding differences of just a few cents.
  In this case, Banana Accounting Plus creates an additional transaction for every invoice into which this difference can be recorded.
  Of course, it is necessary to pay attention that the data to be imported obtain a balance between debit and credit. If not, the transaction row will contain the difference between Debit and Credit. 

Editing of imported transactions

The programme creates transactions and adds them to the end of the Transactions table.
The transactions can be edited or deleted.
In double-entry accounting, in the DebitAccount and CreditAccount columns and in Income/Expenses accounting, in the Account and Category columns, the programme inserts symbols.
The symbols must be replaced with the appropriate account or category.

• [A]
  This symbol is shown if no account is indicated in the dialogue.
  Instead of the symbol [A], the account of the bank account is to be entered.
• [CA]
  This symbol indicates that the contra account must be entered in the cell so that Debit transactions offset Credit transactions.

For rows with only one contra account, both the account or symbol [A] and the counterpart symbol [CA] will be on the same row.
For rows with several contra accounts (transactions on multiple rows), each row will have the account or contra account symbol [CA]. If the symbol [CA] were not indicated, it would be impossible to tell whether the movement is a Debit or a Credit movement.

Banana Accounting Plus allows the import of bank transactions in various formats. 
The ISO 20022 format is an international standard that should now be provided by all European banks. This format may also be called ISO xml, xml, camt.053, camt.054 or other names. Importing bank transactions in ISO 20022 format is possible in two ways:

Generic manual ISO20022 import

Manual import of transactions one file at a time - available with the Professional plan.

• The user downloads the ISO 20022 file from their bank and saves it in a folder on their computer.
• Then, from Banana, they manually import this file. 

This import is made possible by the extension Bank Statement Camt ISO 20022 Switzerland (Banana+) for Switzerland and a generic filter distributed with the application for other countries.
The import must be repeated manually each time.

Advanced ISO20022 import [Beta]

Advanced import of transactions from multiple files simultaneously - available with the Advanced plan.
It significantly speeds up the workflow because the user no longer needs to check for which periods transactions need to be imported.

• The user defines a folder containing ISO 20022 files from different bank accounts.
• In Banana, with a command, the program notifies if there are new transactions to be imported.

This new advanced import function is made possible by the extension Swiss Camt ISO20022 Reader.

Requirements

• Use of Banana Accounting Dev-Channel with the Advanced plan.
• Use of a Double-entry accounting or Income & Expenses system.
   

Cash movements can be managed separately from the main accounting file via the Cash Manager. On a regular basis, the movements are imported into the main accounting file, grouping them according to a chosen period.

In this case you have two separate files:

1. One file contains all the general accounting data (including the cash account).
2. A file contains only the cash register data.

In order to integrate the cash data into the main accounting, a link must be established between the main accounting and the Cash Manager file.
There are two different ways to create the link:

• In the Cash Manager file, give the categories the same numbers as the accounts of the main accounting (double-entry accounting or Income / Expense).
• Enter the corresponding accounts of the main accounting file in the Category2 column (Categories table).
  If the Category2 column is not present, it must be displayed via Data → Columns setup.

Set up the internal transfer account

When importing the cash data into the accounting file, certain settings are required so that there are no overlaps of accounting entries for payment operations between the cash account of the main accounting and the transactions imported from the Cash Manager file.

In the Main accounting file:

• In the Accounts table, enter the Internal transfer account.

In the Cash Manager file:

• In the Categories table, Categories column in the Revenue group, enter the internal transfer account (the same number set in the main accounting) as a category for payments from the bank or postal current account.
• Alternatively, in the Categories table, Categories2 column in the Revenue group, enter the internal transfer account. In this case, a category is set in the Categories column to determine payments from the bank. The internal transfer account, located in the Categories2 column, creates the link when you import the transactions into the main ledger.

Payments from the bank account to cash account

Whenever a payment is made from the bank account to the cash desk, the movement is recorded both in the main accounting file and in the cash register file. To avoid overlapping of accounting entries when importing data from the cash desk, the internal transfer account account is used

• The receipt of funds is recorded in the cash register file, using the tour account as category or alternatively the category for payments from the bank account, if the tour account has been set in the Category2 column.
• The outflow of funds is recorded in the main accounting file, with the bank account in credit and the internal transfer account in debit.

When importing the cash register data into the main accounting file, the tour account is reset.

Import the cash register data

• Open the main accounting file
• Click Action→ Import to accounting
• In the window that appears, from the drop-down menu Import → select Transactions → Cash book movements (* .ac2) "
• Using the Browse button, select the Cash Manager file.

The explanations of this window are available at the page Import to accounting.

In accounting

Destination account

You must select the cash account number, present in Double-entry accounting or Income / Expense accounting, where the movements are to be imported.

Initial document number

An initial document number can be entered which will be attributed to the first imported transaction. In subsequent recordings, the program automatically assigns a progressive number, starting from the initial one entered.
If you do not wish to assign progressive numbering automatically, leave the box empty.

Select movements

Start date / End date (inclusive)

Enter the start and end date of the period to which the imported transactions refer.

Group transactions

By activating one of the options it is possible to choose how the movements of the period should be grouped:

• No period groupingAll rows are imported with their column contents. The Doc number present in the corresponding column of the cash register file is also imported.
• If you want to use a different numbering in the accounting and simultaneously keep the original document of the file, in the Cash Manager insert the document in the DocProtocol column.
• Monthly - groups the transactions by month.
• Quarterly - groups movements by quarter.
• Semi-annual - groups the movements by semester.
• Annual - groups the transactions by year.

One registration per account

If several categories are grouped into a single account in the accounting, but separate transactions are desired for each category, this box must be activated; the program creates recordings for each category. When using VAT codes, postings are created not only by category, but also by different VAT codes for the same category.

Note

When you have an accounting with VAT, the VAT calculations may be slightly different. If the transaction amounts are entered net, the cash account balance may also differ due to rounding differences.

The accounting file is updated with the cash register data.

On the page Web filter for PayPal transactions you will find the information about the new feature that makes it possible to import all the Paypal transactions directly into Banana Accounting and the instructions on how to proceed (see below).

We have also prepared specific predefined templates for double-entry or multi-currency accounting that you can look at as an example or use as a separate accounting file just for the accounting transactions from Paypal.

More information about all types of import filters can be found on the Import filters page.

• Banana extension for importing Paypal transactions - how to proceed
• examples for the Double-entry accounting
• examples for the Multi-currency accounting
   

Learn more

• Double-entry accounting
• Multi-currency accounting
• Import filters - complete list

The following explains the procedure for how Rules work and how they are applied.
The process can be summarized in three steps:

1. Import bank transactions into the Transactions table.
2. Create the rules.
3. Apply the rules for the automatic completion of transactions.

1. Import bank transactions

When bank transactions are imported, the program inserts a temporary counteraccount [CA]. Typically, the completion of contra accounts must be done manually for each entry.

In the example figure, in the Transactions table, it can be seen that:

• (1) - The cells have the same temporary contra account, related to sales via Twint.
• (2) - The cell has a temporary contra account related to monthly expenses for May.
• (3) - The cell has a temporary contra account related to Swisscom telephone expenses.
• (4) - The cell has a temporary contra account related to insurance costs, policy number 892-948.
• (5) - The cell has a temporary contra account related to insurance costs, policy number 987-650.

2. Creating the Rules

The Rules are used to automatically complete all temporary contra accounts of imported transactions, adding VAT codes, cost centers, links, and more. 

The rules are template transactions that are already complete, found in the Recurring transactions table, where:

• The Description column contains the text (one or more keywords) that the imported transaction must include.
• The Debit Account and Credit Account columns contain the Contra account that will replace the temporary one.

We have created a system that provides different methods for creating the Rules:

• Rules from the Apply Rules dialog
• Rules from the Transactions table
• Rules from the Recurring transactions table

Regardless of the method used, the created Rules are saved in the Recurring Transactions table.

In the example, in the Recurring Transactions table, a Rule has been created for the following transactions:

• (1) - For the "Twint" transactions, the rule replaces the temporary contra account with the "Sales" account. The VAT code has also been added.
• (2) - For the "Interac Electronics" transaction, the rule replaces the temporary contra account with the "Goods" account. The VAT code has also been added.
• (3) - For the "Swisscom" transaction, the rule replaces the temporary contra account with the "Admin" account.
• (4) - For the "Best insurance" transaction with policy number "892-948", the rule replaces the temporary contra account with the "Insurance Health" account.
• (5) - For the "Best insurance" transaction with policy number "987-650", the rule replaces the temporary contra account with the "Insurance Car" account. 

Important: where there is a contract number, a policy number, a customer number, etc., it is recommended to add a "+" in front of the rule. The + allows the rule to search for individual words (or sequences of numbers) regardless of their position within the description of the imported transaction.

3. Applying the Rules for Automatic Completion (Result)

In the Transactions table, the program completes the imported transactions by adding the contra account, VAT code, etc., regardless of the method used for creating the Rules.

In the example, in the Transactions table, the imported transactions have been automatically completed:

• (1) - For the "Twint" transactions, the temporary contra account has been replaced with the "Sales" account and completed with the VAT code.
• (2) - For the "Interac Electronics" transaction, the temporary contra account has been replaced with the "Goods" account and completed with the VAT code.
• (3) - For the "Swisscom" transaction, the temporary contra account has been replaced with the "Admin" account.
• (4) - For the "Best insurance" transaction with policy number "892-948", the temporary contra account has been replaced with the "Insurance Health" account.
• (5) - For the "Best insurance" transaction with policy number "987-650", the temporary contra account has been replaced with the "Insurance Car" account.

Additionally, the program recognizes the transactions with the VAT code and completes all the columns related to VAT (VAT account and amounts).

One of the methods for creating Rules is from the Apply Rules dialog. The main advantages are as follows:

• You can see all imported transactions.
• The imported transactions are divided into incoming and outgoing transactions, with Rules and without Rules.
• For each group of identical transactions, the Rule being applied is shown in bold.
• Rules that are duplicated or in conflict are highlighted.
• You can add new rules and modify or delete existing ones.
• By changing the conditions of a Rule (description, amount, account), you can immediately see the list of transactions that comply with it.
• You can decide which rules to activate and which to deactivate.

Below is the complete procedure for creating Rules from the Apply Rules dialog.

1. Give the command Import into accounting

Before accessing the Apply Rules dialog, you must first import bank, postal, or other transactions as follows:

• Use the command from the Actions menu  > Import into accounting > Transactions
• Select the appropriate format and indicate the path where the file with your bank statement data is located
• In the dialog that opens:
  • Enter the account related to the statement from which you are importing the transactions (bank, postal service, etc.).
  • Specify the start and end dates for the period of the transactions to import.
  • Indicate the temporary contra account if you want it to be different from the default "[CA]".
    You can use any account, and if you write it in square brackets, it will not be accounted for.
  • Activate the Apply Rules option (available only with the Advanced plan of Banana Accounting Plus).
  • Confirm with OK.
     

 2. Dialogue Apply Rules

The program opens the Apply Rules dialog. 

In this dialog, you will find:

• The temporary contra account you entered previously or the default one "[CA]".
• The bank account entered, where all transactions imported from your bank or postal account are recorded.
• The imported transactions from the bank account, divided into:
  • Incoming transactions without rules (Money In without rules).
  • Outgoing transactions without rules (Money Out without rules).
  • Incoming transactions with rules (Money In with rules).
  • Outgoing transactions with rules (Money Out with rules).

3. Create new rules

To create new Rules: 

• Position yourself on one of the transactions for which you want to create a rule.
• Go to the right-hand side until you see  "...".
• Click on Add New Rule.

The Add Rule - Edit Rule dialogue appears.

In this dialog, you need to enter:

• In the Description, the text (keyword) that the program uses to find the matching Rule in the imported transactions.
  Example:
  • Best Insurance Contract 892-948
    applies to lines that contain exactly the specified text.
  • +Best Insurance Contract 892-948
    applies to lines that contain the words "Best Insurance" and "892-948" in any position.
• The contra account, used to replace the temporary contra account.
• Any other information (Cost centers, VAT codes, etc.).

Important: where there is a contract number, a policy number, a customer number, etc., it is recommended to add a "+" in front of the rule. The + allows the rule to search for individual words (or sequences of numbers) regardless of their position within the description of the imported transaction.

The program shows the transactions found based on the entered conditions to which the new rule will be applied. In the example, we have a single transaction.

• Confirm with OK.

4. Confirm Apply Rules

In the Apply Rules dialog, you will see:

• The row of the created Rule ("NEW") where the data of the temporary counteraccount [CA] and the other information entered in the rule are indicated.
• Below are the lines of the transactions to which the rule has been applied.

You can decide when to execute the Apply Rules command:

• You can apply the rules selectively and continue working on the others.
• You can exit the dialog and return later.
• You can cancel the operation of applying the rules and repeat it later.
• The Apply Rules command also saves any changes you made to the rules.

By clicking on the buttons:

• Apply Rules:
  • The program adds the new Rules to the Recurring transactions table.
  • The program completes the transactions in the Transactions table.
  • The dialog remains open so you can add the rules to the other transactions.
• OK
  • Confirms the applied rules and closes the dialog.
     

Undo changes made

Once the dialogue is closed, you will see the completed transactions in the Transactions table.
If you wish, you can undo the changes you have made:

• Menu Edit > Undo edit
• With the Cancel button (green arrow).

To also cancel the import of the data, you need to repeat the Cancel command a second time.

Complete other transactions with Temporary contra account

After importing bank transactions, the aim is to complete all transactions so that there are no more transactions with Temporary contra accounts [CA].

You can manually complete the remaining transactions. This is useful for special cases that do not tend to repeat.

You can create new rules by chosing one of the following methods:

• Rules from the Apply Rules dialog
• Rules from Recurring transactions

Adding information to completed transactions with rules

It is possible to add supplementary information to the Rules through the Recurring Transactions table.

One of the methods provided for creating Rules is from the Transactions table. The main advantages are as follows:

• You work directly in the Transactions table that you already use regularly. You are already familiar with the table.
• You see all the columns.
• You create Rules simply by completing the imported transactions.
  You complete the transactions manually only the first time when creating the Rules. For subsequent imports, the program applies the already created Rules to the new imported transactions.
• Speed in creating Rules.
  Select the rows with completed transactions and, with a single click, create all the rules in the Recurring Transactions table. You only need to modify the description of each rule to ensure a precise match for future transactions.
• You do not need to insert Rules through additional dialogs.
• You do not need to manually enter all the Rule data in the Recurring Transactions table.

Below is the complete procedure for creating Rules from the Transactions table.

Import transactions

In the Transactions table, import transactions from bank, postal, or credit card statements.

Complete the imported transactions

For each imported transaction, enter the counterpart, VAT code, cost center, or other information.

When you import a transaction that needs to be recorded on multiple lines, the program inserts a single entry with the total amount and a temporary counterpart [CA].

Proceed as follows:

• Remove the temporary counterpart account [CA] from the transaction.
• Insert new rows following the transaction. For each row, enter the complete transaction with description, counterpart, amount, any VAT code, and cost center.
  
  

Create Rules

Starting from the completed transactions, you can create Rules:

• Select from the Transactions table the entries to which you want to apply Rules.
• Right-click on a transaction without rules > Create rules from selection.
  Alternatively, go to the Actions menu > Recurring Transactions > Create rules from selection.
  
  

All selected transactions are transferred to the Recurring Transactions table, exactly as they were completed in the Transactions table.

How to complete the Rules

In the Recurring Transactions table, you need to complete the Rules:

• Edit the Description column.
  Modify the text of the description to search for in the transactions from the imported bank statement. Initially, the program automatically uses the description found in the imported transaction.
  Replace this text with one or more keywords so that the program can find matches in the description of the imported transaction (e.g., +Best Insurance).
  See also Condition on Description
• Debit and Credit Account Columns
  The Debit and Credit columns show the counterpart and the imported bank account.
  • First, check whether the indicated counterpart is already the desired one; if not, update it accordingly.
  • The main import account, used to identify matching transactions, must not be marked as a commented account (account enclosed in square brackets).
    If the account matches the bank's main account from which the transactions are imported and is marked as a commented account, the brackets must be removed, otherwise the rule will not be applied correctly.
    This may happen with detailed transactions imported from the statement for which no specific rules exist yet.
  • Alternatively, you can remove the main import account and leave only the counterpart. In this case, the rule will be applied based on the Description column (match with the transaction description) and will be valid for all imported bank accounts.
• For multi-line transactions, edit the Doc column.
  In the first row of the transaction, enter empty square brackets [] in the counterpart column.
  In subsequent rows, enter !RuleSplit in the Doc column (see rows 7,8,9 in the image below).
  
  

The explained procedure only needs to be performed the first time to set up the Rules. For future imports, the Rules found are applied automatically. You only need to complete the new imported transactions without a rule using the same procedure.
To find all imported transactions in the Transactions table that do not have a rule, you can use the Row filter function, entering the text "[CA]".

The rules can be accessed via the command Actions > Recurring Transactions > Transactions table.

• Rule rows are those that contain !Rule or !RuleSplit in the Doc column.
• In rule rows, the columns have a different meaning:
  • Condition Columns
    Contain the values to be compared to determine whether the rule should be applied.
    The condition columns are: Doc, Date, Description, Account Debit/Credit, Amount.
  • Action / Substitution Columns
    Contain the values that will be applied and complete the imported transactions.
    All columns that are not used as condition columns are considered substitution columns.

Condition columns 

Condition columns (or search columns) contain the data used to search for matches in the imported transactions.

• Doc column (required)
  • Must contain !Rule or !RuleSplit
    • !Rule indicates it is a rule.
    • !RuleSplit indicates that the rule above must also create split transactions.
• Description column (required)
  • The Description column must contain the text to be searched in the description of imported transactions.
  • When a description begins with text in square brackets, it is used as the rule name. The rule name is optional and can be used to better identify rules.
• Account column (recommended)
  • In double-entry accounting: use the Debit column (to filter incoming transactions) or the Credit column (to filter outgoing transactions).
  • In income and expense accounting: use the Account column.
  • This is usually the bank account from which the transactions are imported.
• Date column (optional)
  • Limits the application of the rule to a specific period of the transactions.
• Amount column (optional)
  • Limits the application of the rule to a specific amount or range of amounts.
  • In income and expense accounting: use the Income (incoming transactions) or Expense (outgoing transactions) column.

Substitution Columns 

Substitution columns must be filled in with additional information.

• DocLink column
• Contra Account column
  Enter the contra account that replaces the temporary contra account [CA] or the temporary contra selected in the Apply Rules dialog.
  • In double-entry accounting: use the Credit column (for incoming transactions) or the Debit column (for outgoing transactions).
  • In income and expense accounting: use the Category column.
• VAT Code column
  Enter the VAT code to be applied to the imported transaction.
  The program automatically completes all VAT-related columns.
• Cost Centers (CC1, CC2, CC3) columns
  Specify the cost center to assign to the imported transaction.
• Notes column
  Enter any additional information to be included in the imported transaction.
• Other columns
  All columns that are not condition columns, except ExternalReference, are considered substitution columns.
  ExternalReference is a reserved column used by the bank import to identify each transaction and prevent duplicates.

The DocLink column

In this column, it is not possible to insert a specific link to a document because each transaction will have its own document. However, you can add an annotation in square brackets (e.g., "[Doc]") to distinguish the rows that need to be associated with a digital document.

Once the transactions are imported, it may be necessary to link them to accounting documents. To speed up this process, it is recommended to proceed as follows:

• In the DocLink column of the Recurring Transactions table, use text enclosed in square brackets [ ].
• Within the square brackets, enter the text that should be searched for in the name of the supporting document file.
  
  
   
• In the Transactions table, the transactions are imported with the text in square brackets in the Link column.
  
  
   
• In the Transactions table, use the Row Filter function and enter the text "!link![ ]". This will display all the rows in the Link column that contain square brackets where a link to the supporting document needs to be added.
• When editing the Link column in the Transactions table, the program will show, in the auto-completion, the files of supporting documents that have not yet been linked to a transaction and contain the text entered between the square brackets.
  For example, if you enter "[invoice]," the program will display all the unlinked files containing the text "invoice" in the cell.

Quick search and completion of transactions

It is possible that after importing transactions with the Rules, some transactions may need to be manually completed with additional information.

To quickly find the transactions that need to be completed, you can use one of the following methods:

• Using the Notes Column
  To quickly locate the transactions that need to be completed, we recommend adding temporary search texts that can be used to filter the transactions. For example:
  • In the Notes column of the Recurring Transactions table, or in any other column of the Rule row (except for those predefined for the Rule), enter a hashtag, such as #city.
  • In the Row Filter function of the Transactions table, enter the same hashtag. This will display the rows that you need to complete.
• Coloring Rule Rows
  You can color the Rule rows in the Recurring Transactions table. The row color will be transferred to the Transactions table and used to highlight the transactions to which the rule is applied.
  To identify only the colored rows, you can use the Row Filter function by entering the text "!_co!"

Split row transactions

Normally, when you import transactions from a bank statement with the Rule, a single counterpart account is recorded. If the total amount of the counterpart needs to be split across multiple counterpart accounts, you can create a multi-row Rule.

For example:

• You regularly receive a payment of 550 that must be recorded on three different accounts and therefore on three rows:
  • (550) rent collection (no contra-account, as this involves recording the global amount split over three rows)
  • (500) flat rent (contra account rent)
  • (50) extra expenses (contra-account for extra expenses) .

To create a multi-row Rule:

• The first row corresponds to the total amount collected.
  • In the Doc column, enter the text !Rule.
  • In the Description column, enter the text to search for in the imported transactions.
  • In the counterpart column, enter square brackets [].
• In the following rows:
  • In the Doc column, enter the text !RuleSplit.
  • In the Description column, enter the text to search for in the imported transactions.
  • In the counterpart column, enter the counterpart accounts.
  • In all other columns, input the values that should be included in the additional rows. In this example, we have added the tenant’s Cost Center.
    In the following example, you can see the tenant’s Cost Center.

In the example of a multi-row rent transaction, it is assumed that the collected amount is always 550. If the collected amount is different from 550, the transaction will need to be completed manually. 

Modifying rules in the Recurring Transactions Table

All completion Rules saved in the Recurring Transactions table, even if they were created from the Apply Rules dialog, can be modified, deleted, or new ones can be created in anticipation of a future import without a Rule.

Set a different description from the imported one

All imported transactions display the description from the bank statement in the Description column of the Transactions table. Typically, these descriptions are very detailed.

It is not possible to automatically change this description at the time of import.

If you wish to change the imported description, you can use the Notes column in the Recurring Transactions table.  
Note: if the Notes column is already used for your own annotations, it cannot be used to modify the description.

If the Notes column is not being used, proceed as follows:

• Display the Recurring Transactions table.
• Make the Notes column visible by going to the menu Data > Columns set up > check the Notes column.
• In the Notes column, enter the description text that you want to appear in the Transactions table (Description column).
  Repeat this step for each desired transaction.
  
  
   
• Import the transactions
• After importing into the Transactions table, make the Notes column visible (menu Data > Columns setup > check the Notes column)
  The Notes column will display the notes defined in the Recurring Transactions table.
  
  
   
  • For each transaction, copy the content from the Notes column and paste it into the Description column.
    
    

In the Recurring Transactions table, it is not possible to directly add custom columns. 

To use a custom column in the Recurring Transactions table, you need to add the custom column to the Transactions table.

Once the column is added to the Transactions table, it will also be visible in the Recurring Transactions table and can be used to set a different description from the imported one.

Therefore, the insertion procedure is the same as described in the section Set a Different Description from the Imported One - Notes Column.

Create a new year with rules

When you create a new year using the command Actions > Create New Year, the existing Rules in the Recurring Transactions table are automatically carried over to the new year's file.

Accounting with the same rules

If you manage several similar accounting files (for example for clients with similar characteristics), it can be useful to reuse rules that have already been created, avoiding rewriting them every time.

When the accounting files have the same chart of accounts, or at least a compatible structure, you can copy the Recurring transactions from one file to another.

How to copy the rules

• Open the source file (the one that contains the rules to be reused).
• Display the Recurring transactions table using the command
  Actions > Recurring transactions > Recurring transactions table.
• Select the rows you want to copy.
• Use the Copy rows command, Edit > Copy rows.
• Open the destination file and display the Recurring transactions table.
• Paste the rules using the command Edit > Insert copied rows in the Recurring transactions table.

You can also create a dedicated accounting file, used as a rule library.
In this way, when you create a new accounting file, you can easily copy the necessary set of rules and paste it into the destination file.

The rule conditions are criteria that define when a completion rule should be automatically applied to a transaction.

They are set during the creation or editing of a rule in the Apply Rules dialog, or directly in the Recurring Transactions table.

The conditions may refer to the Description, Account, Amount, and Date.

A rule is applied only if all the set conditions are met. If even a single condition is not fulfilled, the rule will not be executed. Empty conditions are ignored.


 

Condition on Description

Enter a word or short phrase as a keyword to identify transactions to be automated, based on the text shown in the Description column of the bank statement.

Banana Accounting automatically compares the description text of each transaction with the one specified in the rule and, if it finds a match, applies the associated rule.

To achieve more effective results, it is advisable to use only a few representative keywords (for example, the supplier or service name), so that the rule matches multiple similar transactions.

The search texts can be entered in several ways:

• Exact word or phrase
  • For example, if you enter "Best Insurance 982-948", the program searches imported transactions that contain exactly "Best Insurance 982-948".
  • If you only enter "Insurance", the program searches imported transactions that contain the word "Insurance".
• All words in any order (+ at the beginning)
  • If you enter "+Best Insurance 892-948", the program searches imported transactions that contain the words "Best", "Insurance", and the number "892-948" in any order.
  • All words must be present in the transaction description, but the order is not relevant.
  • The "+" symbol is not considered in the search.

Important: where there is a contract number, a policy number, a customer number, etc., it is recommended to add a "+" in front of the rule. The + allows the rule to search for individual words (or sequences of numbers) regardless of their position within the description of the imported transaction.

• List of words (using |)
  • If you enter "coffee|restaurant", the program searches imported transactions that contain the word "coffee" or "restaurant".
    This method is useful to identify multiple categories without creating separate searches.
• Uppercase and lowercase
  • The search does not distinguish between uppercase and lowercase letters. The entered text will be applied regardless of case.
    All text entered in the Description is displayed in the Description column of the Recurring Transactions table. 

Warning: Do NOT use the entire text from the bank statement as the description, because it is unique for that transaction.

Condition on Account

• Enter the account from which the transactions are imported (bank, post, etc.).
• The program records in Debit or Credit depending on the imported transaction.
• The program automatically posts to Debit or Credit based on the transaction type.
• If the Account field is left empty, the rule applies to all accounts that meet the description condition.

Condition on Amount (or Currency Amount)

• Allows applying a rule only when the transaction has a specific amount.
• Alternatively, if the exact amount is not known, you can define a range of amounts by specifying a minimum, maximum, or a specific interval in which to apply the rule.
  • Available from version 10.2.3 of Banana Accounting Plus (Dev Channel)
  • The condition must:
    • start with the symbol !
    • be enclosed in square brackets [ ]
    • use the unformatted amount, that is, without thousand separators and with a period as decimal separator
      (other formats are not recognized)
    • The operators that can be used are greater >, less <, greater or equal >=, less or equal <=, not equal <>
  • Example: to select transactions with amount greater or equal to CHF 1'000.00:
    [!>=1000.00]

The image shows the Apply Rules dialog where you can select the Amount field and define a number range (in this example, account 1510 Furniture and Fixtures is applied to transactions with the description equal to 'Office supply purchase' and amount greater or equal to CHF 1'000).
Using this filter is useful when assigning different counterpart accounts based on the transaction amount.

Examples of conditions applicable to the Amount column

Condition on Date

Starting from version 10.2.3 of Banana Accounting Plus (Dev Channel) you can apply a rule to transactions that fall within a specific period (for example, only transactions from January).

How to proceed:

• Add a new rule as explained on the page Apply Rules Dialog - Add Rule
• Select the Date field
• Enter the filter condition in the Comment field.
  The condition must:
  • start with the symbol !
  • be enclosed in square brackets [ ]
  • use the date in ISO format YYYY-MM-DD
    (other formats are not recognized)
• Example: to select transactions with dates equal or before April 1st, 2025:
  [!<2025-04-01]
   

The image shows the Apply Rules dialog where you can select the Date field and define a date range (in this example, it is applied to transactions before April 1st, 2025).
Using this filter is helpful when differentiating processes by month, quarter or year — for example, if a specific VAT code applies until a certain date and a different one after that, such as when switching to a new VAT method.

Examples of conditions applicable to the Date column

How to define conditions in the Recurring Transactions table

Conditions can be entered directly in the Recurring Transactions table using the same syntax explained in the previous sections.

Rule weight and conflict resolution

The weight of an autocomplete rule is determined by the number of conditions defined in the rule itself. The greater the number of specified conditions, the greater the weight assigned to the rule.

When multiple rules apply to the same transaction, Banana Accounting selects the rule with the highest weight, considering it more specific. This makes it possible to define generic rules and more detailed rules; in the event of a conflict, the more specific rule is always applied.

For example, the Recurring transactions table may contain the following rules:

If a transaction with the description "Credit Fratelli Bernasconi" is imported into account 1030, both rules apply. However, the second rule has a higher weight because it contains an additional condition on the DebitAcc field. Since it is more specific, it is applied with priority over the first rule.