In this article
This Banana Accounting Plus functionality drastically reduces recording times and errors. It will change the way you do accounting because once the rules are set, it's the programme that completes the imported transactions with all the necessary information (Contra account, VAT code, Cost Centers, etc.).
- ▶ Video: Import and complete transactions automatically (introduction) - 0'52"
- ▶ Video: Rules for completing imported transactions (Apply Rules dialogue) - 6'26"
- ▶ Video: Rules for completing imported transactions (Recurring transactions table) - 5'21"
Auto-completion of imported transactions
After importing bank transactions, they need to be completed with the Debit or Credit account, VAT code, Cost Centers, or other information.
Example: when you import an outgoing transaction indicating a payment to the company "Swisscom", you will need to complete the Debit Account column with "Phone expenses" and the VAT Code column with "M81."
The Apply rules command automatically completes the imported transactions. It automatically fills in the counterpart account, VAT code, cost center, segments, etc., using the completion rules. These rules can be created either before or during the import. Once created, the rules apply to all future imports as well.
Completion Rules
The Rules are pre-set transaction rows that provide the program with the necessary information to:
- Identify the imported transactions that need to be completed
For example, if you enter "Swisscom" in the Description column, the rule will be applied to imported transactions that contain the text "Swisscom" in the description. - Specify the details to complete the transaction
- In the Debit Account column, enter the account "Phone expenses".
- In the VAT column, enter the code "M81".
The completion rules are saved in the Recurring Transactions table. You can enter or modify them directly in the table or use the Add/Edit rules dialog during the rule application phase.
Workflow
- Import bank transactions
The programme creates the transaction rows with date, description, amount, account, document number, exchange rates. - The Apply Rules dialogue opens
- You see the transactions that are completed automatically.
You can edit or delete existing rules. - Add new rules for other transactions.
In the rule enter the text to be searched, the contra account and other information to complete the transactions. - Click on the Apply rules button.
- You see the transactions that are completed automatically.
- In the Transactions table you will find the transactions, complete with contra account, VAT code, cost centre and other information that you have indicated in the rules.
- In the Recurring transactions table you will find the rules you just added.
In order to use the completion rules you need the Advanced plan of Banana Accounting plus.
How to start
Customers who have used this feature are thrilled and have told us that, after a brief initial learning phase to understand and optimize the use of rules, their accounting work has been significantly simplified.
We are pleased to provide the following documentation, which will allow you to try it out and practice with concrete examples:
Main advantages
The advantages of the completion system are immediately apparent:
- You complete transactions in seconds.
- You avoid errors and oversights.
- Rules make it easier to delegate the import activity to other people.
The completion system is rule-based:
- It integrates seamlessly into the logic of double-entry bookkeeping.
- It completes entries accurately and reliably.
- Can be used immediately, even without a learning database.
- It can be checked and modified at will.
Adding Rules
Rules are saved in the Recurring transactions table and can be added in the following ways:
- When importing movements, from the Apply rules dialogue > Add rule command.
- In the Entries table, from the Actions menu > Recurring transactions > Create rule from selection.
- In the table Records with a right-click on a movement without a rule > Create rule from selection.
- Manually in the Recurring transactions table.
Rules = Basic knowledge
You will notice that rules become a precious knowledge base that brings together the logic with which different transactions must be recorded in the accounts. They also make it possible to:
- Easily check how certain transactions are to be recorded. No more need of scrolling through previous operations to remember how they were done.
- Explain to people who have to do the accounting how to record various transactions.
- Define for the auditor how to record certain transactions.
- Adapt the rules in case VAT codes change or add or remove accounts, cost centres or other.
Automatic carry-over of rules into the New Year
When creating a New Year, the contents of the Recurring transactions table are carried over into the New Year file, so the knowledge base remains intact. It is therefore also worth using the rules for operations that recur once or only a few times a year, but which require special attention.