Import rules on the bank import tool

Steps

  1. Navigate "Money > Import Tool"
  2. Click on a bank import and then click on a transaction to explain
  3. Edit transaction details and click "Add Transaction"
  4. On next transaction for that customer or supplier check that lookup rule is applied when explaining transaction
  5. Click the edit lookup rule button to change rule settings as required

Import or lookup Rules can save a lot of time; by learning what different items on your bank statement are, Clear Books can automatically select the correct supplier/customer name, accounting category, VAT rate and other details when you are explaining a transaction. In this example we will be referring to the “Explain payments” page however the same process can be used when explaining purchases or transfers.  

Step 1.

Navigate “Money > Import Tool”.

Step 2.

Click on a bank import and then click on a transaction you would like edit the details of.

Bank Import With Unexplained Statements

Select Import That Needs Explaining

Step 3.

On the “Explain payment” page you need to select the “Account”, “VAT Rate” and “Payment Method”; these will be the details that Clear Books automatically associates with this customer or supplier (Rose And Crown in this example) once you click “Add Transaction”.

Transaction To Be Explained With Details  Entered

Transaction That Needs Explaining

Step 4.

When you next select a payment to a customer with a lookup rule Clear Books will automatically populate the fields in the “Explain payment” form with the details you have setup. You can see the rule applied at the bottom of the “Explain payment” page.

Explain Payment Page With Lookup Rule Applied

Lookup Rule Used Rose And Crown

Step 5.

In our example The Rose and Crown is the search term, let’s say that you had another payment to The Rose and Crown except it came up under the description of The Rose on the bank import. If you wanted this term to also be associated with the lookup rule you have just created, you need to click on the edit lookup rule button.

Edit Lookup Rule Button

Edit Lookup Rule Button

This will take you through to the “Update Import Rule page”, where you can change the details of the rule as required.

Search Term For Lookup Rule Renamed

Rose and Crown search term changed to Rose

What The Fields Mean.

Search Term

This is the field where you enter the phrase you want Clear Books to recognise for the lookup rule during the bank import.

Entity

Select the customer or supplier this lookup rule is associated with.

Account

The account you wish to associate with this lookup rule should be entered here.

Project

If there is a project you would like to associate all transactions with this search term with select it here.

Once you are happy that the rule is correct click “Update”.

The example above would result in Clear Books applying this lookup rule to descriptions of The Rose and The Rose and Crown when they appeared on a bank import.