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Bank Transaction Automation: Rule Setup

Configure Sage Intacct to create and match bank transactions automatically — journal entry templates, create rules, match rules, and rule sets.

FieldValue
OwnerUnassigned — needs an owner
DepartmentGeneral Accounting — accounting managers
Effective dateNot set in source
ScopeThe one-time configuration required for rule-based bank transaction creation and matching in Sage Intacct. Intended for accounting managers and Intacct administrators — enabling Sage Cloud Services requires Full Admin. For the day-to-day use of these rules, see Reconciling with automation rules.
SourceGeneral Accounting/02 - Bank Reconciliation/Bank Automation - Managers.docx

Sage Intacct can create and match bank transactions based on user-defined rules when a bank file is uploaded. The feature is similar to the R365 bank activity screen but more flexible to configure.

Why the firm is implementing this

  • Once rules exist, deposits, bank fees, credit card fees, and transfers are created automatically.
  • Checks, ACH payments, fees, and deposits can be auto-matched rather than matched by hand.
  • Moves the reconciliation from a spreadsheet into Intacct, giving oversight of progress.
  • Mitigates the risk of repetitive entries being miscoded by staff.
  • Requires minimal manipulation of the bank file — the previous import process demanded specific formats that hindered use.
  • Significant time savings.

The full process

Journal entry templates → Create rules → Match rules → Rule sets
    → Assign to bank accounts → Upload a bank file → Reconcile

Steps 1 through 5 are one-time setup and are covered on this page. Uploading and reconciling is the staff procedure.

Setup

1
Enable Sage Cloud Services

Enable Sage Cloud Services. This requires Full Admin access.

Sage Intacct enable Sage Cloud Services
Enabling Sage Cloud Services
2
Create journal entry transaction templates

Before create rules can exist, a template for the GL posting must be set up. The rule creates the criteria; the transaction template tells the system how to post.

Go to Cash Management → Set-up → Journal entry (under Reconciliation txn templates).

A template is needed for each GL account that will be posted to, and each location or entity. If seven locations post cash deposits to the location, you need seven journal entry templates for the cash deposit GL account alone.

Sage Intacct journal entry transaction template setup
Creating a journal entry transaction template
Sage Intacct transaction template detail fields
Template fields

Naming conventions:

FieldRule
IDMaximum 30 characters, unique per template. Reflect the GL account and location where needed — CD_102 = cash deposits for the Fresno location. Only letters, numbers, a single dash, or underscore.
Name / DescriptionA fuller name containing the GL account name and location if needed.

Journal types — use these for each transaction type:

JournalUse for
CRJ (cash receipts journal)All deposits that previously used an "other receipt" transaction. Also interest earnings deposits that previously used "interest and charges".
CDJ (cash disbursements journal)All bank and credit card fees that previously used "interest and charges". Also transfers.

Set transfers up as create rules based on the bank account the money is transferred out from. Basing the rule on the deposit side causes timing problems when the banks are at separate institutions.

Journals can post in draft or posted state. Draft entries generate on upload but must then be manually posted before they can be matched. Posted entries post directly to the GL and auto-match. Create all journal entries as posted.

Finally, assign the GL account that offsets the cash account — bank service charges code to the bank fees GL, for example. Assign the location and include a general memo for this transaction type. Allocation and department fields are available if needed.

Save, then repeat for each GL account and location combination.

3
Create the creation rules

Create rules filter bank transactions, then create transactions that post to the GL based on the assigned transaction template.

Go to Cash Management → Set-Up → Matching and Creation Rules.

Sage Intacct create rule configuration
Setting up a create rule
FieldGuidance
TypeUse create. Entries created in the posted state also match on the reconciliation.
IDUnique, reflecting GL account and location where needed (CASHFRE = cash deposits, Fresno). Only letters, numbers, a single dash, or underscore.
Name / DescriptionA fuller description containing the GL account name and location if needed.

Filter transactions by — this identifies the specific bank transactions the rule applies to. Build the filters in this order:

  1. Always start with a posting date filter. Intacct will not create transactions for this rule before this date. This matters especially when bank feeds are connected.
  2. Filter on transaction type — debit (money out) or credit (money in).

Debit and credit here follow the bank's definition, not the accounting definition.

  1. Add remaining filters to narrow further — usually a filter on description containing part of the bank's transaction description. In the example, all cash deposits post with a description of "Business Deposit".

Selecting Equals in the Operator dropdown makes the value case sensitive. Every other operator is case insensitive.

Group transactions by — groups transactions into a single posting date or document number. Grouping by posting date works when all cash deposits post to one location and should create one deposit per day.

Define transaction to create — set transaction type to journal entry, and select the journal entry template with the corresponding GL account and location for this rule.

Save, then repeat for each create rule needed.

4
Create the match rules

Match rules filter and group the same way create rules do, but do not create transactions that post to the GL. Instead the rule searches already-created Intacct transactions and matches them on the bank rec.

A single match rule is likely to be used across multiple bank accounts. One rule to match checks can serve every bank account.

Sage Intacct match rule configuration
Setting up a match rule
FieldGuidance
TypeSet to match.
IDUnique, reflecting GL account and location where needed.
Filter → Data SourceFilter by either the bank transaction or the Intacct transaction.
Filter → FieldsOptions depend on the data source. Filtering by bank transactions offers more options than a standard bank download contains, so expect some testing between setting up the rule and identifying columns in the bank file. Posting date, transaction type, document number, amount, and description are generally available.
Group transactions byGroup by Intacct or bank transactions, then by document number or posting date.
Matching conditionsAfter the filter identifies transactions, matching conditions define what must be true to clear a transaction from the reconciliation.

All matching rules require a matching condition for Amount, and there should always be at least two matching conditions. For checks, use document date and amount. For ACH payments, use date and amount.

5
Create and assign rule sets

A rule set is the collection of match and create rules applicable to a specific bank account. One rule set can apply to multiple bank accounts, but each bank account can have only one rule set.

Go to Cash Management → Set-up → Rule Sets.

Sage Intacct rule set configuration
Creating a rule set
FieldGuidance
IDA short ID identifying the bank name. If the rule set is for a specific account only, include the last 4 digits of the account number.
Name / DescriptionA fuller description of the bank — ID Sierra4182 with name/description Sierra Operating Fresno 4182.
Account typeBank
RulesClick Select Rules, choose the create and match rules that belong in this set, then click add & close.

On the Accounts tab, click select accounts and choose the bank accounts that should use this rule set.

Sage Intacct rule set accounts tab
Assigning the rule set to bank accounts

Expected outcome: the rule set is attached to the bank account, and a bank file can now be uploaded for processing. Auto-match is unavailable during reconciliation until a rule set is applied.

Sample create rules

  1. Go to Cash Management → Setup → Reconciliation rules and select Add (circle) next to Matching and creation rules.
  2. In the Type dropdown select Create rule.
  3. Enter an ID and a Name.
  4. Create a filter for the bank transaction posting date:
    • Data source: Bank transactions
    • Field: Posting date
    • Operator: Is greater than
    • Value: the date on which to begin creating transactions
  5. Add a filter:
    • Data source: Bank transactions
    • Field: Transaction type
    • Operator: Equals
    • Value: Credit
  6. Add a filter:
    • Data source: Bank transactions
    • Field: Description
    • Operator: Contains
    • Value: Deposit — this value varies depending on your bank data
  1. Go to Cash Management → Setup → Reconciliation rules and select Add (circle) next to Matching and creation rules.
  2. In the Type dropdown select Create rule.
  3. Enter an ID and a Name.
  4. Create a filter for the bank transaction posting date:
    • Data source: Bank transactions
    • Field: Posting date
    • Operator: Is greater than
    • Value: the date on which to begin creating transactions
  5. Add a filter:
    • Data source: Bank transactions
    • Field: Transaction type
    • Operator: Equals
    • Value: Debit
  6. Add a filter:
    • Data source: Bank transactions
    • Field: Description
    • Operator: Contains
    • Value: varies depending on your bank data

Sample matching rules

The simplest useful match rule.

  1. Go to Cash Management → Setup → Reconciliation rules and select Add next to Matching and creation rules.
  2. In the Type dropdown select Match rule.
  3. Enter an ID and a Name.
  4. Create a matching condition for Amount. Scroll to Matching conditions:
    • Bank transaction field: Amount
    • Operator: Equals
    • Match this field in an Intacct transaction: Amount
  5. In the next row, add a condition for the posting date:
    • Bank transaction field: Posting date
    • Operator: Equals
    • Match this field in an Intacct transaction: Posting date
  6. Select Save.

Some bank feed transactions have extra zeroes preceding the document number. Leading zeroes on Intacct transactions are automatically ignored.

  1. Go to Cash Management → Setup → Reconciliation rules and select Add next to Matching and creation rules.
  2. In the Type list select Match rule.
  3. Enter an ID and a Name.
  4. Create a matching condition for Amount:
    • Bank transaction field: Amount
    • Operator: Equals
    • Match this field in an Intacct transaction: Amount
  5. Add a condition for the document number:
    • Bank transaction field: Document number (leading zeroes removed)
    • Operator: Equals
    • Match this field in an Intacct transaction: Document number
  6. Select Save.

For cases where customer payments were recorded as multiple Intacct transactions but correspond to one ACH payment at the bank.

  1. Go to Cash Management → Setup → Reconciliation rules and select Add next to Matching and creation rules.
  2. In the Type list select Match rule.
  3. Enter an ID and a Name.
  4. Optionally filter for credit type transactions to target the ACH payments:
    • Data source: Intacct transactions
    • Field: Transaction type
    • Operator: Equals
    • Value: Credit
  5. In Group transactions by, group Intacct transactions by Document number. If you know these transactions post on the same date, group by Posting date instead.
  6. Create a matching condition for Amount:
    • Bank transaction field: Amount
    • Operator: Equals
    • Match this field in an Intacct transaction: Amount
  7. Select Save.

For banks that put the check or document number inside the description field.

  1. Go to Cash Management → Setup → Reconciliation rules and select Add next to Matching and creation rules.
  2. In the Type list select Match rule.
  3. Enter an ID and a Name.
  4. Optionally enter filter criteria in Filter transaction by.
  5. Create a matching condition for Amount:
    • Bank transaction field: Amount
    • Operator: Equals
    • Match this field in an Intacct transaction: Amount
  6. Create a condition matching on the description:
    • Bank transaction field: Description
    • Operator: Equals to match an exact description, or Contains to match descriptions including a specific value, phrase, or word
    • Match this field in an Intacct transaction: Description
  7. Select Save.

Useful when the bank is in a different time zone than the business.

  1. Go to Cash Management → Setup → Reconciliation rules and select Add next to Matching and creation rules.
  2. In the Type list select Match rule.
  3. Enter an ID and a Name.
  4. Optionally enter filter criteria in Filter transaction by.
  5. Create a matching condition for Amount:
    • Bank transaction field: Amount
    • Operator: Equals
    • Match this field in an Intacct transaction: Amount
  6. Create a condition for a range of posting dates:
    • Bank transaction field: Posting date
    • Operator: Within
    • Value: the number of days the posting date can vary. Entering 1 matches bank transactions within 1 day before and 1 day after the Intacct transaction's posting date.
    • Match this field in an Intacct transaction: Posting date
  7. Select Save.

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