---
title: "Bank Transaction Automation: Rule Setup"
sidebarTitle: "Bank automation setup"
description: "Configure Sage Intacct to create and match bank transactions automatically — journal entry templates, create rules, match rules, and rule sets."
icon: "gears"
---

> **For AI agents:** the complete documentation index is at [llms.txt](/llms.txt). Append `.md` to any page URL for its markdown version.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| **Owner** | Unassigned — needs an owner |
| **Department** | General Accounting — accounting managers |
| **Effective date** | Not set in source |
| **Scope** | The 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](/internal/sops/accounting/general/bank-automation-reconciling). |
| **Source** | `General 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](/internal/sops/accounting/general/bank-automation-reconciling).

## Setup

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enable Sage Cloud Services">
    Enable Sage Cloud Services. This requires **Full Admin** access.

    <Frame caption="Enabling Sage Cloud Services">
      <img src="/images/accounting/bank-automation-managers/image1.png" alt="Sage Intacct enable Sage Cloud Services" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="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.

    <Frame caption="Creating a journal entry transaction template">
      <img src="/images/accounting/bank-automation-managers/image2.png" alt="Sage Intacct journal entry transaction template setup" />
    </Frame>

    <Frame caption="Template fields">
      <img src="/images/accounting/bank-automation-managers/image3.png" alt="Sage Intacct transaction template detail fields" />
    </Frame>

    **Naming conventions:**

    | Field | Rule |
    |---|---|
    | **ID** | Maximum 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 / Description** | A fuller name containing the GL account name and location if needed. |

    **Journal types** — use these for each transaction type:

    | Journal | Use 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. |

    <Warning>
      **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.
    </Warning>

    <Warning>
      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.**
    </Warning>

    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.
  </Step>

  <Step title="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**.

    <Frame caption="Setting up a create rule">
      <img src="/images/accounting/bank-automation-managers/image4.png" alt="Sage Intacct create rule configuration" />
    </Frame>

    | Field | Guidance |
    |---|---|
    | **Type** | Use **create**. Entries created in the posted state also match on the reconciliation. |
    | **ID** | Unique, reflecting GL account and location where needed (`CASHFRE` = cash deposits, Fresno). Only letters, numbers, a single dash, or underscore. |
    | **Name / Description** | A 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).

       <Note>
         Debit and credit here follow the **bank's** definition, not the accounting definition.
       </Note>

    3. **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".

    <Tip>
      Selecting **Equals** in the Operator dropdown makes the value **case sensitive**. Every other operator is case insensitive.
    </Tip>

    **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.
  </Step>

  <Step title="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.

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

    <Frame caption="Setting up a match rule">
      <img src="/images/accounting/bank-automation-managers/image5.png" alt="Sage Intacct match rule configuration" />
    </Frame>

    | Field | Guidance |
    |---|---|
    | **Type** | Set to **match**. |
    | **ID** | Unique, reflecting GL account and location where needed. |
    | **Filter → Data Source** | Filter by either the bank transaction or the Intacct transaction. |
    | **Filter → Fields** | Options 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 by** | Group by Intacct or bank transactions, then by document number or posting date. |
    | **Matching conditions** | After the filter identifies transactions, matching conditions define what must be true to clear a transaction from the reconciliation. |

    <Warning>
      **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.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="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**.

    <Frame caption="Creating a rule set">
      <img src="/images/accounting/bank-automation-managers/image6.png" alt="Sage Intacct rule set configuration" />
    </Frame>

    | Field | Guidance |
    |---|---|
    | **ID** | A 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 / Description** | A fuller description of the bank — ID `Sierra4182` with name/description `Sierra Operating Fresno 4182`. |
    | **Account type** | Bank |
    | **Rules** | Click **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.

    <Frame caption="Assigning the rule set to bank accounts">
      <img src="/images/accounting/bank-automation-managers/image7.png" alt="Sage Intacct rule set accounts tab" />
    </Frame>

    **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.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Sample create rules

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Journal entry for daily deposits">
    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*
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Journal entry for bank fees">
    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*
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Sample matching rules

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Match transactions by date and amount">
    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**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Remove leading zeroes from incoming bank transactions">
    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**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Match multiple Intacct transactions to one lump sum at the bank">
    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**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Match document numbers to transaction descriptions">
    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**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Match transactions within a range of posting dates">
    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**.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related documents

- [Reconciling with automation rules](/internal/sops/accounting/general/bank-automation-reconciling) — the day-to-day staff procedure
- [Set up a basic check-matching rule set](/internal/how-to/accounting/intacct-bank-rule-sets) — a shorter walkthrough for just check matching
- [Intacct bank reconciliation](/internal/sops/accounting/general/intacct-bank-reconciliation) — the manual reconciliation these rules reduce