Auto Categorization
This functionality gives all Account Owners and Admins with relevant permissions the ability to:
- Set rules for each type of transaction
- Have categories auto-populate for each transaction
- Set rules based on a specific user, card, department, merchant, or merchant category
How does Auto Categorization work?
Account Owner/Admins with accounting permissions
Settings for Auto-Categorization can be reached in two locations within the web application:
- Profile Icon >> Company Settings >> Accounting
- Transactions page >> Accounting Settings
The auto-categorization page allows you to create new rules and see a table of the existing rules.
Click on one of the five options under ‘Select what the rule applies to:’ it will filter the table. You can only make one selection at a time.
An existing rule can be selected from the table which will move the rule to the create/edit boxes above. This allows you to edit an existing rule instead of creating multiple duplicate rows. It also allows you to archive an existing rule.
Rules don’t apply to transactions retroactively but start with the current date from the moment of creation. There will be a Save button. Mapping Bento GL accounts, Class, or Location to an integrated account software will carry the auto-categorization mapping with it.
The hierarchy of rule precedent is Card → User → Department → Merchant → Merchant Category. You cannot have conflicting rules. For example, if Card X is set to Bento GL = Marketing you cannot create another Bento GL rule for Card X. You can however create a rule for Card X to map to Location = Chicago. You can also create a rule for Merchant where Starbucks is set to Bento GL = Meals. So if Card X is used at Starbucks the transaction will be mapped to Marketing because the Card rule takes precedence over the Merchant rule.
The search function for the table will find anything in the table that matches. If I search for ‘Francisco’ it will return results of rules set up for user = Francisco or location = San Francisco.
When a GL Account, Location or Class are removed from the system, any rules associated should be archived. If a GL Account, Location or Class are reinstated in the system, the old auto categorization rules should remain archived. New rules would need to be created and would start on the creation date.
Employee with transaction permissions
As transactions are loaded to the Transactions page, if there are rules associated with specific merchants, merchant categories, departments, cards, or users the accounting mapping field will already be populated. The Transaction Details page will remain unchanged. The employee has the ability to edit the fields on the Transaction Details page this will ignore the existing auto-categorization rules for that transaction only.
