[GNC] Best way to Auto Sync GC Checking Transactions with the Bank?

[David Carlson]

Regarding import/update frequency, I would personally shoot for a
periodicity that generates a reasonably small number of transactions at a
time to handle in ten or fifteen minutes max, as that is when I start to
get careless in matching.  That could mean daily for some users, or about a
week or two for me.

To Fran_3's second point, I think the import matcher does consider
descriptions and source accounts and perhaps more since the major update to
the process in the release 3.x series.   I believe it now works equally
well for CSV imports as well as QFX/OFX or QIF imports.  It may still be
weak when values are similar or identical, but I don't see very much of
that in my case. In any case it is essential to do the matching during the
import process in order to train the matcher, as that is the only time that
any training happens.

On the third point, if there is any way to avoid purely graphical steps
like using MS Paint that should help, if outside assistance cannot be
completely eliminated.  I do know that it is surprising how adept
LibreOffice Calc is at converting information to spreadsheets when it is
used to open PDF files, for example.

That's my two cents. 😃

On Sat, Oct 17, 2020 at 7:00 PM Adrien Monteleone <
adrien.monteleone at lusfiber.net> wrote:

> The Help/Guide and probably the wiki (as well as various threads in this
> list) will provide more insight into how the Import Matcher works, along
> with tips and tricks to use it most effectively.
>
> My first question would be, "What is the reason for doing this daily?
> What advantage over larger periods does this level of effort give you?"
>
> I ask, because my first recommendation would be to do so less
> frequently, maybe even weekly at the most, but monthly would be a most
> likely target. What you appear to be doing is essentially reconciliation
> and that is traditionally (though it doesn't have to be) a monthly
> procedure.
>
> I don't download bank transactions or use the import matcher myself, but
> after reading many, many threads here on the various nuances, I'd think
> the matcher *should* recognize 'amount', 'date', and 'description' and
> flag those qualifying transactions as potential duplicates. You get to
> decide before completing the import if they really are duplicates. If
> you leave them marked as such, if I recall correctly, GnuCash will
> change the flag in the "r" column from 'n' to 'c'—meaning the
> transaction has cleared the bank. When you do a formal reconciliation of
> the account with a periodic bank statement, those marked 'c' will be
> pre-checked for you. You would only need to verify and check off the
> remaining transactions in the reconcile window.
>
> The date that your bank shows for the transaction may not be the same
> date as the real-world transaction. (the real date *should* be what you
> have entered in GnuCash) I think the matcher is smart enough to flag
> those for a closer look if the other key data matches.
>
> For transactions that don't qualify as true duplicates (thus needing to
> just be 'cleared') they will be imported as new with the 'c' flag
> already set.
>
> My second question is, "Why are you doing the comparison manually
> outside of GnuCash when GnuCash has built-in methods of helping you find
> those duplicates?"
>
> If you still really need to do a comparison outside the matcher, yes,
> there are ways to script it, to a point. But I caution that approach
> because it will be a bit of work to set up and my suspicion is you'll
> find most of that effort will be duplicating what GnuCash is already
> capable of.
>
> Regards,
> Adrien
>
> On 10/16/20 9:45 AM, Fran_3 via gnucash-user wrote:
> > Given a checking account with a number incidental and auto pay
> transactions ocuring daily...
> > Is there a way to automate...- logging on to the bank daily- determining
> which transactions have hit the bank but are not posted in GnuCash- then
> updating GnuCash with those unrecorded transactions?
> > Doing this manually when the account has a number of incidential and
> auto pay transactions occurring daily is a lot of work.It is also prone for
> error as the transaction date and description at the bank do not always
> match how they are entered in GnuCash.
> > Manually we have been daily downloading CSV files, and comparing them in
> spreadsheets...or screen capturing the latest bank transactions and the
> latest GC transactions, pasting them into PC Paint, and then doing the
> compare.or printing them out on paper to do the compare.
> > In summary...1 - How can we automate this daily task?2 - If there is a
> way... does GC use the description field and amount field to "match"
> transactions?3 - or what?
> > Thanks for any help.
>
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-- 
David Carlson