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Bank Connections

Bank Connections

Why Connect Your Bank?

Manually entering every transaction is tedious and error-prone. Bank connections:

  • Save Time: Transactions import automatically
  • Reduce Errors: No manual data entry mistakes
  • Stay Current: See transactions as they happen
  • Simplify Reconciliation: Match records to bank statements easily

How It Works

BeeKeeper uses Stripe Financial Connections, a secure service that:

  1. Connects directly to your bank
  2. Downloads transaction history
  3. Syncs new transactions nightly (and on demand)
  4. Never stores your banking credentials

Your bank login details are handled by Stripe, not BeeKeeper.

Connecting a Bank Account

Step 1: Start the Connection

  1. Go to Settings > Financial Connections
  2. Click Connect Account
  3. The Stripe connection window opens

Step 2: Find Your Bank

  1. Search for your bank by name
  2. Select it from the results
  3. If your bank isn’t listed, try alternate names (e.g., “Bank of America” vs “BofA”)

Step 3: Authenticate

  1. Enter your bank login credentials
  2. Complete any security verification (text code, security questions)
  3. Select which accounts to share with BeeKeeper
  1. Back in BeeKeeper, select which BeeKeeper account matches this bank account
  2. For example, link “Chase Checking …1234” to your “Checking Account”
  3. Click Save

Managing Connections

View Connection Status

Go to Settings > Financial Connections to see all connections with:

  • Institution name
  • Account name and last 4 digits
  • Connection status
  • Last sync time

Connections can be sorted by any column for easy management.

Refresh Transactions

Transactions sync automatically each night, but you can force a refresh:

  • Single account: Click Refresh next to the connection
  • All accounts: Click Refresh All to sync every connection at once

New transactions appear within minutes.

Reassign a Connection

If you need to link a bank connection to a different BeeKeeper account:

  1. Click Edit on the connection
  2. Select the new BeeKeeper account
  3. Click Save

Re-authenticate

Banks periodically require re-authentication:

  1. You’ll see a “Reconnect Required” status
  2. Click Reconnect
  3. Log in to your bank again
  4. Connection resumes syncing

Disconnect an Account

If you need to remove a connection:

  1. Click Disconnect on the connection
  2. Confirm the action

Note: Disconnecting doesn’t delete previously imported transactions.

What Happens After Connecting

When you first connect a bank account:

  1. Transactions are fetched: Recent transactions (typically 90 days) are imported
  2. Rules are applied: Any matching Transaction Rules auto-categorize transactions
  3. AI categorization runs: BeeKeeper’s AI suggests categories for remaining transactions
  4. Transactions appear on the Bank tab: Review them on the account’s Bank tab

From there, you review and accept transactions to create journal entries. See Imported Transactions for the full review workflow.

The Transaction Pipeline

Bank transactions flow through a pipeline before becoming official journal entries:

Bank → Fetch → Rule Matching → AI Categorization → Review → Accept → Journal Entry

This pipeline ensures every transaction is properly categorized before entering your books. See:

Importing from Files

If your bank isn’t supported by Stripe Financial Connections, you can import transactions from files:

  1. Go to Accounts > select the account
  2. Click Import
  3. Upload a file in one of these formats:
    • QFX/OFX: Standard bank download format (auto-deduplicates by transaction ID)
    • CSV: Comma-separated values
    • XLSX: Excel spreadsheet

Imported transactions enter the same review pipeline as bank-connected transactions.

See Data Import & Export for file format details.

Tips for Effective Bank Connections

Connect Early

The sooner you connect, the more historical data you capture. Banks typically provide 90 days of history.

Create Rules for Recurring Transactions

Identify transactions that repeat:

  • Monthly bills (insurance, storage)
  • Regular vendors (office supplies)
  • Bank fees

Create rules for these to minimize manual categorization.

Review Weekly

Even with automation, review imported transactions weekly:

  • Verify categories are correct
  • Catch any unusual activity
  • Keep up with uncategorized items

Keep Checking and Savings Separate

If you have multiple accounts:

  • Connect each separately
  • Link each to its corresponding BeeKeeper account
  • Track balances independently

Security Considerations

What’s Shared

  • Transaction history (date, amount, description)
  • Account balance
  • Account name and type

What’s NOT Shared

  • Your bank login credentials (handled by Stripe)
  • Account numbers (only last 4 digits visible)
  • Other bank accounts you didn’t select

Stripe Security

Stripe Financial Connections:

  • Is PCI compliant
  • Uses bank-level encryption
  • Is used by thousands of businesses
  • Never stores your bank password

Limitations

  • Bank Support: Not all banks support Stripe Financial Connections
  • History: Typically 90 days of historical transactions via bank connection
  • Sync Frequency: Nightly automatic sync; manual refresh available anytime
  • Multiple Users: Connection is tied to whoever authenticated
  • File Import: QFX/OFX files deduplicate by transaction ID; CSV/XLSX do not
  • Admin Only: Managing connections requires admin access and an active subscription

Troubleshooting

“Bank not found”

  • Try alternate bank names
  • Check if your bank is a credit union (may have different name)
  • Some small banks may not be supported

“Connection failed”

  • Verify your bank credentials are correct
  • Complete any multi-factor authentication
  • Try again later (bank may be having issues)

“Transactions not syncing”

  • Check connection status for errors
  • Try a manual refresh
  • Re-authenticate if prompted
  • Some pending transactions may take 24-48 hours

“Duplicate transactions”

  • May occur if you imported CSV before connecting
  • Void the duplicate journal entries
  • Going forward, rely on automatic import

Common Questions

Is this safe? Yes. Stripe handles security and never shares your bank credentials with BeeKeeper.

Does connecting allow BeeKeeper to move money? No. Connections are read-only. BeeKeeper cannot initiate transfers or payments.

What if I change banks? Disconnect the old account, connect the new one. Historical transactions remain in BeeKeeper.

Can I connect a credit card? Yes, if your card issuer supports Stripe Financial Connections. Transactions will import like checking accounts.

How often do transactions sync? Automatically every night. You can also refresh manually at any time from Financial Connections.

What if my bank requires re-authentication frequently? Some banks require periodic re-login for security. When this happens, you’ll see a “Reconnect Required” status. Click Reconnect and log in again.

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