The prompt
Score 10 of 10, Excellent
Use it when You have a bank or card export to code before it goes into the books, and want each line matched to one of your own accounts.
- {{reviewer}}
- {{chart_of_accounts}}
- {{past_coding}}
- {{transactions}}
- {{statement_balances}}
- {{business_description}}
Full prompt and why it works
Prompt
Categorize the bank and card transactions below into our chart of accounts, for {{reviewer}} to check before anything is posted to the books. The goal is a list that is quick to review: most lines coded with a clear reason, and the uncertain ones set aside rather than guessed. Our chart of accounts (use these accounts only): """ {{chart_of_accounts}} """ How we have coded recurring vendors before, if known: """ {{past_coding}} """ Transactions (date, description, amount, money in or out): """ {{transactions}} """ Statement opening and closing balances: {{statement_balances}} What the business does: {{business_description}} Produce: 1. A table with one row per transaction, in the original order, with the columns Date, Description, In, Out, Account, Confidence, Reason. Confidence is high when a line matches past coding or can only mean one thing, medium when it is likely but worth a glance, and low when it could reasonably go to two accounts. Keep each reason under 12 words, for example "Monthly software subscription; coded this way last month." 2. Needs a person: every low-confidence line, and every line from step 3 that needs a decision, each with the one question that would settle it, such as "Was this online order office supplies or stock for resale?" 3. Possible problems: likely duplicates (same amount and payee within a few days), transfers between our own accounts, refunds, owner or personal spending, and loan payments. 4. Totals by account, including a "Not coded" total, with a check that they add up to total in minus total out, and that this matches the change between the opening and closing balances if I have given them. Rules: - Use only accounts from the list above, and do not create new ones. For a low-confidence line, write "Not coded" in the Account column instead of the most likely account. - Copy amounts exactly. Do not round them or net them off against each other. - Treat transfers between our own accounts and loan principal as balance sheet movements, not income or expense. Split a loan payment into principal and interest only if the split is shown; otherwise mark it low confidence and ask for the lender's statement. - Do not decide whether something is tax-deductible or how sales tax applies. Mark those questions for our accountant. If a description is too vague to place, such as a card terminal code or a payment to a person, mark it low confidence. A good result is one where the reviewer only has to read the "Needs a person" list closely.
Variables
- {{reviewer}}
- Who checks the coding before it is posted, for example "our bookkeeper" or "me, before I enter it in the accounting software".
- {{chart_of_accounts}}
- Your list of accounts, with numbers if you use them. Export it from your accounting software.
- {{past_coding}}
- How recurring vendors were coded before, for example "Utility company: Utilities 6200", or "none".
- {{transactions}}
- The bank or card export: date, description, amount and direction. Remove full card and account numbers first.
- {{statement_balances}}
- The opening and closing balance on the statement, or "not available".
- {{business_description}}
- What the business does in a sentence, for example "a two-person landscaping company".
Why it works
- What to avoid. It may only use your own accounts, and an uncertain line is left "Not coded" rather than placed in the most likely one, so nothing lands in the books on a guess.
- If unsure. Each line that needs a decision comes with the one question that settles it, such as whether an online order was supplies or stock.
- What good looks like. Totals by account must add up to the statement's own movement between opening and closing balance, which catches dropped or doubled lines before posting.