Downloaded Transactions

Manage downloaded bank transactions in QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks Online connects to your bank or credit card provider to automatically download your latest transactions. This saves you time on manual data entry. Once downloaded, you review the transactions and accept them into your books.

This guide explains how to connect accounts, review downloaded items, fix common issues, and manage your bank feeds.

Connect a bank or credit card account

To get started, you must link your financial institution to QuickBooks Online.

1. Go to the Transactions menu (or Banking) and select Bank transactions.
2. In the upper right corner, select Link account (or Add account).
3. Search for your financial institution by name or URL and select it.
4. Enter your bank sign-in credentials (user ID and password) when prompted, then select Log in.
   • If your bank requires multi-factor authentication or a security question, complete those steps.
5. Select the specific account(s) you want to connect (e.g., Checking, Savings) from the list provided by your bank.
6. Use the Account drop-down menu to map the bank account to the correct account in your QuickBooks Chart of Accounts.
7. Select Connect.

How automatic updates work

Once connected, QuickBooks attempts to update your transaction feeds automatically.

• Timing: Automatic updates typically begin daily around 3:00 PM Pacific Time.
• Retries: If the server cannot retrieve updates for a specific account, it will attempt to update again up to five additional times over the next five hours.
• Data Source: The information we receive is entirely dependent on what your bank or financial institution sends. If a transaction is missing from the feed, it may not be available from your bank yet.

Review and add transactions

Downloaded transactions appear in the For review tab on the Bank transactions page. You must decide how to handle each item.

Add or Match

QuickBooks attempts to find existing entries in your books that match the downloaded transaction.

• Match: If QuickBooks finds a match (for example, an open invoice you created), select the transaction and confirm the match. This links the bank download to your existing record.
• Add: If no match is found and the transaction is new, select it and verify the details. Ensure you select the correct Payee, Category, and any other relevant fields. Select Add to move it into your books.

Fixing duplicate expenses

If you notice an expense is posting twice—once as an expense and once as a deposit—check the account you selected when adding the transaction.

• The Rule: When adding an expense (money out), the account selected should not be the same bank account the money is coming from. It should be an expense category (e.g., Utilities, Rent) or a liability account.
• The Fix: If you posted the transaction to your own bank account, it creates a duplicate balance. Find the transaction in the register, edit it, and change the category/account to the correct expense type.

Undo or exclude matched transactions

If you accidentally matched a transaction or need to remove it from the bank feed, you can undo the action.

1. Go to Transactions > Bank transactions.
2. Select the correct bank account card at the top of the page.
3. Click the In QuickBooks tab.
4. Find the transaction you want to unmatch. You can sort by Date, Amount, or Description to locate it faster.
5. Select the checkbox next to the transaction.
6. Click the Undo button in the Action column. This returns the transaction to the For review tab so you can process it correctly.

If you see a transaction in the feed that you do not want in your books at all (such as a duplicate or a transfer between accounts you have already entered), select it and choose Exclude.

Disconnect a bank account

If you no longer want QuickBooks to download transactions for a specific account, you can disconnect it.

1. Go to Transactions > Bank transactions.
2. Locate the bank account card you wish to disconnect.
3. Select the pencil icon (edit) or the triangle next to the account name.
4. Select Edit account info.
5. Check the box for Disconnect this account on save.
6. Select Save and close.

Note: If you are disconnecting because of an error (such as a script error or bank connectivity issue), we recommend troubleshooting first. Disconnecting does not resolve bank-side errors. If you see specific error codes (like 101, 103, or 324), search our support site for that specific code or contact Customer Care for assistance.

Troubleshooting bank feeds

Occasionally, you may encounter issues connecting to your bank or downloading transactions.

• Script Errors: If you receive a “Script Error” message, this usually indicates a temporary communication issue between QuickBooks and your bank’s website. Wait a few hours and try an update manually by selecting the Update button in the upper right.
• Bank Sign-in Changes: If your bank requires you to change your password or update security settings, you must update the credentials in QuickBooks. Go to the Bank transactions page, select the pencil icon for the account, and click Edit sign-in info.
• Missing Transactions: If transactions are missing, check your bank’s website directly to confirm the transaction has actually posted. If it is posted at the bank but not in QuickBooks, try manually updating the feed.