Overview

Vendor rules automate the assignment of vendor codes to bank transactions based on pattern matching. This article explains how to create, edit, and manage vendor rules for maximum matching efficiency.

What Are Vendor Rules?

Vendor rules tell the system how to match bank transaction descriptions to your Accounting CS vendor codes. When a transaction matches a rule's pattern, the system automatically assigns the corresponding vendor code.

Example Rule

• Pattern: "AMZN" or "Amazon"
• Vendor Code: AMAZON
• Result: Any transaction containing "AMZN" or "Amazon" gets vendor code AMAZON

Accessing Vendor Rules

1. Log into the Accounting CS App
2. Click Settings (gear icon, top right)
3. Scroll to Vendor Rules section
4. Click Manage Vendor Rules

Creating a New Vendor Rule

Method 1: During Transaction Review (Recommended)

1. While reviewing transactions, make a vendor correction
2. After saving, system prompts: "Create rule from this correction?"
3. Click Yes
4. System auto-creates a rule based on the transaction description
5. Rule is added with medium priority

Method 2: Manual Creation

1. Go to Settings > Vendor Rules
2. Click Add New Rule
3. Fill in the form:
   • Vendor Code - Your Accounting CS vendor code
   • Vendor Name - Display name (optional)
   • Pattern - Text to match in transaction descriptions
   • Priority - How important this rule is (1-10, with 10 being highest)
4. Click Save Rule

Pattern Matching

How Patterns Work

• Case-insensitive - "WALMART" matches "walmart" and "Walmart"
• Partial match - "TARGET" matches "TARGET #1234" and "TARGET ONLINE"
• Multiple patterns - Separate with commas: "AMZN,Amazon,AMZ"
• Wildcards - Use * for any characters: "SQ *" matches all Square transactions

Pattern Examples

Single Pattern:

• Pattern: COSTCO
• Matches: "COSTCO WHOLESALE", "COSTCO #123", "COSTCO GAS"

Multiple Patterns:

• Pattern: AMZN,Amazon,AMZ,AWS
• Matches: "AMZN Marketplace", "Amazon.com", "AWS Services"

Wildcard Pattern:

• Pattern: SQ *
• Matches: "SQ *COFFEE SHOP", "SQ *RESTAURANT"

Rule Priority System

Priority Levels

• 10 (Highest) - Critical vendors, always takes precedence
• 7-9 (High) - Frequent vendors, high-value transactions
• 4-6 (Medium) - Standard vendors
• 1-3 (Low) - Infrequent vendors

How Priority Works

When multiple rules match a transaction:

1. System checks all matching rules
2. Selects the rule with highest priority
3. Applies that rule's vendor code

Example:

• Transaction: "AMAZON PRIME"
• Rule 1: Pattern "AMAZON" → Vendor: AMAZON → Priority: 5
• Rule 2: Pattern "PRIME" → Vendor: SUBSCRIPT → Priority: 3
• Result: Uses Rule 1 (higher priority) → Assigns vendor AMAZON

Editing Existing Rules

1. Go to Settings > Vendor Rules
2. Find the rule in the list (use search box if needed)
3. Click on the rule row
4. Edit any field:
   • Vendor code
   • Pattern
   • Priority
5. Click Save
6. Changes apply to future transactions only (not retroactive)

Deleting Rules

1. Find the rule in the vendor rules list
2. Click the Delete icon (trash can)
3. Confirm deletion
4. Rule is removed immediately

Note: Deleting a rule doesn't affect already-matched transactions.

Testing Your Rules

Test with Sample Transaction

1. Go to Review & Export
2. Load a small batch of transactions
3. Look for transactions that should match your new rule
4. Verify they're assigned the correct vendor code
5. Check the status indicator (should show "Rule Match")

Refining Rules

If a rule isn't matching as expected:

• Pattern too specific? Remove unnecessary characters
• Pattern too broad? Add more specific text
• Priority too low? Increase priority to override other rules

Best Practices

Start Simple

• Begin with your most common vendors (20-30 rules)
• Add more rules as you encounter new vendors
• Let the system create rules from corrections (faster than manual)

Pattern Tips

• Use unique identifiers - "SQ *" for Square rather than "COFFEE"
• Include variations - "COSTCO,COSTCO WHOLESALE,COSTCO GAS"
• Avoid generic terms - Don't use patterns like "INC" or "LLC"
• Test before committing - Verify pattern matches expected transactions

Priority Guidelines

• Use priority 10 sparingly - Only for absolutely critical vendors
• Most rules: priority 5-7 - Standard matching
• Lower priority for rare vendors - Prevents accidental matches
• Adjust as needed - Increase priority if a rule is frequently overridden

Common Vendor Rule Patterns

Office Supplies

• Staples: STAPLES
• Office Depot: OFFICE DEPOT,OFFICEDEPOT
• Amazon Business: AMZN,Amazon

Utilities

• Electric: ELECTRIC,POWER,UTILITY (if provider-specific, use provider name)
• Internet: COMCAST,XFINITY,SPECTRUM,COX
• Phone: VERIZON,ATT,T-MOBILE

Payment Processors

• Square: SQ *,SQUARE
• Stripe: STRIPE
• PayPal: PAYPAL

Importing Rules from FIRMADMIN

If you use Accounting CS FIRMADMIN, you can import existing vendor mappings (see Article 80: How to Import Clients and Vendors from Accounting CS FIRMADMIN).

Rule Maintenance

Monthly Review

• Check for vendors with low match rates
• Identify frequently manually-corrected vendors
• Update patterns to improve matching
• Remove obsolete rules

Merge Duplicate Rules

If you find multiple rules for the same vendor:

1. Combine patterns into a single rule
2. Delete the duplicate rules
3. Use the highest priority from the set

Need Help?

For assistance with vendor rules, contact support@ledgersync.com

Updated: March 19, 2026