Rules Engine — AI Rule Generation (Single Transaction & Bulk)
Overview
LedgerSync's AI can automatically create Global Rules and Global Vendors for you — either for a single unmatched transaction or for all unmatched transactions in bulk. This dramatically reduces the time it takes to build out a firm's rule library, especially when onboarding a new client with hundreds of previously uncategorized transactions.
What Problem Does This Solve?
When you add a new client or encounter unfamiliar vendors, the Rules Engine shows those transactions in the For Review queue with no rule applied. Traditionally, you would need to create a Global Rule for each new vendor manually — one at a time. AI Rule Generation lets LedgerSync's model analyze the transaction description and propose the rule for you, either individually or for all unmatched transactions at once.
Method 1 — Generate a Rule for a Single Transaction
Use this when you want to create a rule for one specific transaction and review the AI's suggestion before it goes live.
How to Use It
- Open the Rules Engine and navigate to the For Review tab
- Find the transaction you want to create a rule for
- Click the Generate Rule with AI button on that transaction row
- LedgerSync's AI analyzes the transaction description, strips out noise (amounts, card numbers, dates, location suffixes), and identifies the core vendor name
- A new Global Rule is created automatically, along with a corresponding Global Vendor
- Both the rule and the vendor are labeled with the prefix "AI" so you can easily identify and review them
- After creation, navigate to Global Rules to review the new rule, verify the vendor alias, and map the Global Category to complete the setup
Category mapping required: AI-generated rules create the rule and the vendor automatically, but you still need to map the Global Category before the rule will apply to transactions. After generation, go to Global Rules > Global Categories and assign the correct category to the new AI rule.Method 2 — Bulk AI Rule Generation (All Unmatched Transactions)
Use this when you have many unmatched transactions and want to generate rules for all of them at once — for example, when onboarding a new client or after a large data import.
How to Use It
- Open the Rules Engine and navigate to the For Review tab
- Click the Bulk AI Rules button (this selects all currently unmatched transactions)
- Confirm the action — LedgerSync's AI processes each transaction in the selection
- The AI creates a Global Rule and a Global Vendor for each unique vendor identified across all selected transactions
- All generated rules and vendors are labeled with the prefix "AI"
- Once complete, go to Global Rules > Global Categories and map the categories for the newly created rules to activate them
Important for Manual/ACS clients: Bulk AI rule generation works for QBO clients and Manual/Accounting CS clients. If you previously received an error running Bulk AI on a Manual client, this has been fixed — the feature now works for all firm types.How the AI Model Works
LedgerSync's AI rule model has been trained specifically on bank transaction data. When it reads a transaction description, it:
- Strips out noise — amounts, card numbers, reference codes, dates, and location suffixes that vary transaction to transaction
- Identifies the stable core vendor name (e.g. "STARBUCKS" from "STARBUCKS #12345 SAN DIEGO CA 92101")
- Generates a keyword-based rule condition using that core vendor name
- Creates a Global Vendor with the cleaned name as the alias
- Assigns the rule a direction of Money Out by default for expense transactions (you can edit this after creation)
After AI Rule Generation — What to Do Next
- Review the AI rules: Go to Rules Engine > Global Rules. Filter by the "AI" prefix to see all AI-generated rules
- Verify vendor aliases: Open each Global Vendor and confirm the alias correctly matches the bank text. Edit if needed
- Map Global Categories: Each AI rule needs a category assigned before it activates. Go to Global Categories, find the unmapped entries, and assign the correct client accounts
- Activate: Rules are created as Active by default. Once the category is mapped, the rule begins applying to matching transactions automatically
- Clean up duplicates: If the AI created similar rules for the same vendor (e.g. "AMAZON" and "AMAZON PRIME"), you can merge or deactivate the ones you don't need
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will AI rules overwrite rules I already have?
No. The AI only creates rules for transactions that are currently unmatched (no existing rule applies). It does not modify or overwrite existing rules.
No. The AI only creates rules for transactions that are currently unmatched (no existing rule applies). It does not modify or overwrite existing rules.
Q: Can I edit an AI-generated rule?
Yes. AI-generated rules are regular Global Rules — you can edit the name, conditions, vendor, category, and direction just like any manually created rule. The "AI" prefix is just a label to help you identify them.
Yes. AI-generated rules are regular Global Rules — you can edit the name, conditions, vendor, category, and direction just like any manually created rule. The "AI" prefix is just a label to help you identify them.
Q: How accurate is the AI?
Accuracy is high for well-formatted bank descriptions (major retailers, national vendors, payroll processors). For unusual or truncated bank text, the AI may produce a generic or inaccurate vendor name. Always review AI-generated rules before relying on them for high-volume clients.
Accuracy is high for well-formatted bank descriptions (major retailers, national vendors, payroll processors). For unusual or truncated bank text, the AI may produce a generic or inaccurate vendor name. Always review AI-generated rules before relying on them for high-volume clients.
Q: Can I delete an AI rule if it’s wrong?
Yes. Deactivate or delete it the same way you would any Global Rule. Deleting an AI rule does not affect transactions that were already categorized by it.
Yes. Deactivate or delete it the same way you would any Global Rule. Deleting an AI rule does not affect transactions that were already categorized by it.
Q: Does bulk AI generation work for Manual/ACS clients?
Yes — bulk AI rule generation works for all firm types, including QBO, Manual, and Accounting CS clients.
Yes — bulk AI rule generation works for all firm types, including QBO, Manual, and Accounting CS clients.
Need Help?
Contact LedgerSync Support at support@ledgersync.com or reach out to Matthew Fulton, our Rules Engine workflow specialist.
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