Rules Engine: Setting Up Rules for a Client with an AI Assistant (Claude, ChatGPT, Grok) and Most Common Messages

Rules Engine: Setting Up Rules for a Client with an AI Assistant (Claude, ChatGPT, Grok) and Most Common Messages

Overview

LedgerSync's AI proposes rules that categorize a client's waiting bank transactions, or exclude them from the books. This works for Manual and QuickBooks Online clients. After you say yes, LedgerSync saves the rules and fills the transactions. The AI can also change your existing rules.

Steps

  1. Start: Open a new chat in Claude, ChatGPT or Grok.
  2. Ask: Name the client, for example "Set up rules for Acme."
  3. Decide: The AI lists each suggested rule by name. Say yes, no, or what to change.
  4. Confirm: The AI shows a preview of what it will save. Say yes, and allow the action if asked. Nothing changes before this.

Key Points

  • Which transactions: Waiting ones on For review that no rule has filled and nobody has categorized. Pending and excluded transactions are left out.
  • Existing rules: They stay as they are unless you ask for a change. New rules go at the end of the list.
  • Client rules vs. global rules: A client rule applies to one client. A global rule applies to every client of your firm that uses the same accounting app. Global rules need the Manage Global Rules permission. A client's own rules always run first.
  • Exclusion rules: These mark matching transactions for exclusion. They move to Excluded when you accept them.
  • Global category links: Each client links its own categories to your firm's global categories. For QuickBooks clients, a link is required for a global rule to file transactions at all.
  • Changing rules: Ask in plain words to edit, turn off or on, move, or delete a rule. You get a preview first.
  • Labeling: Everything the AI creates is marked LS-AI in LedgerSync.
  • Undo: Ask the AI to undo a setup. It shows what would be removed and restored before you confirm.
  • Data: Your client's bank data passes through your AI account, so check that account's data settings first.
  • Limits: One preview covers up to 100 rules and 50 rule changes. A preview expires after 30 minutes. Each AI app can run 60 previews an hour, 30 saves a day and 10 undos a day.
  • Not yet supported: Clients on other accounting apps, such as Zoho Books. Set up rules for those clients in the LedgerSync app.

Most Common Messages

Each item shows what the AI says, then what to do.

  • It doesn't know how to do this: Your AI app may have an older copy of LedgerSync's tools. Reload them once (Claude: reconnect LedgerSync in Settings, Connectors; ChatGPT: Refresh tools if you added LedgerSync by hand, while the one from ChatGPT's plugin directory gets them on its own after OpenAI's daily check; Grok: Reauthenticate), then start a new chat.
  • It cannot make an exclusion rule: Leave that rule out of the preview, or create it in the LedgerSync app.
  • An exclusion rule's transactions are still on For review: This is expected. The rule marks them, and you accept them in LedgerSync to move them to Excluded.
  • The client's QuickBooks connection stopped working: Links and rules that use existing categories and vendors still work. New categories, new vendors and customer payees need QuickBooks, so reconnect it in LedgerSync under Client Settings > Manage Connections. Then ask the AI to preview again.
  • QuickBooks could not be read just now: Wait a few minutes and preview again. If it keeps happening, reconnect QuickBooks.
  • The client uses another accounting app, such as Zoho Books: Not supported yet. Set up its rules in the LedgerSync app.
  • It cannot find the client: Ask it to find your client first. You only see clients assigned to you, unless you are the firm owner or an administrator.
  • You cannot make or change global rules: Your login needs Manage Global Rules. Make a client rule instead, or ask your firm owner.
  • Some items were refused in the preview: The AI explains why for each one. Answer its questions or drop those items, then preview again. Nothing has changed yet.
  • Some items failed: The rest was saved. Fix the reason the AI gives, then preview the missing items again.
  • QuickBooks did not answer during the setup, or its connection stopped: The setup retries every few minutes, up to 5 tries. If the connection is broken, reconnect it. After the last try, the failed items stay unsaved, so preview them again.
  • LedgerSync cannot make that change to a rule yet: Make that change in the LedgerSync app.
  • Some global rules share a priority: The AI can't move or delete those rules because their order is uncertain. Ask for a different position, or handle the rule in the LedgerSync app.
  • An amount is not a plain amount: Write it with digits and up to 2 decimals, such as 1200.50. Leave out the $ sign, commas and minus sign.

Need Help?

Email support@ledgersync.com if a message is not listed here.