Why are the bank transactions truncated at times?

Why are the bank transactions truncated at times?

Overview

Bank transactions imported via the Mastercard API are sometimes truncated to 32 characters in the description field. This is not a LedgerSync limitation — it comes from the bank itself, which sends data in the legacy Quicken format capped at 32 characters.

Why This Happens

When banks transmit transaction data to Mastercard's aggregation network, some use the old Quicken data format, which limits transaction descriptions to 32 characters. LedgerSync receives exactly what the bank sends and cannot extend truncated descriptions.

The Solution: Use the PDF Statement Instead

PDF bank statements always contain the full transaction description. LedgerSync can convert any bank PDF statement into Excel, CSV, QBO, or OFX format — giving you complete transaction details.

How to Convert a Bank Statement PDF

  1. Click Tools in the top navigation bar.
  2. Select PDF Converter.
  3. Drag and drop your bank statement PDF into the converter.
  4. Choose your export format: Excel, CSV, QBO, or OFX.
  5. Download the converted file.
Warning
The PDF converter cannot process image-only (scanned) PDFs or password-protected PDFs. To test if your PDF will work, try highlighting and copying text from it — if you can, the converter should be able to read it.

How This Affects Rules

The Rules Engine can only match on the transaction text the bank sends. If a rule isn't applying because the wording it needs doesn't appear in the transaction, the bank may be sending a shortened description.

If you think a rule should match but doesn't, contact support with one or two example transactions, including the date, the amount, and the wording the rule needs to match. That helps us check what the bank is sending and whether the fuller text is available.

Need Help?

Contact us at support@ledgersync.com.