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SturdyBooks Help

Make a categorization rule

Who it’s for: Owners, admins and bookkeepers (viewers can see the rules) Where: Rules (second row of the top bar) Before you start: Nothing.

A rule says “when the payee is (or contains) this name, use that account”. Rules answer Suggest accounts before any AI does — instantly, and whether or not AI suggestions are on for your company.

Steps

Section titled “Steps”

  1. Open Rules. Each rule shows When the payee (is or contains a name), Use account, Made by (Someone on your team, or Accepted offer when it came from a “make it a rule” offer) and Status (On or Off).

    The Rules page: rules for quikfuel, summit hvac supply and cedar street deli with their accounts, who made them, and Turn off buttons

  2. Click New rule. Choose is exactly or contains, type the Payee name, and choose the account under Use account.

    The New rule form: When the payee contains, Payee name Redline Fleet, Use account 6110 Vehicle Repairs and Maintenance, and Save rule

    Store numbers and punctuation are ignored: HOME DEPOT #4821 matches Home Depot.

  3. Click Save rule. It’s on straight away.

    The rules list with the new rule: contains “redline fleet” → 6110 Vehicle Repairs and Maintenance, On

  4. To stop using a rule, click Turn off on its row; Turn on brings it back.

You’ll know it worked when…

Section titled “You’ll know it worked when…”

The rule is listed as On. The next time someone clicks Suggest accounts on a line for that payee, the account fills in, marked your rule.

Notes & limits

Section titled “Notes & limits”
  • Rules are saved in lower case, without store numbers or punctuation — that’s why the list shows redline fleet.
  • An is exactly rule beats a contains rule, and a longer name beats a shorter one.
  • There can be only one rule turned on of each kind for the same name — SturdyBooks says A live rule with this pattern already exists.
  • The payee name needs at least two letters.
  • A rule can only use the accounts suggestions can: expense, cost-of-goods-sold and asset accounts.
  • If a rule’s account is archived, the rule shows Account archived — this rule never fires. Point it somewhere else by turning it off and making a new rule.
  • Rules are never deleted, only turned off. A rule only fills accounts when someone clicks Suggest accounts — it never changes anything already saved.
  • An account that a rule (turned on) points to can’t be deleted — turn the rule off first.