Automated Transaction Tagging Rules
Write If/Then rules in DocuClipper that auto-apply tags to bank transactions based on description, amount, date, balance, or account.
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DocuClipper's tagging rules engine applies tags to bank transactions automatically using If/Then logic. You define conditions on fields like description, amount, date, balance, or account, and the rule tags every matching transaction without manual work.
Rules live alongside manual tagging in the Transaction Tagging feature. For the broader concept of tags and manual application, see Transaction Tagging.
How do I create an automated tagging rule?
Open a project's Bank/CC Transactions tab and click Edit Tagging Rules in the top right of the transaction table. The Transaction Tagging Rules modal opens. Click Add new rule to start.
Each rule has two parts:
- If — one or more conditions that a transaction must satisfy.
- Then — one or more tags to apply when the conditions match.
You can require all conditions to match (logical AND) or any condition to match (logical OR). Add more conditions with Add another condition and more tag actions with Add another action.
What can I match on?
The available fields and operators are:
| Field | Type | Operators |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Text | Contains, Not Contains, Equals, Not Equals |
| Account | Text | Contains, Not Contains, Equals, Not Equals |
| Amount | Number | Greater Than, Less Than, Greater/Less Than or Equal, Equals, Not Equals |
| Balance | Number | Greater Than, Less Than, Greater/Less Than or Equal, Equals, Not Equals |
| Date | Date | comparison operators |
Description matches are case-insensitive substring matches when you use Contains, which covers most real-world payee-name variants.
A worked example
Say you're a forensic accountant reviewing a year of statements and you want every wire transfer over $10,000 flagged for follow-up.
Create a rule:
- Logic: All
- Condition 1: Description Contains
WIRE - Condition 2: Amount Greater Than
10000 - Then set: tag
large-wire
Save the rule. Every transaction in the project that satisfies both conditions now carries the large-wire tag. Filter the transaction table by that tag to get an instant review queue, then export the filtered list to Excel for your workpaper.
You can layer rules — for example, a second rule that tags any transaction with description containing CASH and amount over $5,000 as cash-activity. A single transaction can carry multiple tags from multiple rules.
Do tagging rules apply retroactively?
Yes. When you save a rule, DocuClipper applies it to the existing transactions in the project, not just to new ones. Edit a rule and the tag set updates accordingly.
This matters for back-testing: write a rule, see the historical hits, refine the rule, save again.
Categories vs tags — what's the difference?
Categories are part of DocuClipper's transaction categorization system (income vs. expense, vendor classes, accounting buckets) and feed reports like the Cashflow Analysis. See How DocuClipper Transaction Categorization Works.
Tags are free-form labels you control. They don't drive financial reports — they organize transactions for review, filtering, and export. A transaction can have one category and many tags.
Use categories for accounting; use tags for workflow, investigation, and ad-hoc reporting.
Exporting tagged transactions
Filter the transaction table by tag using the Tags filter above the table, then export. The export respects the active filter, so you get only the tagged subset in Excel, CSV, or any supported output format. See Understanding Supported Output Formats.
FAQs
How do I create an automated tagging rule?
Open the Bank/CC Transactions tab, click Edit Tagging Rules in the top right, then Add new rule. Define one or more If conditions, choose the tag to apply in the Then section, and save.
Can I tag transactions by amount or date?
Yes. Amount, Date, and Balance are all available numeric/date fields with operators like Greater Than, Less Than, and Equals. Combine them with Description matches for precise rules.
Do tagging rules apply retroactively?
Yes. Saving a rule applies it to every existing transaction in the project that matches, not just to new uploads.
Can I export tagged transactions to Excel?
Yes. Filter the transaction table by tag, then export — the export respects the filter and includes only the tagged transactions.
What's the difference between categories and tags?
Categories classify transactions for financial reporting (income, expense, vendor class) and feed reports like Cashflow Analysis. Tags are free-form labels you define for workflow, review, and filtering. A transaction has one category and any number of tags.