Transaction rules help you handle recurring activity consistently. A categorization rule assigns matching transactions to a category and reporting line. A split rule divides matching transactions into predefined components.
Rules reduce repetitive work, but assigning a category or applying a split does not automatically confirm a transaction.
Understanding transaction suggestions
Worthic distinguishes between several sources of categorization:
- AI-suggested: a category suggested through AI-assisted processing.
- Worthic-suggested: a suggestion based on recognized patterns in previously confirmed transactions.
- Auto-categorized: an assignment made through a saved categorization rule.
- Imported category match: appears on pending transactions when a category supplied by an import successfully matches an existing category in the applicable Worthic category tree.
- Auto-split by rule: components created from an explicitly saved split rule.
Review the category and reporting line before confirming. A suggestion is not the same as a rule you have deliberately saved.
Saving a categorization rule
When Set as rule appears on an AI-suggested or Worthic-suggested transaction in the transaction list:
1. Check that the category and reporting line are correct.
2. Select Set as rule.
3. Review the proposed description text and assignment.
4. Select Edit rule if you need to change the matching method or rule text.
5. Select Save rule and wait for saving to complete.
Worthic may also offer to save a rule after you categorize a transaction in the transaction edit modal. Choose Don’t save if the assignment should apply only to that transaction.
The rule prompt identifies the account, reporting line and category it will use. Check these details before saving.
Choosing how descriptions match
Both categorization and split rules offer these matching methods:
| Match | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Contains | Matches descriptions containing the rule text. | CITY ENERGY can match a description that includes a payment reference before or after the name. |
| Starts with | Matches descriptions beginning with the rule text. | CITY ENERGY can match recurring descriptions with changing references at the end. |
| Exact match | Matches the complete description using Worthic’s description-matching rules. | Use when the full description is stable and identifies the intended activity. |
How categorization rules affect existing transactions
A saved rule can apply to eligible transactions awaiting confirmation, as well as future matching activity.
Worthic protects confirmed transactions and manually protected assignments from automatic rule application. Saving a rule should not be treated as a way to rewrite confirmed history.
Worthic can also learn ordinary category suggestions from consistent confirmed examples. Pending AI suggestions do not teach that history simply by appearing in the review queue.
Creating a split rule
A split rule is useful when recurring transactions need the same allocation pattern—for example, a payment containing a fixed service charge and a variable expense.
1. Create or edit a split transaction.
2. Check each component’s amount, direction, category and reporting line.
3. Ensure the signed component amounts reconcile to the source transaction.
4. Save the transaction.
5. When offered, select Save split rule.
6. Review the Match method and Rule text.
7. Choose the Splitting method and configure the allocations.
8. Select Save rule.
Choose Not now if you want to save the transaction without creating a reusable rule.
Automatic splitting requires an explicitly saved split rule. Worthic does not infer a split rule merely because AI suggested categories or you previously split a similar transaction.
Choosing a splitting method
| Method | Use |
|---|---|
| Fixed amounts | Assign specified amounts to the components when the recurring transaction supports those fixed allocations. |
| Fixed plus variable | Assign fixed amounts to selected components and let one variable component take the remaining amount. |
| Percentage | Divide the transaction according to component percentages that total 100%. |
For example, a payment of 120 could contain a fixed service charge of 20 and a variable expense of 100. With Fixed plus variable, a later matching payment of 150 could retain the 20 service charge and allocate 130 to the variable component.
Review validation messages before saving. Matching description text alone does not guarantee that a transaction’s amount can support the chosen allocation.
Updating a split rule
After editing and saving a transaction associated with a split rule, Worthic may offer Update split transaction rule?
Review the matching text, allocation method and component amounts before saving the revised rule.
When eligible pending matches exist, Worthic offers:
- Not now: save the rule without applying this update to the other existing matches.
- Future-dated only: apply it to eligible future-dated transactions awaiting confirmation. This option appears when such matches exist.
- Apply to all: apply it to all eligible matching transactions awaiting confirmation.
Apply to all does not mean all historical transactions. Confirmed and manually protected records remain protected. Review the completion result for updated or skipped transactions.
Reviewing similar transactions together
After a relevant confirmation or rule action, Worthic may open a review of similar pending transactions.
The review can include matches across the account’s history, beyond the currently loaded workbench page. Similarity can come from a recognised description or from the same matching rule and resulting category and reporting line.
1. Review the transactions presented.
2. Check their amounts, categories and reporting lines.
3. Inspect every component of any split group.
4. Select Confirm all only when the presented transactions are correct.
5. Select Later to leave the remaining transactions pending.
Use Later to dismiss this review. If any transaction needs correction, return to the review queue and edit it before confirming.
Split transactions are reviewed as groups, so confirmation applies to the group rather than treating its components as unrelated transactions.
If a rule does not behave as expected
Check the account, description text, matching method, category and reporting line first. For a split rule, also check whether the amount can support the saved allocation.
A transaction may be skipped because it is already confirmed, has a protected manual assignment or is not eligible for the rule.
If a rule matches too broadly, refine its text or matching method when updating it. Always inspect the pending results before using Confirm all.