Bank feeds automatically import transactions from your connected bank accounts into Light. This article explains bank feed setup and management.
Last updated Feb 18, 2026 · 3 min read
A bank feed is an automated connection that pulls transaction data from your bank and imports it into Light. Instead of manually downloading transactions and importing them, the feed runs automatically on a schedule and new transactions appear in Light within minutes.
Bank feeds eliminate manual work, reduce errors, and enable faster reconciliation.
Bank feeds are enabled when you authorize a bank connection:
Most banks sync feeds daily. Some premium connections sync twice daily.
Light syncs transactions at:
Daily - Most common. Transactions import once per day, typically early morning
Twice Daily - For certain banks and account types. Provides more recent data for active accounts
You can see the next scheduled sync time in the account details. You can also manually trigger a sync by clicking Sync Now without waiting for the scheduled time.
When setting up a bank feed, specify the first transaction date:
Older transactions available from the bank depend on your account type and bank's retention policy.
Imported transactions are marked with reconciliation status:
Unmatched - Transaction imported but not yet matched to any accounting entry
Matched - Transaction matched to an AP invoice, AR invoice, payment, or other accounting entry
Excluded - Transaction intentionally excluded from reconciliation (e.g., bank fees, interest already recorded in GL)
You can manually change status if needed.
For multi-currency transactions, Light captures:
Original Amount - Amount in the transaction's original currency (if different from account currency)
Fees - Bank fees associated with the transaction
These are tracked separately from the converted amount for accurate FX accounting.
Each imported transaction includes:
Date - When the transaction occurred
Amount - In the account's base currency
Name - Payee or sender name from the bank
Reference - Reference number or memo
Transaction ID - Unique bank identifier
This metadata helps match transactions to accounting entries.
If you need to troubleshoot a feed:
Feed logs show:
Bank feed connections may expire:
Why - Banks require periodic re-authorization for security
Timeline - Usually 6-12 months, varies by bank
What happens - Feed stops importing when expired
How to fix - Go to the account and click Re-authorize, follow the authorization flow at your bank
Good to know: You'll receive notifications 30 days before expiration so you can re-authorize in advance.
Feed stops importing
Duplicate transactions
Missing transactions
Wrong amounts or descriptions
When transactions occur in a currency different from the account:
When matching to accounting entries, Light uses FX conversion to determine if amounts match despite currency differences.
You can archive a bank feed if the account is no longer used:
Archived feeds stop importing but remain in the system for historical reference.
To reactivate an archived feed:
Was this article helpful?