QuickBooks Tip for Creatives: How to Use Bank Rules (Without Ruining Your Books)
As a creative professional—whether you’re a designer, photographer, writer, or content creator—keeping your finances organized is essential. QuickBooks Online offers a powerful tool called bank rules to help automate your bookkeeping. But proceed with caution—used incorrectly, they can create a mess.
What Are Bank Rules in QuickBooks?
Bank rules are automations that categorize your transactions automatically based on criteria you set. For example, if you pay for Adobe Creative Cloud each month, you can create a rule that automatically categorizes that expense as “Software.”
This can save tons of time—especially when you have lots of recurring creative tools like Canva, Zoom, Dropbox, and stock image sites.
How to Create a Bank Rule in QuickBooks
Go to Banking > Rules.
Click “New Rule.”
Name your rule (e.g., “Adobe Subscription”).
Set the rule to apply to money out.
Add conditions like “Description contains Adobe.”
Set the correct category (like “Software” or “Creative Tools”).
Click Save.
Best Practices for Creatives
Only create rules for recurring, predictable expenses.
Always review transactions monthly to make sure rules are working correctly.
Avoid applying rules to inconsistent vendors like freelance clients or variable charges.
Stay involved—automation doesn’t mean “set it and forget it.”
Mistakes to Avoid
Wrong category: Categorizing a camera equipment purchase as software? That’s a big tax-time problem.
Duplicated or misapplied rules: This can throw off your profit and loss report.
Not reviewing the results: You still need to reconcile your accounts monthly.
FAQ
Are bank rules worth it for freelancers?
Yes, especially if you have recurring tools and platforms you pay for.
What if I mess up a rule?
You can delete or update the rule and correct any affected transactions.
Do I still need to reconcile my books?
Absolutely. Automation helps, but human review is crucial.
Can someone help me set up my QuickBooks rules?
Yes! A QuickBooks ProAdvisor can help you set up your rules the right way.
🎨 Tired of wasting time on financial admin?
Book a free call with Dr. Bryan Raya, QuickBooks ProAdvisor, and get expert help tailored to your creative business:
👉 https://calendly.com/dbr_bookkeeping/book-a-free-call-with-dbr
Let’s start Doing Business Right.
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