Is it a bank connection or QBO issue when checks clear, but are not matched and the PAYEE is not listed and the CATEGORY OR MATCH is not what was entered.

Hi there, Lisa. Let's work together to ensure you can accurately categorize your downloaded transactions.

The accuracy of your transaction information in QuickBooks Online (QBO) depends on the data provided by your financial institution. It includes the names of the payees, accompanying memos, and descriptions of the downloaded entries.

Nevertheless, some factors can cause why the details (payees and categories) in your downloaded checks don't match real life. I've listed them below:

• You're using bank rules to categorize transactions automatically.
• The Enable Suggested Categorization option is turned on.

If you create bank rules, it'll scan the transactions in the For review tab and auto-add the details like Transaction type, Category, Tags, and the Payee.  

To rectify this, let's view the downloaded transactions and modify the details before matching

1. Go to Transactions, then select Bank transactions.
2. From the For review tab, select Recognized from the All transactions drop-down menu.
3. Once the list of recognized entries shows, select the check. Then, edit the incorrect info.
4. Repeat the steps to correct the other checks.

Further details about how this feature works are shared here: Set up bank rules to categorize online banking transactions in QuickBooks Online.

If you aren't using bank rules, the Enable Suggested Categorization feature will affect how the transactions are downloaded. This is why QuickBooks automatically assigns a payee or category based on its description. To rectify this, I recommend following the steps shared above.

Then, let's turn off the feature to prevent this from happening in the future. Here's how:

1. Go to the For review tab.
2. Click the Gear icon beside Export to Excel.
3. Scroll down and uncheck the Enable Suggested Categorization option.

If none of these fixes the issue, I suggest contacting your bank account provider to inquire if there is any issue on their end that causes the discrepancy in names and categories when downloading transactions.

Check out this article to help you manage and review your entries: Categorize and match online bank transactions in QuickBooks Online.

Once done, it's a great idea to reconcile your accounts to ensure they match your real-life bank statements. For more information, check this article: Learn the reconcile workflow in QuickBooks.

If you have any questions or need further assistance matching your banking transactions in QBO, please don't hesitate to post them here in this thread. I'm here to help and available whenever you need assistance.

Thank you. I was able to "fix" or match one check but the other five are payroll checks and do not show up in the potential match list.

Thank you. I was able to match one which was a vendor payment, but the other five are payroll checks. They do not show up in the transaction list to match to.

How do I correct a payroll check?

Hi Lisa, I can assist you with checking your paycheck if it's not appearing in your bank transactions in QuickBooks Online (QBO).

There are several reasons why your payroll checks do not appear in your bank transactions.

Such as:

• Dates don't match or aren't close enough.
• The bank account for the payment differs from the bank where the paycheck is located.
• The amounts don't match.
• It has already matched to a different transaction.

I recommend reviewing your payroll settings in QBO to ensure your bank account is mapped correctly.

Here's how:

1. Go to the Gear icon, then click Payroll Settings.
2. Scroll down and go to the Bank accounts section.
3. Click the Pencil icon to edit
4. After editing, click Done.

In addition, you can refer to this article to learn how to reconcile an account in QBO: Reconcile an account in QuickBooks Online.

Comment on this post if you still have concern about your payroll checks in QBO. I'm always here to help you.