Bank accounts in Bright Accounts Production (BrightAP) are represented through bank account nominal codes in the Nominal Ledger.

You can use these nominal codes to record bank balances, opening balances and transactions, and to support the production of accounts.

Viewing Bank Account Nominal Codes

To view the bank account nominal codes:

1. Open the relevant Client/Dataset.
2. Go to the Nominal Ledger.
3. Open the Trial Balance.
4. Search for the relevant bank account nominal code or bank account name.

If you are unsure which nominal code represents a particular bank account, review the account description and existing postings before making any changes.

Adding an Opening Balance to a Bank Account

If you need to enter an opening balance for a bank account:

1. Open the relevant Client/Dataset.
2. Go to Nominal Ledger > Journals.
3. Select New.
4. Set the Journal Type to Opening Balance.
5. Enter the relevant bank account nominal code and opening balance.
6. Complete the remaining journal details.
7. Save the journal.

Check the Trial Balance after posting to confirm that the bank balance is showing correctly.

Importing Bank Transactions

Bank transactions can be imported into BrightAP where the appropriate bank statement or CSV import functionality is available.

Before importing a bank statement:

• Keep a copy of the original bank statement or CSV file.
• Check that the file is in the required format.
• Confirm that the date and transaction columns are mapped correctly.
• Check that the transactions are being posted to the correct bank account nominal code.
• Avoid importing the same statement more than once, as this can result in duplicate postings.

If a CSV import completes but no figures appear, check the column mapping and confirm the resulting balances in Nominal Ledger > Trial Balance.

Viewing Bank Transactions

To review transactions posted to a bank account:

1. Open the Client/Dataset.
2. Go to Nominal Ledger.
3. Locate the relevant bank account nominal code.
4. Review the postings and transaction details.

You can use the Trial Balance and relevant nominal ledger reports to confirm the balance and transactions recorded against the bank account.

Bank Transfers Between Accounts

Where money has been transferred between two bank accounts belonging to the same client, the transaction should be recorded between the relevant bank account nominal codes.

For example:

• Debit: Receiving bank account
• Credit: Paying bank account

A journal can be used to transfer the balance between the two bank account nominal codes where required.

After posting the journal, check both bank account nominal codes to make sure the balances have been updated correctly.

Removing or Deleting a Bank Account

If a bank account is no longer required, check whether there are existing transactions posted to the relevant nominal code before attempting to remove it.

Bank accounts with transactions posted against them may not be able to be deleted without first dealing with the associated postings.

Before removing or changing a bank account:

• Check the Nominal Ledger for existing transactions.
• Confirm whether the account is used in the current or comparative year.
• Check whether the account has an opening balance.
• Make sure removing or changing the account will not affect the client's financial statements.

Important: Do not delete or reclassify bank transactions simply to allow a bank account to be removed. The underlying accounting records should remain accurate.

Bank Account Balance Does Not Agree

If the bank balance in BrightAP does not agree with the client's bank statement:

1. Check the relevant bank account nominal code.
2. Review the transactions posted during the period.
3. Check for missing or duplicate transactions.
4. Check the opening balance.
5. Check whether any transactions have been posted to the wrong bank account nominal code.
6. Review any imported Trial Balance or bank statement data.
7. Confirm the current-year and comparative balances where applicable.