# Transaction Categorization With a Reason for Each

Source: https://maito.app/workflows/code-transactions-with-a-reason

Maito reviews uncoded transactions in QuickBooks or Xero each week and suggests a category with the reason, asking card holders when it cannot tell.

Unclear transactions get a suggested category and the reason for it.

[Finance](https://maito.app/workflows/team/finance) · On a schedule · Updated October 19, 2026

Works with

-   Slack
-   Email
-   [QuickBooks](https://maito.app/workflows/tool/quickbooks)
-   [Xero](https://maito.app/workflows/tool/xero)

## How do you categorize transactions?

To categorize transactions, set up a Loop in Maito. Each week it reads uncoded transactions in QuickBooks or Xero, suggests a category for each based on past coding and context, writes the reason, asks the card holder about unclear ones, and applies the changes after you approve.

## How it's done today

Bookkeeper guesses or asks around.

## What Maito does

1.  Read uncoded transactions
2.  Look for receipts and context
3.  Suggest a category or ask the spender

## Example

Loop run: Friday 2:00 PM · Uncoded transactions

**Maito** (2:00 PM):

46 uncoded transactions this week. I suggested a category for 40 and asked card holders about 6.

**Examples**  
• Brightlane, $400: Advertising. Same vendor and amount as the Sep 9 charge, which you coded that way.  
• Uber, $38.20, Oct 14: Travel. The same day as Lena's Chicago flight.  
• Cloudhaven, $2,140: Hosting. Matches the monthly bill from August.

**Questions sent**  
• Marcus, $860 at Delmar Supply, Oct 9.  
• Ana, $1,500 at Fieldwork Studio, Oct 11.  
• 4 more, in Slack.

The $1,500 charge could be a contractor, and then it would need a 1099 form, so I did not guess.

Source: QuickBooks history and card holders' replies.

**Tom** (2:18 PM):

Ana says Fieldwork is a freelance designer. Approve the 40, but hold Ana's.

**Maito** (2:20 PM):

Coded the 40 in QuickBooks. Fieldwork Studio is set to Contractor and marked as needing a 1099 form. It waits for your check.

## How to set it up

On a schedule Code transactions with a reason

Ask your agent

“Every Friday, find uncoded transactions in QuickBooks, suggest a category with the reason, and ask the card holder in Slack when you can't tell. Post the list in #bookkeeping for approval.”

Connect accounting software

-   QuickBooks
-   Xero

Not connected yet? Your agent sends you a link to sign in.

## What it won't do

Maito suggests categories from history and context. It does not make tax or accounting decisions, and a person approves the coding.

## Questions

### Does it change the books on its own?

No. It suggests categories and applies them after approval.

### How does it decide?

From how you coded the same vendor before and other context, such as a matching trip. It states the reason for each.

### What about unclear transactions?

It asks the card holder in Slack or by email and holds those items.

## More finance workflows

-   [Log and match every invoice Invoices from email get read, logged and matched to purchase orders. Finance · When something happens Works with Gmail, Microsoft 365, QuickBooks, Xero.](https://maito.app/workflows/log-and-match-every-invoice)
-   [Review expenses against policy Expenses get checked against the policy before a person approves them. Finance · When something happens Works with Ramp.](https://maito.app/workflows/review-expenses-against-policy)
-   [Prep the month-end close checklist Know which close tasks are done, late or blocked. Finance · On a schedule Works with Linear, Asana.](https://maito.app/workflows/prep-the-month-end-close-checklist)
-   [Explain a budget variance See why spending is over or under budget, line by line. Finance · When you ask Works with QuickBooks, Xero, Airtable, Microsoft 365.](https://maito.app/workflows/explain-a-budget-variance)
-   [Chase overdue invoices Customers with overdue invoices get polite, correct reminders. Finance · On a schedule Works with QuickBooks, Xero, Gmail, Microsoft 365.](https://maito.app/workflows/chase-overdue-invoices)
-   [Build a forecast scenario Ask "what if" and get the forecast redone with your assumptions. Finance · When you ask Works with Airtable, Microsoft 365.](https://maito.app/workflows/build-a-forecast-scenario)

[See all workflows](https://maito.app/workflows)

## Put your AI teammate to work.

Set it up in minutes. Start with this one, and let it earn the next one.

[Put Maito to work](https://maito.app/login?returnTo=%2Fworkflows%2Fcode-transactions-with-a-reason)[Book a demo](mailto:support@maito.app?subject=Maito%20demo)