How to Automate Expense Categorization With Accounting Rules in Relay

Accounting rules in Relay automatically apply a category, vendor, or note to matching transactions, cutting month-end coding time for you or your bookkeeper.

What you need before you start

• A Relay account, signed in on desktop (rules are managed on desktop, not the mobile app)

• Xero or QuickBooks Online connected to your Relay account

• Owner or accountant permissions to edit expense settings

What are accounting rules in Relay?

Accounting rules are customizable settings that automatically apply a category, vendor, or note to a Relay transaction based on criteria you define. For example, a rule can watch for the merchant name "Zoom" and attach the category "Software subscriptions" and the vendor "Zoom Inc." to every matching charge.

Rules apply only to new transactions going forward, and they require Xero or QuickBooks Online to be connected to your Relay account.

When should you use accounting rules?

Use accounting rules whenever a coding decision is repeatable and predictable. Common cases:

• Recurring vendor charges (Gusto payroll, Canva, Amazon Web Services)

• Regular cardholder activity that always maps to the same category (gas, meals, field supplies)

• Streamlining month-end coding for your accountant or bookkeeper

If a transaction requires human judgment every time, keep coding it manually.

How do I create an accounting rule?

Create a rule from the Expenses tab in about a minute. The rule takes effect for new transactions the moment you save it.

1. Sign in to your Relay account on desktop.

2. Go to the Expenses tab.

3. Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner.

4. Click Rules and automation.

5. Click Create new rule.

6. Set the condition the transaction must match:

   • Merchant contains (matches text in the merchant name)

   • Amount equals (matches an exact dollar amount)

   • Cardholder is (matches a specific Relay Visa® Debit Card user)

7. Choose the outcome Relay applies to matching transactions:

   • Apply a category

   • Assign a vendor

   • Attach a note

8. Click Save.

New rules apply only to future transactions, not retroactively.

How do I manage existing accounting rules?

Manage every active rule from the same Rules and automation page. From there you can:

• View the full list of active rules

• Edit a rule's condition or outcome

• Deactivate a rule temporarily

• Delete a rule permanently

What are examples of common accounting rules?

Three examples show how conditions and outcomes pair up in practice.

What are best practices for accounting rules?

Start narrow, then expand. A few rules of thumb keep automation from creating cleanup work:

• Use Merchant contains carefully — a short string like "AMZ" can catch charges you didn't intend

• Start with your top 5 vendors or recurring charges, then add more as patterns settle

• Revisit rules quarterly as your business spending evolves and vendors change

• Test a new rule against one transaction before assuming it will fire correctly across the board

Common issues

A few things trip up new rules. Most fixes are one click away.

• The rule didn't apply to older transactions. Rules apply only to new transactions from the moment you save. Recode older transactions manually.

• The rule fires on the wrong merchant. A Merchant contains condition matched a string too broadly. Edit the rule to use a longer, more specific string.

• The category or vendor doesn't appear as an option. The category or vendor list is pulled from your connected Xero or QuickBooks Online. Add it in your accounting software, then reload Relay.

• The Rules and automation menu is missing. You're likely signed in on mobile, or your permissions don't include expense settings. Sign in on desktop with owner or accountant permissions.

• The rule saved but transactions still show uncategorized. Confirm that Xero or QuickBooks Online is still connected under Integrations. A dropped connection stops rules from firing.

Related articles

• Getting Started with Expense Management in Relay

• Categorizing Expenses with Vendors and Notes

• Splitting Expenses into Multiple Categories

• Connecting Relay to Xero for Expense Management

• Connecting Relay to QBO for Expense Management

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