Connecting a bank account lets SparkReceipt import your transactions automatically, so you don't have to download and upload statements. Once an account is connected, new transactions appear in your Transaction Manager on their own, already sorted into categories and matched to your receipts where possible. This feature is live today and labeled Beta in the app while we keep refining it — any eligible user can turn it on now.
How it differs from uploading statements
SparkReceipt supports two ways to get bank transactions in, and they lead to the same place:
- Uploading a statement — you export a PDF, CSV, or Excel statement from your bank and upload it; SparkReceipt extracts the transactions. Works with any bank, no setup. See Bank statement extraction: the complete guide.
- Connecting the account (a bank feed) — you authorize SparkReceipt once, and transactions flow in automatically from then on, with no files to upload.
Both work equally well, so you can pick whichever suits your bank — or use statements for one account and a connection for another. If you both connect an account and upload a statement that covers the same transactions, SparkReceipt detects the overlap and keeps a single copy rather than double-counting.
Who can connect an account
Bank connections live in your account's Integrations settings, which are available to administrators and accountants on the account. If you don't have access to Integrations, ask an administrator on your account to set up the connection.
What powers the connection
Bank connections are powered by Stripe Financial Connections, Stripe's bank-linking service. When you connect, you authenticate directly with your bank through Stripe's own secure screens — SparkReceipt never sees or stores your bank login. SparkReceipt requests read access to your transactions and balances only; it cannot move money. Bank connections currently support US bank and credit-card accounts.
How to connect an account
- Open SparkReceipt and go to the Integrations entry in the left-hand sidebar (this opens the Integrations tab of your account settings).
- Find the Bank accounts section and click Connect account (it reads Connect another account once you already have one linked).
- A secure Stripe window opens. Choose your bank, sign in with your bank credentials, and select which accounts to link. All of this happens on Stripe's screens.
- When you finish, the window closes and SparkReceipt sets up the connected account. The button briefly shows Connecting… while it does.
If you close the Stripe window without linking anything, you'll see "Account linking was cancelled" and nothing changes. If the connection fails, SparkReceipt shows "Failed to connect account. Please try again."
What happens after you connect
Your bank doesn't hand over transactions the instant you connect — the first batch is fetched in the background and can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes to appear. Once ready:
- Transactions land in the Transaction Manager as Unmatched.
- SparkReceipt categorizes them automatically.
- It matches them against your existing receipts and invoices, linking confident matches and flagging the rest as Suggested for you to review.
On the first sync, SparkReceipt pulls up to around 180 days of history, depending on how much your bank makes available. You can fetch older transactions later — see Managing and troubleshooting your bank account connection.
If you don't see the Bank accounts section
Bank connections live under Integrations, which only administrators and accountants can open. If you don't see a Bank accounts section there, you're most likely signed in as a member without Integrations access — ask an administrator on your account to set up the connection. You can always bring transactions in yourself by uploading statements, which works for every role and every bank.