BofA Bill Pay downloaded transactions come in as New instead of Matching

Question

Sorry, I have asked this question before, but did not receive an answer that really explains what is going on and HOW TO FIX IT, IF POSSIBLE.

I pay bills monthly using the Bk of Am on-line Bill Pay feature - and then enter all of the transactions in the Checking account register - just like I enter other checks I have written (the only exception being I use "ETF" in the Check Num column).

Later, when I download all of the transactions from BofA, they all come in as New transactions - yet the dates and amounts match - and even the Payee names downloaded Match.  The only other difference is that the downloaded transactions come in with some fictitious Check Num (I guess that BofA must create).  Can that be the problem that the downloaded transactions do not "Match".

Not sure what is going on. THIS ONLY HAPPENS with the Bill Pay transactions - all other downloaded entries (like on other non-Bill Pay checks I have written, or Deposits I have made) come in and "Match" as you would expect.  And yes, I do Match each transaction up manually before Accepting them to keep from getting double entries in my check register - it is just an annoyance to have to do that for 8-10 entries each month if this is a fixable problem.

ron in shawnee

Ron n Round Rock · Answer

UKR-

Good suggestion - but I have already tried that - and that didn't work either.

OK, that was about a year ago when I first posted this question.  I tried a couple of other things also and they didn't work either (been about a year ago and don't remember all the things I tried then) - and I was hoping the problem would clear up, but it hasn't.

I just don't understand why the transactions don't match because whenever I click on Match, up pops a screen with the matching transaction.  Deposits match with nothing more than a date and amount on them and my real checks don't come down with the Payees name on them.  I guess since I haven't spent much time on it in the past year, you could say it is no-big-deal/problem - just a big annoyance because there are several screens involved in matching the transactions.

The only thing I will mention is that this didn't happen years-and-years ago - I can't even remember how far back it was when this started happening.  Anyway, it just doesn't make a lot of sense to me as to why it is working this way (not matching).  Sorry, getting carried away here.

But now that you mention it, I only occasionally write checks anymore, but the next time I do, I think I will either leave the check number field blank or even put EFT in it and see what happens - and will try to remember to come back here and post the results.

Thanks for the note UKR.

ron in shawnee

UKR · Answer

Marking your register transactions "ETF" in the Check# field might mess up the comparison of the Downloaded Check Number with the Check# field and that's why you get a new transaction, not a match ... I'm guessing here.
In your case, try leaving the Check# field blank and see what happens next time.
I use the Check# field only for check numbers of real paper checks I wrote and the occasional DEP or XFER.

Jim_Harman · Answer

I have the same issue and would also like to know if there is a workaround.