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Manual transaction entry is a soul-crushing waste of time. You know this. That’s why you’re here. Connect your bank account once, and every transaction syncs automatically. No more downloading CSV files. No more copying numbers from your bank’s website. Just transactions appearing in Pluvel, ready to categorize.

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How the connection works

Pluvel uses Plaid to connect to your bank — the same secure connection used by Venmo, Robinhood, and thousands of financial apps. When you connect:
  1. You log into your bank through Plaid’s window (not Pluvel’s)
  2. Plaid gives Pluvel read-only access to your transactions
  3. Transactions sync automatically, typically every 2-4 hours
The important part: Pluvel never sees your bank password. Never stores it. Never touches it. Your credentials go directly to Plaid, which handles the security.

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Connect your bank

1

Go to Banking

From your dashboard, click Banking in the sidebar.
2

Click Connect Bank

Hit the Connect Bank Account button.
3

Find your bank

Type your bank’s name in the search box. Over 12,000 institutions are supported:
  • Big banks: Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citi
  • Business banks: Mercury, Relay, Bluevine, Brex
  • Credit unions: Most are supported
  • Regional banks: Almost always available
4

Log into your bank

Enter your online banking credentials in Plaid’s secure window.Some banks ask for extra verification:
  • A code texted or emailed to you
  • Security question answers
  • Push notification approval in your bank’s app
This is your bank being careful. It’s a good thing.
5

Select which accounts

Choose the accounts you want to connect:
  • Business checking (definitely)
  • Business savings (if you use it)
  • Business credit cards (yes, connect these too)
  • Lines of credit (if applicable)
You can always add more accounts later.
6

Wait for the initial sync

After connecting, Pluvel pulls your transaction history. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on your bank and how many transactions you have.You’ll get a notification when it’s ready.

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What gets imported

Account typeHistory available
Checking & SavingsUp to 24 months
Credit cardsUp to 24 months
The actual history depends on what your bank provides to Plaid. Some banks give 24 months, some give 90 days. You get whatever’s available. After the initial sync, new transactions typically appear within 1-4 hours of posting at your bank.

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Connect multiple accounts

Connect as many accounts as your business uses:
  • Multiple checking accounts at the same bank
  • Accounts at different banks
  • All your business credit cards
  • Lines of credit
Each account appears separately in your Banking dashboard. You can reconcile them individually and see exactly where money flows.

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If you use Mercury

Mercury has a direct API integration that’s better than the standard Plaid connection:
  1. Go to Settings → Integrations
  2. Find Mercury and click Connect
  3. Authorize in your Mercury dashboard
The difference: Mercury’s direct integration syncs in real-time (not every few hours), includes more transaction details, and rarely needs reconnection. More about the Mercury integration →

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When things go wrong

A few things to try:
  • Search by alternative names (some banks have multiple listings)
  • Try the bank’s full official name
  • Look for parent company names if it’s a regional bank
If it’s truly not there, the bank may not support Plaid connections. You can add it as a manual account and import transactions via CSV.
Banks with stricter security sometimes block automated connections. Try:
  • Connecting during business hours (some banks rate-limit after hours)
  • Checking if your bank’s website is working normally
  • Creating an “app password” if your bank offers them
  • Temporarily relaxing two-factor settings, then reconnecting
If nothing works, contact support — some banks need specific workarounds.
Check the connection status in Banking → Connected Accounts.If it shows healthy but no transactions:
  • Wait a few hours. First syncs can be slow.
  • Check that your bank actually has recent transactions to import.
  • Some business accounts have delays on the bank side.
If it shows an error:
  1. Click Reconnect
  2. Log into your bank again
  3. Wait for re-sync
This usually happens when you’ve connected the same account two ways — like through Plaid and through a direct integration (Stripe, Square).Don’t delete them. Mark one as a duplicate:
  1. Click the duplicate transaction
  2. Click Mark as Duplicate
  3. Pluvel hides it and learns to skip similar matches
Plaid can only import what your bank provides. If you need older transactions:
  1. Log into your bank’s website
  2. Export transactions as CSV
  3. In Pluvel, go to Banking → Import Transactions
  4. Upload and map the columns
It’s a one-time hassle, but it fills the gap.

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Manual accounts

Some accounts can’t connect automatically:
  • Petty cash
  • Foreign bank accounts
  • Very small credit unions
  • Cash on hand
For these, add a manual account:
  1. Go to Banking → Add Account
  2. Select Manual Account
  3. Name the account and enter the starting balance
  4. Add transactions by hand as they occur
Manual accounts work everywhere else — categorization, reports, reconciliation. They just don’t auto-sync.

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Is this actually secure?

Yes. Here’s why: Read-only access. Pluvel can see your transactions. It cannot move money, initiate transfers, or change anything in your bank account. Ever. No credential storage. Your bank username and password go directly to Plaid, not to Pluvel. We literally never see them. Bank-level encryption. Plaid uses 256-bit encryption — the same standard your bank uses for its mobile app. Token-based authentication. Your connection uses a secure token that can be revoked anytime. Changing your bank password doesn’t break anything. Disconnect whenever you want. Go to Banking → Connected Accounts, click the account, click Disconnect. Done. Connection severed.

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What’s next

Categorize transactions

Organize your transactions for accurate bookkeeping.

Set up bank rules

Automatically categorize recurring transactions.