AI Bookkeeping Prompt Library

Last updated: July 1, 2026

How to Use These Prompts

Each prompt below is designed to work with Tally Assistant's AI engine. Upload your bank CSV or screenshots, then type (or click) the prompt. The AI analyzes your transaction data and returns a structured response. Prompts work across 200+ bank formats and 50+ currencies. Customize any prompt by changing the date range, vendor name, or category scope.

1. Generate a monthly expense report

Prompt

Generate a monthly expense report for January 2026, broken down by category with totals and percentages.

Example Input

January 2026 transactions (uploaded via CSV or captured from bank screenshots)

Example Output

Total expenses: $2,847.23. Top categories: Tools & Software ($892, 31.3%), Office Expenses ($445, 15.6%), Infrastructure ($320, 11.2%), Marketing ($290, 10.2%), Travel ($250, 8.8%), Meals & Entertainment ($210, 7.4%), Other ($440.23, 15.5%). Largest single transaction: Adobe Creative Cloud annual ($599.88).

Use Case

Monthly tax prep and budgeting. Use this prompt at the end of each month to get a clear overview of where your money went, making quarterly estimated tax calculations straightforward.

2. Find duplicate transactions

Prompt

Check for duplicate transactions in December 2025. Flag any entries that share the same date, amount, and vendor name.

Example Input

Check for duplicates in December (upload December bank statement CSV)

Example Output

Found 3 potential duplicates: 2x Cloudflare $10.46 on Dec 15 (appears once in bank feed and once from manual entry), 1x Notion $10.00 on Dec 22 (same transaction recorded twice with different descriptions). 1 additional near-duplicate: GitHub $7.00 on Dec 8 vs GitHub $7.00 on Dec 9 (likely separate legitimate charges).

Use Case

Clean up data before tax filing. Duplicate transactions inflate your expenses and create reconciliation headaches — catch them before your accountant does, or before they throw off your tax return.

3. Summarize spending by vendor

Prompt

Summarize all spending for Cloudflare in 2026. Show payment frequency, total, average, monthly breakdown, and category.

Example Input

Cloudflare 2026 (AI scans all transactions matching "Cloudflare" across the year)

Example Output

Cloudflare: 12 payments totaling $125.52. Average $10.46/mo. Payment dates: 1st of each month. Category: Infrastructure. Monthly trend: flat (same amount each month). No missed months. 2025 comparison: 12 payments, $120.24 (4.4% increase).

Use Case

Review subscription costs. This prompt helps you audit recurring subscriptions — identify price hikes, unused services, and opportunities to downgrade or cancel before annual renewal.

4. Create a cash flow statement

Prompt

Create a cash flow statement for Q1 2026. Show total income, total expenses, net cash flow, and a client-by-client income breakdown.

Example Input

Q1 2026 (all transactions from Jan 1 through Mar 31, 2026)

Example Output

Income: $24,500. Expenses: $8,320. Net cash flow: $16,180. Top clients: Acme Corp ($8,500 — 3 invoices paid), Beta LLC ($6,200 — 2 invoices paid), Gamma Studios ($4,800 — retainer, paid monthly). Outstanding: $3,200 (1 invoice to Delta Inc, due Apr 15). Month-over-month: Jan $5,200, Feb $5,480, Mar $5,500 (increasing trend).

Use Case

Quarterly financial review. Use this ahead of client check-ins, quarterly tax estimates, or when evaluating whether to raise your rates. The client breakdown helps you see which relationships drive the most revenue.

5. Identify unusual transactions

Prompt

Check for anomalous transactions this month. Flag anything that deviates from typical spending patterns in amount, vendor, or frequency.

Example Input

Check for anomalies this month (upload current month's transactions)

Example Output

Flagged: $500 at 'Unknown Merchant' on Jan 15 — significantly larger than your typical transaction size (median: $35). No prior transactions from this vendor. 2 additional flags: $189.99 at 'Best Buy' (electronics category unusual for your account), $0.01 micro-charge from 'Verification Services' (potential card-testing fraud).

Use Case

Fraud detection and error checking. Run this weekly to catch unauthorized charges, billing errors, or subscription price increases before they compound. Early detection can mean the difference between a quick chargeback and a protracted dispute.

6. Export transactions for accountant

Prompt

Export all transactions for the full year 2025, all categories, formatted for accountant review. Include date, description, amount, currency, USD equivalent, category, and client.

Example Input

2025 full year, all categories (exports every transaction from Jan 1 through Dec 31, 2025)

Example Output

Exported 847 transactions as CSV. Columns: date, description, amount, original currency, USD equivalent, exchange rate used, category, client/project, payment method, notes. File size: 142 KB. Estimated review time: 15-20 minutes for a CPA. Includes summary sheet with category totals and year-over-year comparison (2024: 793 transactions, $52,340 vs 2025: 847 transactions, $58,120 — 6.8% growth).

Use Case

Annual tax preparation. Fire this off before your CPA meeting and walk in with clean, organized data. The summary sheet saves billable accountant hours and ensures nothing gets missed in your filing.

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