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Overview

Before you can track transactions, you need to add your bank accounts to Agatabo. This creates a record for each physical account and automatically sets up the ledger system to track balances.

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Before You Begin

Prerequisites:
  • You have bank_accounts:write permission
  • You know the names and types of your bank accounts
  • You have current balance information if setting opening balances

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What Happens When You Add an Account

When you create a bank account, Agatabo automatically:
  1. Creates a bank account record with your specified name and type
  2. Creates a CASH ledger account behind the scenes to track transactions
  3. Sets initial balance to zero (you can adjust this later if needed)
  4. Makes it available for use in deposits, loans, expenses, and other transactions
  5. Sets as default (first account only - automatically becomes the default account)

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Step-by-Step Instructions

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Step 1: Navigate to Bank Accounts

1

Open Bank Accounts

Click “Bank Accounts” in the sidebar or navigation menu
2

Click Add Bank Account

Opens the bank account creation form

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Step 2: Enter Account Information

Fill in the required fields:
FieldDescriptionRequiredValidation
NameDescriptive name for the accountYesMust be unique within your organization
TypeSAVINGS or CURRENTYesCannot be changed after creation
Is ActiveWhether account is currently in useNoDefaults to true (active)
Account names must be unique: Each account name must be unique within your organization. If you try to create an account with a duplicate name, you’ll receive an error: “This account name is already used in the organization.”
Naming tips: Use descriptive names that help you identify the account easily:
  • Include the bank name: “BK Operations Account”, “Equity Savings Account”
  • Include last 4 digits: “BK Current ***1234”, “Equity Savings ***5678”
  • Include purpose: “Loan Disbursement Account”, “Emergency Reserve Fund”

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Step 3: Choose Account Type

Select the appropriate type for your account:
Current Account (Checking)Use for:
  • Daily operational expenses
  • Loan disbursements and repayments
  • Frequent transactions
  • Payment processing
  • Member deposits
Characteristics:
  • High transaction volume
  • Easy withdrawals
  • Lower or no interest
  • Primary operating account
Note: Most tontines use a CURRENT account as their primary default account. At least one active CURRENT account is required.
Cannot change type: Once you create an account with a specific type (SAVINGS or CURRENT), you cannot change it later. Delete and recreate if needed (subject to deletion constraints).

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Step 4: Submit

1

Review information

Double-check the name and type before submitting
2

Click Save or Add Account

Creates the bank account record
3

Verify creation

Account should appear in the bank accounts list with 0.00 balance

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First Account Special Behavior

Your first bank account is automatically set as the default account. What this means:
  • When recording transactions, this account will be pre-selected
  • Used automatically when no specific account is selected
  • Simplifies data entry for common operations
For subsequent accounts:
  • New accounts are NOT automatically set as default
  • You must manually set a different account as default if desired
  • Use the “Set as Default” action on the account you want to make primary
Learn how to change the default account →

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Setting Opening Balances

If your bank account already has money in it when you add it to Agatabo, you need to adjust the opening balance:

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When to Adjust Opening Balance

Adjust opening balance if:
  • You’re starting to use Agatabo mid-year
  • The physical bank account has existing funds
  • You’re migrating from another system
  • Your bank statement shows a non-zero balance
Skip if:
  • You’re starting fresh with new accounts
  • Account actually has zero balance
  • You’ll be importing historical transactions

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How to Adjust Opening Balance

1

Navigate to bank account

Find the newly created account in the list
2

Click Adjust Balance

Look for “Adjust Balance” or “Set Opening Balance” action
3

Enter current balance

Input the balance from your most recent bank statement
4

Add description

Example: “Opening balance as of June 1, 2026 per bank statement”
5

Submit

Creates a CASH_OPENING journal entry
What happens: 
Journal Entry (CASH_OPENING):
Dr CASH (Your Bank Account)    5,000,000
   Cr OPENING_EQUITY           5,000,000

Result: Bank account now shows 5,000,000 RWF balance
Important opening balance rules:
  • Only adjust opening balance ONCE when you first set up the account
  • Do this BEFORE recording any transactions
  • After initial setup, all balance changes should come from actual transactions
  • Cannot adjust opening balance after accounting period is closed
  • Cannot create negative opening equity (total adjustments cannot exceed equity)

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Changing the Default Account

If you want to change which account is the default:
1

Navigate to bank accounts

View the list of all bank accounts
2

Find the target account

Locate the account you want to make default
3

Click Set as Default

Action button or menu option
4

Confirm

Previous default is automatically unset, new account becomes default
Technical details:
  • Only one account can be default at a time
  • System automatically unsets previous default
  • Changes take effect immediately

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Multiple Bank Accounts

Most organizations benefit from having multiple accounts for different purposes:

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Example Setup

Recommended structure:
  1. BK Current Account (CURRENT, Default)
    • Purpose: Primary operations
    • Use for: Daily deposits, small expenses, general transactions
    • Balance: Moderate operating cash
  2. Equity Savings Account (SAVINGS)
    • Purpose: Long-term reserves
    • Use for: Emergency funds, statutory reserves
    • Balance: High reserve funds
  3. Loan Disbursement Account (CURRENT)
    • Purpose: Dedicated for loans
    • Use for: Loan disbursements and repayments only
    • Balance: Varies based on loan activity
  4. Dividend Account (SAVINGS)
    • Purpose: Dividend accumulation
    • Use for: Collecting profits before distribution
    • Balance: Accumulated undistributed dividends

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Benefits of Multiple Accounts

Financial control:
  • Separate operational funds from reserves
  • Track specific purposes (loans, dividends, etc.)
  • Prevent accidental use of restricted funds
Reporting:
  • Clearer cash flow analysis
  • Better audit trail
  • Easier reconciliation
Risk management:
  • Diversify across banks
  • Protect reserve funds
  • Maintain minimum balances per purpose

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Active vs Inactive Accounts

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Active Accounts

Characteristics:
  • Available in transaction dropdowns
  • Can receive deposits and disbursements
  • Appear in default account selection
  • Fully functional
Default state: All accounts are active when created (unless you explicitly set isActive: false)

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Inactive Accounts

Characteristics:
  • Hidden from transaction dropdowns
  • Cannot be selected for new transactions
  • Historical transactions remain visible
  • Balance still tracked
When to inactivate:
  • Closed physical bank account
  • No longer using this account
  • Temporary suspension
  • Migrating to new account
How to inactivate:
  1. Navigate to bank account
  2. Click Edit or Update
  3. Uncheck “Is Active” or set to inactive
  4. Save changes
Constraints:
  • Cannot inactivate if it’s the only active CURRENT account
  • Cannot inactivate the default account (set another as default first)

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Validation and Constraints

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During Creation

Validations applied: ✅ Name uniqueness: Account name must be unique within organization
  • Error: “This account name is already used in the organization”
✅ Type validity: Must be exactly “SAVINGS” or “CURRENT”
  • Error: “Invalid account type”
✅ Organization header: Organization ID must be provided
  • Error: “Organization header is required”

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Common Errors

Error MessageCauseSolution
”This account name is already used in the organization”Duplicate nameChoose a different name
”Invalid account type”Type not SAVINGS or CURRENTUse valid type
”Organization header is required”Missing organization contextSystem error - refresh page

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After Adding an Account

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Next Steps

Immediate:
  1. ✅ Adjust opening balance if needed
  2. ✅ Verify account appears in accounts list
  3. ✅ Check balance shows correctly
  4. ✅ Set as default if desired (for non-first accounts)
Within first week:
  1. 📝 Record initial transactions
  2. 📝 Test deposits and expenses
  3. 📝 Verify transaction history appears
  4. 📝 Reconcile with bank statement

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What You Can Do with the Account

Supported operations:
  • Record savings deposits (credits CASH)
  • Disburse loans (debits CASH)
  • Record loan payments (credits CASH)
  • Pay expenses (debits CASH)
  • Record bank charges (debits CASH)
  • Transfer between accounts (manual journal entries)
  • Adjust opening balance (one-time)
  • View transaction history
  • Reconcile with bank statements

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Permissions Required

ActionPermissionScope
Create bank accountbank_accounts:writeANY
View bank accountsbank_accounts:readANY
Set default accountbank_accounts:writeANY
Adjust opening balancebank_accounts:writeANY
Update account detailsbank_accounts:writeANY
Administrator or Accountant role: Typically, only users with Administrator or Accountant roles have bank_accounts:write permission. Regular members cannot create or modify bank accounts.

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Troubleshooting

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”This account name is already used”

Problem: Trying to create account with duplicate name Solution:
  1. Check existing accounts for similar names
  2. Choose a more specific name (add bank name, account number, purpose)
  3. Delete unused duplicate account if it exists

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Account Created But Not Appearing

Problem: Created account but don’t see it in lists Solution:
  1. Refresh the page
  2. Check if account was marked inactive during creation
  3. Verify you’re viewing the correct organization
  4. Check browser console for errors

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Cannot Set as Default

Problem: “Set as Default” button not working Solution:
  1. Ensure account is active
  2. Verify you have bank_accounts:write permission
  3. Check if account already is the default
  4. Try refreshing the page

Bank Accounts Overview

Learn about bank account management

Recording Transactions

Start using your bank accounts

Reconciliation

Match records with bank statements

General Ledger

Understand ledger integration