How do I link my bank account?

How do I link my bank account?

Basic and above. Bank linking and bank sync are not on Free. Basic is $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr. Premium is $19.99/mo or $199.99/yr. On those plans, Plaid connects a US bank and imports balances and transactions. Free accounts add accounts and transactions by hand.

Why link your bank account?

• Save time: No more manual transaction entry. Your bank data syncs automatically.
• Accuracy: Your balances and transactions stay up-to-date with your actual bank data.
• Better forecasts: With real transaction history, your budgets and financial projections are more accurate.
• Peace of mind: The connection is secure—we never store your banking password.

Step-by-step: Link your first account

• Go to Accounts. From the sidebar, click Accounts (or tap the Accounts icon in mobile navigation).
• Select your entity. If you have multiple entities (personal, business, etc.), make sure the right one is selected at the top.
• Click "Link external account". You'll see a button or link to connect a bank. Click it to start.
• Click Connect with Plaid. A Plaid window will open where you can search for your bank.
• Search and select your bank. Type your bank or credit union name (e.g., "Chase", "Wells Fargo", "Bank of America"). Select it from the results.
• Sign in to your bank. Enter your banking credentials (username and password) or complete multi-factor authentication if prompted. This is done securely on Plaid's servers—we never see your password.
• Choose accounts to link. You'll see a list of your bank accounts (checking, savings, credit cards, etc.). Select which ones you want to add to Fiscal Flowcast. You can link one account or all of them.
• Confirm. Click Confirm or Connect. Plaid will sync your accounts and recent transactions (usually 90 days of history), then you'll be taken back to your Fiscal Flowcast Accounts page.

What gets synced?

• Account information: Account name, type (checking, savings, credit card), institution, and current balance.
• Transactions: Past and new transactions are automatically imported. We avoid duplicates so your history stays clean.
• Updates: Balances and transactions sync automatically. Sync now is a paid refresh (7 per week, per Plaid Item not per account).

Security: Your data is safe

• No password storage: Fiscal Flowcast and Plaid never store your banking password. We use Plaid's secure API.
• You control access: You can disconnect any linked account at any time, which immediately revokes our access to that connection.
• Data encryption: Data in transit uses TLS. All data at rest is encrypted by Google Cloud infrastructure. Plaid connection tokens are additionally encrypted with AES-256-GCM in our application layer; not every database column uses application-layer AES.
• Limited permissions: We only request access to view account names, balances, and transactions—not to move money or make changes.

What if your bank isn't supported?

Bank linking covers US financial institutions via Plaid. If your bank doesn't appear in the search, you can still add it manually:

• Go to Accounts and click "Add Account" (instead of "Link external account").
• Enter your bank name, account type, and current balance manually.
• Add transactions manually or import them from a CSV file later.

Troubleshooting

• Connect button is disabled: Make sure an entity is selected at the top of the Accounts page.
• Bank connection needs re-authentication: Your bank may require you to sign in again (e.g., after a password change). Click the "Reconnect" or "Re-authenticate" option on the account card and follow the Plaid flow again.
• Transactions aren't showing up: Click "Sync now" to manually trigger an update. New transactions may take a few minutes to appear depending on your bank.
• Error message: If you see an error, note the message and try again. If it persists, contact support.

See also Managing Your Accounts and Recording Transactions.

Related articles

• Managing Your AccountsAdd, edit, and organize your financial accounts including checking, savings, investments, and loans.
• Recording TransactionsLearn how to record income, expenses, transfers, and investment transactions.
• Bank connection status and syncingBasic and above: connection status, manual sync, and reconnect. Free has no bank linking or sync.