> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.payreque.st/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Bank Sync (Ponto)

> Connect your bank account for automatic transaction syncing and Bank Transfer payments

# Bank Sync (Ponto)

Ponto is an open banking platform that connects your business bank account to PayRequest. This enables automatic transaction syncing and powers the Bank Transfer payment method.

<Info>
  **Powered by Isabel Group**: Ponto is a trusted open banking solution used by thousands of European businesses for secure bank connectivity.
</Info>

## What Ponto Enables

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Transaction Syncing" icon="arrows-rotate">
    Automatically import your bank transactions into PayRequest for reconciliation and reporting
  </Card>

  <Card title="Bank Transfer Payments" icon="building-columns">
    Accept bank transfers with automatic payment matching using reference codes
  </Card>

  <Card title="Balance Monitoring" icon="chart-line">
    View your real-time bank balance directly in PayRequest
  </Card>

  <Card title="Financial Insights" icon="lightbulb">
    Better understand your cash flow with integrated bank data
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Connecting Ponto

### Prerequisites

Before connecting Ponto, ensure you have:

* A **business bank account** with a Ponto-supported bank
* **Admin access** to your PayRequest account
* Your **bank login credentials** ready

### Supported Banks

Ponto supports most major European banks including:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Netherlands">
    * ABN AMRO
    * ING
    * Rabobank
    * SNS Bank
    * ASN Bank
    * RegioBank
    * Triodos Bank
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Belgium">
    * KBC
    * BNP Paribas Fortis
    * ING Belgium
    * Belfius
    * Argenta
    * AXA Bank
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Other EU">
    * Deutsche Bank
    * Commerzbank
    * BNP Paribas
    * Crédit Agricole
    * And many more...
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Tip>
  **Check Availability**: Visit the Ponto website to verify your specific bank is supported before starting the connection process.
</Tip>

### Connection Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Settings">
    Go to **Settings → Ponto** in your PayRequest dashboard
  </Step>

  <Step title="Initiate Connection">
    Click **Connect Ponto API** to start the connection process
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Your Bank">
    Choose your bank from the list of available financial institutions
  </Step>

  <Step title="Authorize Access">
    Log in to your bank and authorize Ponto to access your account data. This uses your bank's secure authentication (often including 2FA)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete Setup">
    Return to PayRequest where your account will be synced automatically
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  **Security Note**: PayRequest never sees your bank login credentials. Authentication happens directly with your bank through Ponto's secure infrastructure.
</Warning>

## Managing Your Connection

### Connection Status

On the Ponto settings page, you can see:

* **Connected Date**: When the connection was established
* **Last Synced**: Most recent transaction sync timestamp
* **Account Details**: Your IBAN and current balance

### Available Actions

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="View Banks" icon="building-library">
    See all available financial institutions if you want to connect additional accounts
  </Card>

  <Card title="Refresh Accounts" icon="arrows-rotate">
    Manually trigger an account refresh to get the latest transactions
  </Card>

  <Card title="Remove Connection" icon="trash">
    Disconnect your bank account from PayRequest (this doesn't affect your bank)
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Transaction Syncing

### Automatic Sync

Once connected, Ponto automatically syncs your transactions:

* **Frequency**: Every few minutes during business hours
* **History**: Imports recent transaction history
* **Direction**: Both incoming (credits) and outgoing (debits)

### Transaction Data

Each synced transaction includes:

| Field       | Description                           |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------- |
| Date        | Transaction execution date            |
| Amount      | Transaction amount with direction     |
| Description | Bank-provided transaction description |
| Counterpart | Name of the other party               |
| Reference   | Payment reference/communication       |
| Status      | Booked or pending                     |

### Viewing Transactions

To view your synced bank transactions:

1. Go to **Settings → Ponto**
2. Find your connected bank account
3. Click **View Transactions**

Transactions are displayed with color coding:

* **Green**: Incoming payments (credits)
* **Red**: Outgoing payments (debits)

## Bank Transfer Payments

One of the most powerful features enabled by Ponto is automatic Bank Transfer payment matching.

### How It Works

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enable Bank Transfer">
    Toggle "Bank Transfer Payment Method" on in your Ponto settings
  </Step>

  <Step title="Customer Pays">
    Customer receives your IBAN and a unique reference (e.g., `PAY-12345`)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Transfer Made">
    Customer transfers the exact amount with the reference to your account
  </Step>

  <Step title="Auto-Match">
    PayRequest detects the incoming transaction and matches it by reference
  </Step>

  <Step title="Invoice Paid">
    The invoice/order is automatically marked as paid
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Configuration

In the Bank Transfer section of Ponto settings:

* **Toggle**: Enable/disable Bank Transfer as a payment option
* **IBAN Display**: Your IBAN shown to customers (auto-detected from bank)
* **Account Name**: Your account name shown to customers
* **Custom Instructions**: Add your own guidance text for customers

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Custom Instructions Example">
    Add helpful instructions like:

    ```
    Please include the reference code exactly as shown in your payment description.
    Payments are typically matched within 24 hours. For urgent orders, please
    contact us after making your transfer.
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Where Bank Transfer Appears

When enabled, Bank Transfer shows as a payment option on:

* Payment pages
* Invoice payment portal
* Smart links
* Checkout (coming soon)

<Note>
  Bank Transfer is **not available** for recurring payments or subscriptions. Use SEPA Direct Debit for those use cases.
</Note>

For complete Bank Transfer documentation, see [Bank Transfer Payments](/payment-processing/bank-transfer).

## Transaction Categorization

PayRequest helps you organize synced transactions:

### VAT Categories

Categorize transactions for accounting:

* Standard Rate (21%)
* Reduced Rate (9%)
* Zero Rate (0%)
* Exempt
* Out of Scope

### Bulk Editing

Select multiple transactions and:

* Assign VAT category
* Add notes
* Mark as reviewed
* Export for accounting

## Security & Privacy

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="PSD2 Compliant" icon="shield-check">
    Ponto operates under EU PSD2 regulations for open banking security
  </Card>

  <Card title="Bank-Level Security" icon="lock">
    All data transmission uses bank-grade encryption
  </Card>

  <Card title="No Credential Storage" icon="key">
    PayRequest never stores your bank login credentials
  </Card>

  <Card title="Revocable Access" icon="power-off">
    You can revoke access anytime through your bank or PayRequest
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Data Access

Ponto provides **read-only** access to:

* Account balances
* Transaction history
* Account holder information

Ponto does **not** have access to:

* Initiate payments from your account
* Modify your account settings
* Access other bank accounts you haven't authorized

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Connection Failed">
    **Common causes:**

    1. **Bank not supported**: Check if your bank is in Ponto's network
    2. **Authentication timeout**: Try again - bank sessions can expire
    3. **2FA issues**: Ensure you complete all authentication steps
    4. **Browser issues**: Try a different browser or clear cache

    **Solution**: Wait a few minutes and try again. If persistent, contact support.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Transactions Not Syncing">
    **Check these:**

    1. Is the connection still active? (Check for "Connected" status)
    2. Click "Refresh Accounts" to force a sync
    3. Some banks have sync delays (especially weekends)
    4. Very recent transactions may take a few hours to appear

    **Note**: Bank transaction availability varies by institution.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Bank Transfer Not Matching">
    **Matching requires:**

    1. Exact reference (e.g., `PAY-12345`) in payment description
    2. Exact amount (to the cent)
    3. Transaction synced to PayRequest

    **Debug steps:**

    * Check if transaction appears in Ponto transactions list
    * Verify the reference in the transaction description
    * Compare amounts exactly
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Need to Reconnect">
    Bank connections may need reconnection if:

    * Your bank requires periodic reauthorization
    * You changed bank credentials
    * The bank updated their systems

    **To reconnect**: Remove the existing connection and add it again following the setup steps.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Pricing

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="PayRequest">
    **No additional cost** for Ponto integration within PayRequest. Bank Transfer payments have no transaction fees from PayRequest.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Ponto">
    Ponto may have its own pricing for API access. Check [Ponto's pricing](https://myponto.com) for current rates.

    Typical costs include:

    * Monthly subscription for API access
    * Per-transaction fees for certain operations
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Related Documentation

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Bank Transfer Payments" icon="building-columns" href="/payment-processing/bank-transfer">
    Complete guide to accepting bank transfers with automatic matching
  </Card>

  <Card title="Payment Methods Overview" icon="credit-card" href="/payment-processing/payment-methods-overview">
    Compare all available payment methods
  </Card>

  <Card title="Transaction Reports" icon="chart-bar" href="/analytics-and-reporting/transaction-reports">
    Analyze your payment and bank transaction data
  </Card>

  <Card title="SEPA Direct Debit" icon="repeat" href="/payment-processing/payment-methods-overview#sepa-direct-debit">
    For recurring payments, use SEPA Direct Debit instead
  </Card>
</CardGroup>