Getting Started With Prosaic

Welcome to Prosaic — AI-powered accounting software designed for accountants and bookkeepers.

This guide will walk you through the key steps to get up and running quickly: adding clients, importing data, coding transactions, and preparing GST returns.

1. Explore with Demo Data

When you first log in, you’ll see demo clients on the Entities screen.

Entities represent organisations (e.g. a company, trust, or sole trader).

• You can immediately start reconciling transactions for demo clients.
• Don’t worry — you can delete demo clients at any time.
• When you’re ready, move on to creating real clients and entities.

2. Add a Client

Before creating an entity, you’ll need to add a client.

• Use the dedicated client landing page (you can brand it with your logo).
• Or add a client manually by entering their name and email.
• Tick the invite box if you’d like Prosaic to email them an invitation to connect their bank feeds through our partner, Akahu.
• Alternatively, skip the invite for now and import a bank statement manually.

3. Create an Entity

Entities are the reporting layers where you manage settings, accounts, and journals for each client.

1. Select the client you’ve added.

2. Create an entity (e.g. Nick’s Plumbing Ltd).

   Enter GST details if applicable:

   • GST number
   • Filing period (monthly, two-monthly, six-monthly)
   • Start date
   • Conversion date (optional – defines when transactions begin).

Prosaic will automatically generate GST reports each filing cycle.

4. Set Up the Chart of Accounts

Prosaic comes with a system chart of accounts which you can template and customise.

• Review the default chart (Revenue, Expenses, Assets, Liabilities, Equity).
• Hide codes you don’t need, or add your own.
• Add descriptions (these appear during coding).
• Map codes to external systems (e.g. Xero, tax workpapers).
• Create child codes (e.g. “Interest on Loans”).

This setup makes reconciliation faster and ensures consistency across clients.

5. Import Bank Transactions

To work with live data, you’ll need to connect or import bank transactions.

• Bank Feeds: Invite your client to connect via Akahu.
• Manual Import: Upload a bank statement file (supports major NZ banks).
• Once imported, transactions are enhanced with extra detail for smarter AI coding.
• Link the bank account to the entity so it becomes an asset you can reconcile.

6. Reconcile Transactions

Bank reconciliation is designed to be fast and accurate.

• Transactions are listed by entity, with filters for specific clients or chart types.
• Use bulk reconciliation: once you code a transaction (e.g. Spark – Telephone & Internet), Prosaic finds and suggests similar ones.
• Accept them all in one go.

• Use search to grab multiple items (e.g. all “Skinny” payments) and code in one hit.

  AI categorises new items with confidence levels:

  • Memory: high confidence, previously seen.
  • Guess: suggested but needs review.
  • Unknown: requires manual coding (can be split if needed).

7. Enter Journals

Sometimes you’ll need manual adjustments.

• Create a journal entry directly within an entity.
• Import journal lines from CSV or a trial balance (useful for conversion balances).
• If your chart is mapped to external systems, Prosaic will automatically assign accounts.
• Journals work seamlessly with reconciliation and trial balance exports.

8. Generate GST Reports

With your entity and GST settings in place, Prosaic automatically prepares returns.

• GST returns are generated each cycle (e.g. monthly).
• Reports include reconciled and unreconciled transactions.
• Export reports as PDFs for client review — perfect for chasing answers on uncoded items.
• Finalised reports can be exported as trial balances for use in Xero or other systems.

9. Export Data

When needed, you can export:

• Trial Balances (movements or cumulative balances).
• Mapped Account Codes for easy import into external systems.
• Journals formatted for Xero or other ledgers.

10. You’re Ready to Go!

You now know how to:

• Add clients and entities
• Import transactions
• Reconcile with AI and bulk actions
• Post journals
• Prepare and export GST returns

We’d love your feedback. If you have any questions, email us at hello@prosaic.works.