Bank reconciliation and importation of transaction data are essential tasks in modern financial management. In the ERP ecosystem, Dolibarr offers core banking features, but its native capabilities for automated bank import are limited without the use of plugins or external services. As businesses seek to streamline financial operations and reduce manual entry errors, automation of bank imports in Dolibarr becomes a critical need.

This article presents a detailed exploration of how bank imports work in Dolibarr, the available modules and connectors, their configuration, and the options businesses can leverage to achieve a fully or partially automated bank reconciliation process.

1. Understanding Bank Imports in Dolibarr

Dolibarr includes a built-in Bank & Cash module, which allows companies to manage bank accounts, register manual transactions, and reconcile them against invoices, expenses, and third-party records. However, by default, the system expects the user to upload transaction files manually, typically in CSV or OFX format.

A standard bank import workflow involves:

• Exporting a file from your online bank interface

• Mapping bank fields to Dolibarr fields

• Uploading the file into Dolibarr

• Validating and reconciling imported transactions

While this is functional, it lacks efficiency, especially for businesses with daily or weekly transaction volumes.

2. Limitations of Native Dolibarr Bank Import

The default system has several constraints:

• No real-time sync with banking systems

• File format variations may cause import errors

• Lack of support for encrypted banking APIs (like PSD2, OpenBanking)

• Manual mapping needed for each file structure

These gaps create the need for automation plugins or external integration solutions.

3. Modules and Extensions for Bank Import Automation

Several modules, both official and third-party, extend Dolibarr’s ability to automate bank data import:

A. Bank Import Pro (Third-party)

• Supports multiple bank file formats

• Provides import templates and automatic field mapping

• Includes scheduled import functionality via cron

• Allows rule-based assignment of transactions to accounts

B. OFX Import Extension

• Enables parsing of OFX (Open Financial Exchange) files

• Compatible with most European and North American banks

• Lightweight and reliable for small businesses

C. Connectors to Fintech Platforms

• Integrates Dolibarr with services like Plaid, Tink, Linxo, Yodlee

• Offers real-time or scheduled pulling of bank transactions

• Requires API keys, subscription to the third-party platform

D. Zapier / Make (Integromat)

• Useful for companies using middleware for business automation

• Can connect bank feeds (via Plaid or webhooks) to Dolibarr REST API

• Supports conditional automation and error handling

4. Using the Dolibarr REST API for Custom Integration

Dolibarr’s REST API can be used to inject transaction data directly into the system. This requires development work but offers complete flexibility.

Steps:

• Authenticate using API tokens

• Use POST /bankaccounts/{id}/lines to create transactions

• Automate data fetch from bank API using scheduled scripts

• Reconcile transactions via linking with third-party payments and invoices

This method is ideal for businesses with in-house developers or external ERP integrators.

5. Mapping and Matching Transactions

A common challenge in bank automation is ensuring that imported transactions are correctly matched to existing Dolibarr records.

Techniques to improve matching:

• Use payment references or invoice numbers in bank descriptions

• Apply rules (by amount, date range, client name)

• Use the reconciliation tool in the Banking module for manual validation

Some modules include machine learning or heuristics to suggest probable matches.

6. Compliance with PSD2 and Open Banking

For European companies, compliance with PSD2 (Payment Services Directive 2) is essential.

Features to look for:

• Use of regulated APIs (e.g., via Tink, Budget Insight)

• Secure authentication flows (OAuth2, SCA)

• Encrypted data transfers

Dolibarr alone does not offer native PSD2-compliant modules, but third-party providers offer plugins or connectors that fulfill these requirements.

7. Commercial vs. Open Source Solutions

The choice between commercial plugins and open-source tools depends on:

• Budget constraints

• Required bank coverage

• Support and updates

• Customization flexibility

Popular commercial modules:

• BankImport Pro (available on Dolistore)

• PSD2-Connector modules (available through integrators)

Open-source initiatives are often less feature-rich but suitable for basic import needs.

8. Security Considerations

Automated bank import introduces sensitive data handling. Key aspects:

• Use HTTPS for all data exchanges

• Store API keys securely (not in plain text)

• Apply access controls within Dolibarr for bank modules

• Monitor logs and access reports for anomalies

Enterprises may choose to isolate banking automation on separate instances or dedicated virtual machines.

9. Scheduled Imports and Cron Jobs

To run bank imports automatically, some modules offer scheduled cron support.

Typical setup:

• Cron job triggers a script every 24h

• Script pulls transactions from API or email attachment

• Data is parsed, formatted, and sent to Dolibarr

• Admin notified of errors or completion

Dolibarr's cron module (if active) can manage internal cron tasks or call external scripts.

10. Real-World Use Cases

A. Retail company with 300 daily transactions:

• Uses a Plaid connector

• API synchronizes hourly

• Reconciliation based on invoice number references

B. Freelance accountant using OFX files:

• Downloads from bank weekly

• Uses OFX import extension

• Manually validates each transaction

C. SaaS provider with international payments:

• Uses Make (Integromat) + REST API

• Routes payments by currency and client ID

• Automation reduces reconciliation time by 75%

11. Future Outlook and Module Roadmap

As Dolibarr evolves, future improvements may include:

• Native integration with Open Banking APIs

• Improved AI-based transaction matching

• Enhanced dashboard reporting for banking activities

• Unified interface for multi-bank account management

Community engagement and sponsorship can accelerate these features.

12. Conclusion

Automating bank import in Dolibarr is a strategic move for businesses aiming to reduce administrative overhead and improve financial accuracy. Although Dolibarr's native features are limited in this area, the ecosystem provides a variety of extensions, integrations, and customization paths to achieve automation.

Companies can start with file-based imports and gradually move toward full API-based synchronization as their needs grow. Whether choosing a ready-made module, a commercial connector, or a custom integration, the flexibility of Dolibarr ensures that financial automation can be tailored to fit every business environment.