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Bank Accounts📋 Account Creation Guide

Account Creation Guide

Learn how to create and set up new bank accounts in WhatsCash AI with detailed step-by-step instructions. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every aspect of the account creation process.

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Goal: Create your first bank account in WhatsCash AI in less than 2 minutes. This guide provides complete instructions for setting up any type of financial account.

Quick Setup Process

Creating a bank account in WhatsCash AI is straightforward and secure. Follow these detailed steps to set up your first account.

Step 1: Navigate to Bank Accounts

From your WhatsCash AI dashboard:

  • Navigate to Bank Accounts in the main navigation
  • Click the “Add Account” button in the top-right corner
  • This will open the account creation modal
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Direct Access: You can go directly to your Bank Accounts Dashboard to start creating accounts immediately.

Step 2: Select Account Type

In the account creation modal, choose the type that matches your real-world account:

  • Checking - For daily spending and bill payments
  • Savings - For money you’re setting aside
  • Credit - For credit cards or lines of credit
  • Investment - For brokerage or retirement accounts
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First Account Recommendation: Start with your primary checking account - the one you use most frequently for daily expenses.

Step 3: Enter Account Details

Fill in the required information in the modal form:

Basic Information:

  • Account Holder Name: Your name or the primary account holder
  • Bank Name: Name of your bank or financial institution (e.g., “Chase”, “Bank of America”)
  • Account Type: Confirm your selection from Step 2

Financial Details:

  • Currency: Select your account currency (USD, EUR, GBP, etc.)
  • Initial Balance: Enter your current account balance (optional but recommended)
  • Account Number: Reference number for your identification (optional)

Additional Details (Optional):

  • Routing Number: For US bank accounts
  • IBAN/SWIFT: For international accounts
  • Notes: Any additional information about the account

Step 4: Configure Additional Settings

Optional Advanced Settings:

  • Date Opened: When you opened this account
  • Bank Location: Physical location of your bank branch
  • Account Notes: Personal notes about the account’s purpose

Step 5: Save and Verify

  • Review all entered information for accuracy
  • Click “Add Account” to save your new account
  • Your account will appear in the accounts grid
  • You can immediately start adding transactions to this account

Essential Information Required

Here’s what you’ll need to have ready before creating your account:

✅ Required Information

  • Account holder name - Your name or the primary account holder
  • Bank name - Your financial institution (e.g., “Chase”, “Wells Fargo”)
  • Account type - Checking, savings, credit, investment, or other
  • Currency - The currency this account uses

📋 Optional but Recommended

  • Current balance - Helps with accurate tracking from day one and enables AI to provide precise spending insights
  • Account number reference - For your own identification and AI-powered account queries via WhatsApp
  • Routing number - For US bank accounts (helps with transfers) and allows AI to understand account relationships
  • IBAN/SWIFT codes - For international accounts and enables AI to provide currency-specific insights
  • Account notes - Additional information about the account’s purpose that significantly enhances AI understanding
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AI Enhancement Tip: The more detailed information you provide, the better our AI can understand your financial patterns and respond to natural language queries. For example, with proper account notes, you can ask via WhatsApp: “How much did I spend from my business account last month?” and get instant, accurate responses.

🎯 Pro Tips for Setup

  • Use descriptive bank names: “Chase Freedom Card” vs “Credit Card #1”
  • Include branch info: “Wells Fargo Downtown Branch” for multiple locations
  • Set realistic balances: Use your actual current balance for accuracy
  • Add helpful notes: “Business expenses only” or “Emergency fund”

Before You Start

Account Planning Strategy

Before creating accounts, it’s helpful to plan which accounts you need and how they fit into your financial management strategy.

  1. Primary Checking Account - Your main spending account
  2. Main Credit Card - Your most-used credit card
  3. Primary Savings Account - Emergency fund or main savings
  4. Secondary Accounts - Additional credit cards, investment accounts
  5. Specialized Accounts - Business accounts, loans, cash tracking
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Start Small: Begin with 2-3 core accounts and add more as you become comfortable with the system. Quality tracking of fewer accounts is better than poor tracking of many accounts.

Required Information

Have this essential information ready before starting the account creation process:

✅ Must-Have Details

  • Account Holder Name: Your legal name or the primary account holder
  • Bank Name: Full name of your financial institution
  • Account Type: Select from checking, savings, credit, investment, etc.
  • Currency: The primary currency for this account

📋 Highly Recommended

  • Current Balance: Your actual account balance for accurate tracking
  • Account Purpose: Brief description of how you use this account

Account Planning

Decide which accounts you need and how to organize them for maximum effectiveness.

Account Type Selection Guide

Choose the right account type for your needs:

  • 🏦 Checking: Daily transactions, bill payments, regular spending
  • 💰 Savings: Long-term saving, emergency funds, goal-based savings
  • 💳 Credit: Credit card spending, debt management, credit building
  • 📈 Investment: Portfolio tracking, retirement funds, brokerage accounts
  • 🏠 Loan: Mortgages, auto loans, personal debt tracking
  • 💵 Cash: Physical cash, petty cash, small transactions
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Multi-Account Strategy: Most users benefit from having a mix of account types. Start with your most active accounts and gradually add others as needed.

Account Creation Process

Once you have your information ready, the actual account creation process is quick and intuitive.

Account Creation Summary

The process involves five main steps:

  1. Navigate to the Bank Accounts dashboard
  2. Select your account type
  3. Enter required and optional details
  4. Configure additional settings
  5. Save and verify your new account
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Ready to Start? Visit your Bank Accounts Dashboard to create your first account using the detailed steps above.

Form Validation & Field Requirements

Understanding the validation rules helps you fill out the form correctly the first time.

Required Fields (Must Complete)

  • Account Holder Name: 2-100 characters, must contain at least one letter
  • Bank Name: 2-100 characters with proper formatting
  • Account Type: Choose from checking, savings, credit, investment, retirement, other
  • Currency: 3-letter currency code (USD, EUR, GBP, PKR, INR, AED, etc.)
  • Initial Balance: Non-negative number, zero is acceptable

Optional Fields with Validation

  • Account Number: 4-50 characters if provided
  • Routing Number: Exactly 9 digits (US format)
  • IBAN: 15-34 characters, international format validation
  • SWIFT/BIC: 8 or 11 characters, proper SWIFT format
  • Date Opened: Cannot be in the future
  • Bank Location: Up to 200 characters
  • Notes: Up to 500 characters with live counter

Smart Text Formatting

The form automatically handles formatting to ensure data consistency:

  • Auto-capitalization: Names and bank details are properly capitalized
  • IBAN/SWIFT formatting: Converted to uppercase, spaces removed
  • Routing number formatting: Spaces and special characters removed
  • Real-time validation: Immediate feedback on field errors
  • Banking code validation: IBAN, SWIFT, and routing number verification
  • Future date prevention: Account opening dates cannot be in the future

International Banking Support

WhatsCash AI supports international banking standards to help you manage accounts worldwide.

IBAN Validation

International Bank Account Numbers (IBAN) are validated according to international standards:

  • Length: 15-34 characters depending on country
  • Format: Country code (2 letters) + check digits (2 numbers) + bank/account identifier
  • Examples:
    • UK: GB29 NWBK 6016 1331 9268 19
    • Germany: DE89 3704 0044 0532 0130 00
    • France: FR14 2004 1010 0505 0001 3M02 606
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IBAN Tip: IBANs are automatically formatted and validated. Enter them with or without spaces - the system will format them correctly.

SWIFT/BIC Codes

SWIFT/Bank Identifier Codes help identify banks internationally:

  • 8-character format: Bank code (4) + Country code (2) + Location code (2)
  • 11-character format: Includes branch code (3 additional characters)
  • Examples:
    • Chase Bank: CHASUS33
    • Deutsche Bank: DEUTDEFF
    • HSBC UK: HBUKGB4B

Multi-Currency Setup

Setting up accounts in different currencies:

  • Supported currencies: USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, CHF, and 50+ others
  • Currency display: Choose your primary currency for dashboard summaries
  • Exchange rates: View account balances in multiple currencies
  • Regional formatting: Currency symbols and number formats adjust automatically

Troubleshooting

Common Validation Errors

Account Name Issues:

  • “Account holder name is required” → Enter at least 2 characters with one letter
  • “Account holder name is too long” → Keep names under 100 characters
  • “Invalid characters in name” → Use only letters, spaces, hyphens, and apostrophes

Banking Code Problems:

  • “Invalid routing number” → US routing numbers must be exactly 9 digits
  • “IBAN format incorrect” → Check country code and ensure correct length
  • “SWIFT code invalid” → Verify 8 or 11 character format

Date and Currency Errors:

  • “Date cannot be in the future” → Account opening date must be today or earlier
  • “Currency code not supported” → Use 3-letter ISO codes (USD, EUR, GBP, etc.)
  • “Invalid balance amount” → Enter positive numbers only, decimals allowed

Banking Code Examples

Valid US Routing Numbers:

  • Chase Bank: 021000021
  • Bank of America: 026009593
  • Wells Fargo: 121000248

Valid IBAN Examples:

  • United Kingdom: GB29NWBK60161331926819
  • Germany: DE89370400440532013000
  • Spain: ES9121000418450200051332

Valid SWIFT Codes:

  • JPMorgan Chase: CHASUS33XXX
  • Deutsche Bank: DEUTDEFFXXX
  • Barclays: BARCGB22XXX
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Still Having Issues? Visit our Getting Help guide for additional support resources and contact information.

Next Steps: Once you’ve created your account, learn how to manage and organize your accounts or return to the Getting Started Guide for next steps.

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🚀 Getting Started🛠️ Account Management