Safe Handoff

Suggest categories for bank transactions you export

Handoff 2 Drafts for review Reviewed 14 Oct 2026 Set-up: 15 minutes

Who it's for
Owners who categorise their own bookkeeping
Outcome
Suggested categories for every transaction, ready for you to accept in your accounting tool.
Why Handoff 2
It works on an exported copy and suggests. You make the entries in your books.

Steps

  1. Export a month of transactions as CSV.
  2. Give the agent your chart of accounts or category list.
  3. Ask for a suggested category and confidence for each line.
  4. Enter or accept the categories yourself in your accounting software.

Copy-paste prompt

Works with any agent. Replace the [square brackets] with your details.

Here is a CSV of bank transactions: [attach]. My categories: [list].

Add two columns: suggested category and confidence (high, medium or low). Mark anything that could be personal spending or is unclear as low confidence. Do not total, file or upload anything. Return the updated CSV.

Notes for each agent

Only features we found in each provider's official documentation on 14 Oct 2026 are stated as product facts, with the source linked. Product features change; check before relying on them.

Claude Suggested

Claude can only read and write files in folders you have connected, and Cowork asks for your explicit permission before permanently deleting files. In Claude Code, Manual mode asks before file edits.

From official docs Official source 1 Official source 2

ChatGPT

For a first run, give it copies of the files rather than your live folder, and keep the originals untouched.

General guidance, not a verified product claim

Gemini

For a first run, give it copies of the files rather than your live folder, and keep the originals untouched.

General guidance, not a verified product claim

Microsoft Copilot Suggested

At work, Researcher can draw on files you already have access to and cites its sources; it follows your existing Microsoft 365 permissions.

From official docs Official source

Open agents & automations Suggested

OpenClaw's exec approvals can limit which commands run and ask about anything else ('allowlist' or 'ask' modes). Start there rather than 'full'.

From official docs Official source

Common failure, and how to catch it

What goes wrong
Personal and business spending mixed up, or a supplier categorised by name rather than what was bought.
How to catch it
Filter for low confidence first; check unfamiliar suppliers.

Time and cost

Time to set up
15 minutes
Cost
Works in a standard chat on most plans; no extra tools needed.

Sources

Reviewed 14 Oct 2026 against the sources above. This playbook has not been tested on every agent listed; it is written to be agent-agnostic.

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