Use Chart mapping to assign grouping codes to a TB
Chart mapping is an optional tool powered by InspireIQ. It looks at each imported account, proposes a standard grouping code, and lets you approve or modify. No code is ever assigned automatically ; you stay in control of every decision. Especially useful for a client with a completely non-standard chart of accounts, or a volumous first file.
Each analysis sends account descriptions to the AI API (Claude, Anthropic) and consumes credit. Cost depends on the number of accounts analyzed and description volume. Chart mapping never opens automatically : you decide whether to use it, and you see in advance how many accounts will be processed. Accounts already mapped in another engagement of your firm are covered by the local cache (free), not by AI.
When to use vs when to skip
- Use it : new client with 80+ accounts from an unusual chart, mapping by hand would take long. Or first file for a client while your firm cache is still empty.
- Don't use it : already-rolled engagement, or client whose chart is close to your standard templates (map by hand in the TB or via the Groupings tab in minutes, no AI cost).
- The cache does the heavy lifting : every time you confirm a mapping, it's remembered for your firm. Next time the same account (e.g. « 5320 Telecommunications ») shows up, recognized without AI.
Open Chart mapping
Engagement's left menu → TOOLS → Chart mapping. The page lists accounts pending assignment.
If the page is empty, either you haven't imported a TB, or all your accounts already have a code : « All accounts are mapped. Import a new balance or add accounts to see them appear here. »
Import the balance from Excel (if not done)
The top of the page has a drop zone for an Excel file. Reminders before importing :
- File must have at least two columns Debit and Credit.
- Amounts in Accounting format (zeros disappear, values align).
- Each account should have a number. Otherwise a temporary
?001,?002… is generated, rename later in the Trial balance. - For QuickBooks : export one file per year (current + prior) and drop both at once, period is auto-detected.
- Close the Excel file before import (Excel creates a lock file
~$…empty otherwise).
Click « Suggest codes »
The Suggest codes button triggers the analysis. Two layers apply, in order :
- Firm cache (L0), free : a mapping already confirmed on another firm engagement, for this number or description. Instant.
- AI suggestion (L3), paid : accounts not found in cache go to Claude, which suggests a code with a confidence percentage.
At the end, a message : « X accounts analyzed, Y via cache, Z via AI, W without suggestion. »
Read the suggestions table
| N° | Description | Suggested code | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 | Desjardins Bank | A1 Cash | 98% | Cache |
| 1250 | Accounts receivable | B1 Trade receivables | 95% | AI |
| 5320 | Internet fees | R8 Telecommunications | 72% | AI |
| 7890 | Miscellaneous | — No suggestion — | — | — |
- High confidence (≥80%) : the mapping is very likely. Apply, or use the bulk button Accept all (X ≥ 80%).
- Medium confidence (50-79%) : read the description and the proposed code before accepting. Adjust in the dropdown if needed.
- No suggestion : account too ambiguous, pick the code by hand in the dropdown.
Accept in bulk, or one by one
Accept all (X ≥ 80%) at the top applies all high-confidence suggestions at once. Great for a big first pass on a large file.
Then walk through medium-confidence suggestions and no-suggestion accounts. Each confirmed mapping enriches your firm cache, so the next file with similar accounts won't need to re-pay AI.
Never click « Accept all » blindly. At 80% confidence, the AI is still wrong about one in five. On large or sensitive accounts (cash, receivables, long-term debt), look before you accept. A wrong mapping here propagates to FS, GIFI, and T2.
The firm cache, your compounding asset
Every mapping validated in one file feeds the firm's local cache. Concretely :
- After your 10th file, most common accounts (banks, receivables, general expenses, salaries) are already covered by cache : mapping is free and instant.
- AI is only called for genuinely new accounts.
- The cache is not shared across firms : each subscription has its own.
Frequently asked questions
Can I map the entire TB without this tool ?
Yes. In the Trial balance, the « Grouping » column fills in by hand, one account at a time, no cost. In the Groupings and GIFI tab, you see the aggregated table to spot what's missing. Chart mapping is simply a paid accelerator.
Does the AI see amounts or just descriptions ?
Only account numbers and descriptions. Amounts are never sent to Claude, only the label matters for the suggestion.