Update clients’ Open Banking bank feeds in bulk
This article explains how to update clients’ Open Banking bank feeds in bulk on your Practice Dashboard in FreeAgent.
To make sure your client’s Open Banking bank feeds are kept active, fresh consent will need to be provided every 90 days as part of the Open Banking standard. Providing fresh consent every 90 days ensures that your client’s account is secure and that they’re in control of the apps that access their banking data.
You can follow the steps below to update their bank feeds in bulk or you can update a client’s Open Banking bank feed individually.
Please note:
- Only senior account managers can update bank feeds in bulk within FreeAgent for supported banks.
- If the client’s bank feed is with a supported bank but has expired, you’ll have 90 days to update the connection which you can do for your client, or they can do this themselves. After 90 days, the feed will no longer be able to be updated within FreeAgent and the client will need to update the bank feed manually themselves.
- If the client’s bank feed isn’t with a supported bank, the client will need to update the bank feed themselves. There are also scenarios where the client will need to update the bank feed themselves even if the client’s bank feed is with a supported bank.
- If the client has a Mettle bank feed that has expired, the client will need to update the bank feed by following these steps.
- If the client has a bank feed integration with Starling Bank, they’ll need to update the bank feed directly with the Starling Bank app every 90 days.
- Updating clients’ bank feeds provides fresh consent for bank transactions to be imported into FreeAgent for the next 90 days but won’t trigger an import of new transactions within their FreeAgent accounts until the next overnight import.
- Once the bank feed is reconnected, FreeAgent will automatically import all data from their last imported transaction date, so no data will be missing.
How to update clients’ bank feeds in bulk
Select ‘Connections & Add-ons’ from the drop-down menu below your practice name.
Select ‘Manage’ on the ‘Bank connections’ panel.
The ‘Update connections’ tab will display all the clients who have a bank feed enabled with a supported bank that can be updated within FreeAgent, and the status of each bank feed.
To update bank feeds in bulk, select ‘Update all connections’.
This will complete the process for all clients who have enabled a bank feed with a supported bank. The clients’ bank feeds will function as normal for the next 90 days which you’ll need to update again before they expire.
Bank feeds needing updated by the client
To view bank feeds that you’re unable to update on behalf of clients, select the ‘Client must update’ tab.
This will display all the clients who need to update their bank feed connections themselves by following these steps.
Which bank feeds can I update for a client from within FreeAgent?
The ability to update a client’s bank feed in FreeAgent without being redirected to their bank’s website is available for the following banks. We plan to expand this functionality to other banks when they supply us with the technical information needed to support this functionality.
| Bank | Supported account types |
| Bank of Ireland (GB) | Online banking business and personal accounts |
| Bank of Scotland | Online banking business, commercial and personal accounts |
| Barclays | Online banking business, personal, corporate, and wealth accounts |
| Barclaycard | Online banking business, personal and commercial accounts |
| Cater Allen | Online banking business and personal accounts |
| Danske Bank | Online banking business and personal accounts |
| Halifax | Online banking business and personal accounts |
| Lloyds | Online banking business, commercial and personal accounts |
| MBNA | Online banking business and personal accounts |
| Nationwide | Online banking personal accounts |
| NatWest | Online banking business and personal accounts |
| Royal Bank of Scotland | Online banking business and personal accounts |
| Santander | Online banking business and personal accounts |
| Tesco Bank | Online banking business and personal accounts |
| Tide | Business account |
| Ulster Bank | Online banking business and personal accounts |
| Virgin Money | Online banking business and personal accounts |
| Zempler | Online banking business and personal accounts |
Why can’t I update the client’s bank feed within FreeAgent?
There are a number of reasons why you might be redirected to a client’s bank’s website, where the client will need to complete the 90-day update process themselves:
- Their bank feed is not with a supported bank.
- Due to Open Banking regulations, we are unable to import transactions older than 90 days without reconnecting to their bank.
- Open Banking access has been revoked by their bank, e.g. their online banking login details have changed, or for security reasons.
- In order for FreeAgent to comply with Open Banking technical changes, we may need the client to reconnect with their bank.
- You are adding a new bank account not previously connected to FreeAgent.
- You’re not a senior account manager in FreeAgent.