General

Can a third party account be added as read only?

Yes, it is possible to add a third party account so that no payments or transfers can be initiated. This must be indicated upon application.

Can I change the balances displayed on the your accounts page?

The balances can be changed

Select Accounts
Select Your Accounts
You can decide which information you wish to view by selecting the following options in Edit Columns (When viewed on a mobile device, 'More options' will need to be selected first)
- Name
- Type
- Account Number
- Sort Code
- Currency
- Current Balance
- Remaining Limit
- Agreed Limit
- Last Night's Ledger Balance
- Last Night's Cleared Balance

Can I download my account information in .CSV format?

Yes, you can download your account information in .CSV format.

Select Download
Select Commas separated values (.csv)
Select Download

The .csv file will be created for you to use with your chosen application.

Can I download my account information in .PDF format?

Yes, you can download your account information in .PDF format by following these steps:

Select Save as PDF
Open the PDF

You can now view or print the PDF.

Can I download my account information in .qif format?

Yes, you can download your account information in .QIF format.

Select Download
Select Quicken (.qif)
Select Download

The .qif file will be created for you to use with your chosen application.

Can I download my account information in to Adobe PDF?

Yes, you can download your account information in .PDF format

Select Save as PDF
Open the PDF

You can now view or print the PDF.

Can I download my account information to Microsoft Excel?

Yes, you can download your account information in .CSV format for use with Microsoft Excel

Select Download
Select Commas separated values (.csv)
Select Download

The .csv file will be created for you to use with Microsoft Excel.

Can I download my transactions in .OFX format?

Yes, you can download your account information in .OFX format.

Select Download
Select Sage (.ofx)
Select Download

The .ofx file will be created for you to use with your chosen application.

Can I re-add a closed account?

Closed accounts are automatically deleted from Coutts Online to ensure you are not charged for an account you no longer require, however, it is possible to reinstate the account.

If you would like to view a closed account please speak to the Coutts Digital Helpdesk on +44 (0)20 7770 0000.

Can I re-calculate my balances into a different currency?

Yes, you can do this by creating a new account set and selecting the currency you wish to re-calculate your balances into from a list. To create a new set

Select Accounts
Select Your Accounts
Select Account Sets.
Select New set.
Enter a Set name and select the Reporting Currency from the drop-down list
Choose the accounts you want to put in the set by clicking in the box to the left of the account name or the very top box to select all accounts
Select Save

The accounts in this set will now be recalculated to the reporting currency of the set.

How can I access archived statement information?

To access statement information which is no longer available on Coutts Online please contact the Coutts Digital Helpdesk on +44 (0)20 7770 0000.

How can I earn Coutts Crowns faster?

As a Member you are eligible to earn Crowns at an accelerated rate depending on the amount of business you do with us in your own personal name. Crowns can be earned at one of the following rates

Average value of assets and liabilities held with us

Coutts Crown earn Rate£0 - £999,999.991 Crown per £1 spent£1m - £2,999,999.991.25 Crowns per £1 spent£3m plus1.5 Crowns per £1 spent

How can I hide the graphical overview?

Select the Graphical Overview to hide it or reveal it if it is already closed, Online will remember your preference across all of the accounts.

How can I reconcile multiple cheques paid in on one bank giro credit?

Select the search option which will allow you to search for transactions between dates, amounts or for a specific transaction description e.g. the bank giro credit reference number.

Select Search
Complete your criteria such as date ranges, confirmed or pending transactions
In the transaction description field, enter either 'Bank Giro Credit' to search for multiple credits or the bank giro credit reference number to search for a specific credit.
Select Search

The transactions matching your search criteria will be displayed for you to view, print or download

How can I see my pending transactions?

To find pending transactions on your account

Select Accounts
Select Your Accounts
Select the account from this list

This will take you to the transaction screen where you will see all the transactions for the current month. Select the Pending transactions button to see the forecast balance and future dated transactions. These include payments made Online, payments made by phone with Coutts 24 or by fax instruction, standing orders and debit or credit card transactions that have not yet been posted to the account. Direct debits, charges or interest are not included as the amounts may vary.

To see the effect the pending transactions will have on the forward balances, select a month in the future and a forecast balance and the pending items for that month are displayed.

By selecting the year, all future dated transactions for that year will be displayed.

How do I change my account display name?

You can change the account name displayed in Coutts Online to a name of your choice

Select Accounts
Select Your Accounts
Select the Account you wish to change
Select the Account Information
Select Amend Detail
Enter the Account Alias
Select Save

If you wish to see the account number displayed as part of the account name, you should add this as part of your account alias.

How do I create an account alias?

Select Accounts
Select an account from Your Accounts
Select the Account Information
Select Amend Detail (When viewed on a mobile device, ‘More options’ will need to be selected first)
Enter an Account Alias
Select Save

Each user has the ability to set their own account alias for the accounts they can view.

How do I download transactions?

You can download the transaction information being displayed on the screen. Use the monthly transaction summary or search for transactions and then follow the steps below.

Select Download
Select the format you require, .CSV, .QIF or OFX
Select Download

Depending on your Windows version you may then have the option.

Open – will open the file, usually in Microsoft Excel or similar software
Save – allows you to save the file to your hard disk or local storage i.e. memory stick
Cancel – this will stop the download of the transaction information and nothing will be stored on your computer

Or you may be able to open the file without having to select one of the above options

How do I find transactions for my account?

To find transactions on your account

Select Accounts
Select Your Accounts
Select the account from this list

This will take you to the transaction screen where you will see all the transactions for the current month or select the month you wish to view.

Alternatively, you can use the search option which will allow you to search for transactions between dates, amounts or for a specific transaction description e.g. Waitrose or for a particular payment type e.g. direct debits.

Select Search
Complete your criteria such as date ranges, confirmed or pending transactions, amount or transaction description.
Select Search

The transactions matching your search criteria will be displayed for you to view, print or download.

How do I get more information on a transaction?

Click on a transaction in the list to drill down and display further details relating to the selected transaction.

How do I remove an account from Online banking?

The Coutts Digital Helpdesk +44 (0)20 7770 0000 will be able to do this for you unless you are a Commercial user, in which case you should contact your Banker who can arrange for the account to be deleted.

How do I search across all of my accounts at once?

To search across multiple accounts

Select Accounts
Select Your Accounts
Select Search
Select all accounts, individual accounts or the account sets that you wish to search, along with your criteria such as date ranges, amounts or transaction description.
Select Search

The transactions matching your search criteria will be displayed for you to view, print or download.

How do I sort my account information in the your accounts screen?

Each column in the Your Accounts can be sorted in ascending or descending order. Click the column heading to sort the column, and click again to reverse the order.

How do I view a balance summary of my accounts?

To view a balance summary of your accounts

Select Accounts
Select Your Accounts, where you can view the total value of all your accounts.
You can decide which information you wish to view by selecting the following options in Edit Columns (When viewed on a mobile device, 'More options' will need to be selected first)
- Name
- Type
- Account Number
- Sort Code
- Currency
- Current Balance
- Remaining Limit
- Agreed Limit
- Last Night's Ledger Balance
- Last Night's Cleared Balance

From here you can see a summary of all the accounts you have access to.

How do I view today's transactions?

To view the transactions that have gone through your account today

Select Accounts
Select Your Accounts
Select the account that you would like to view more information on

The transactions for the current month will be displayed. If they are not in the required order you may sort them by clicking on the date.

How much transaction history will be available?

Coutts Online will hold a maximum transaction history of 6 years.

I can’t see one of my accounts. What should I do?

If you are a Commercial user, check that your administrator has assigned to you the correct privileges to view the account. If you are an administrator, check that the account is registered, and that the account is assigned to the user's roles.

To register one of your own accounts, contact your Banker who will be able to arrange this for you however, if the account belongs to a third party or is a joint account, visit the Coutts Online website and download the appropriate third party form. Once this has been processed the account can be made available Online

If I create an account alias, will it change the account name on my statement or chequebook?

No, the account alias only applies to how you see the account in Coutts Online.

Is my account balance updated in real-time?

The 'current balance', sometimes called the 'real-time' balance, shows the funds in the account at that time including credits that have been paid in even though the funds may not have cleared. It does not include any pending debit card transaction but will show these items once they are debited to your account.

Is the online service compatible with Xero?

Is the Coutts Online service compatible with Xero?

Direct Bank feeds

It is possible to setup a direct feed between your Coutts account/s* and Xero if you are Non-personal or Commercial client. To do this please follow the instructions on the Xero direct feeds page here.

* The data feed is available for the following accounts:

Coutts Business Current Account
Coutts Currency Current Account
Coutts Business Reserve Account
Coutts Business Notice Account
Coutts Composite Account
Coutts Business Charge Card

The feed runs daily from Tuesday to Saturday and includes the previous day's transactions based on the transaction settlement date. E.g. the feed on Tuesday will include transactions cleared as of end of day Monday.

For more help please go to the Xero help pages, or email Xero Help bankfeeds@xero.com

Manual upload

To download a file to upload into Xero we would recommend that you use the .ofx format. Ensure the transactions you wish to download are on the screen.

Select Download
Select .OFX
Select Download

The .ofx file will be created for you to use with Xero

I want to use sage to reconcile my accounts, what do I have to do?

If you wish to use SAGE as part of your e-Reconciliation of bank statements, you can download the data from Coutts Online to upload in to the accounting package. Please contact their help desk directly on 0845 111 5555 to obtain a free utility that is compatible with the Coutts Online format.

What are the quick links in the transaction screen?

By selecting Payment, Transfer or Documents, you can quickly move to these screens to enter a payment or transfer or to access the unread statements for the account you are currently viewing.

What does the graphical overview display?

The Graphical Overview can be switched between the Account balance and Cash flow.

The Account balance graph is a quick way of viewing the movement of balances and transactions on an account over a period of time. The Cash flow graph depicts the value of credits, displayed above the zero line, against the value of the debits, displayed below the zero line.

The graphs display the closing balance for the current month or the last month that there were transactions posted. By hovering over one of the bars in the graph the value of debits and credits, together with the closing balance for that day is displayed.

If you wish to see a different time period to the default, either select a month or year tab or select the search option and enter the dates you wish to view.

Select the Pending transactions button to see the forecast balance and future dated transactions. These include payments made in Coutts Online, payments made by phone with Coutts 24 or by fax instruction, standing orders and debit card transactions that have not yet been posted to the account. Direct debits, charges or interest are not included as the amounts may vary.

To see the effect the pending transactions will have on the forward balances, select a month in the future and a forecast balance and the pending items for that month are displayed.

By selecting the year tab, all future dated transactions for that year will be displayed.

The icon warns that this is a forecast balance and therefore subject to change.

Use the Confirmed transactions button to return to actual balances and transactions.

By selecting the Graphical view it can be can be hidden or visible Coutts Online line will remember your preference across all of the accounts.

What formats can I download my account information in?

You can download your account information in a range of formats, including:
- .PDF
- .OFX
- .QIF
- .CSV
These formats will ensure you can view the information in Excel and Adobe Reader as well as other popular applications.

What information can I see on a transaction?

If you select a transaction from the list you may be able to view more information depending on the type of transaction. The details that may be available include

Order number - the number that should be quoted to the bank in the event of a query
Amount - the amount of the transaction
Booking Date - the date the payment was made
Settlement Date - the value date of the transaction
Full Description - as described on your statement

Select Enhanced Details to review further information

Value date - the date value is given for the payment
Charges - any charges attached to the transaction, these could be deferred for a later charging cycle
Timestamp - the date and time the payment arrived at the bank or left the bank
Your Reference - the reference you entered on the payment, for your use only it does not go out with the payment
Payee Details - the account number, sort code, name and address (if available) of the payee
Payee Bank Details - the name and address of ;the bank the payment was sent to
BIC/SWIFT - the BIC/SWIFT code, ABA or Fedwire number of the receiving bank
Payment Amount - the original payment amount before any currency exchange
Amount - the amount debited or credited to the account after a currency exchange
Exchange Rate - the exchange rate used in a currency exchange
By Order of - the person or business who sent the funds in the case of a credit payment
Remitter IBAN* - the IBAN of the person or business that sent the payment
Remitter Reference - any reference that the person or business sent with the payment

Due to the structure of the payment message, it is not possible to show the remitter's sort code of a Faster Payment.

What is an account alias?

Every account registered with Coutts Online is identified by a name or number. This can be the account name or account number plus the sort code. Alternatively, you can give the account a new name - an account alias - which makes identifying accounts easier and can be especially useful if you work with a large number of accounts.

Until you edit it, the default account alias is the same as the account name on your statement. The account alias is only visible in Coutts Online and will not change the actual name of your account.

What is a third party account?

A third party account has a different legal ownership from your main account. So, if your organisation owns your main account, a third party account is any account not owned by your organisation.

For each third party account you register on Coutts Online, the third party will need to sign a mandate. Third party accounts can be added as full access or read only at the third parties request.

What is displayed in the balance columns?

The Current balance shows the funds in the account at that time, including any transactions that are in the process of going through your account, for example any cheques that are in the process of clearing. This is sometimes called a real time balance or intra-day balance. Cheques will not appear as transactions on your account until they are cleared, but will be reflected in your current balance.

The Remaining Limit is the amount remaining from the limit provided to you under the lending agreement. Further usage of this limit will cause you to incur higher interest rate charges. If you would like further information on this then plesae consult your facility agreement or speak to your Private Banker

The Agreed Limit is the total amount that has been made available to you under the lending agreement connected to this account. Use of this limit will case you to incur interest charges. If you would like further information on this then please consult your facility agreement or speak to your Private Banker.

Last night's ledger balance shows all transactions that have been posted to the account as at the close of the previous business day. Also included are all uncleared items such a credits paid in over the counter at the Strand.

Last night's cleared balance is the ledger balance excluding all uncleared cheques credited to the account as at the close of the previous business day.

You can choose which balance are displayed by selecting Edit Columns

What's the difference between a confirmed and a pending transaction?

A confirmed transaction has been debited or credited to the account whereas a pending transaction is due to happen in the future. These can include debit card transactions, credit card transactions, standing orders, payment instructions via Coutts 24 or by fax or payments made via Coutts Online that are dated for some time in the future.

Which fields do I have to complete when I use the transactions search screen?

The only details you need to specify are

Dates From/To
Confirmed, (transactions that have been posted to the account) Pending (transactions that are forward dated and have not yet been posted to the account), Confirmed and pending (all transactions whether posted to the account or not)
Debit and Credit, Debit Only or Credit Only

Optional fields are:

Amount From/To
Transaction Description

If you wish to search for particular payments, for example to see how many direct debit payments have been made on the account between certain dates, enter 'direct debit' in the Transaction Description field. The search will then return all the direct debits that have been paid from the account. To search for items to or from a particular company or person, enter the name in the Transaction Description i.e. Waitrose and all the debits and credits containing that name in the statement narrative will be displayed.

Why can't I see my graphical overview?

The graphs depict movement over 2 or more days so are not automatically available on the first day of each month, the search function can be used to widen the date range. Alternatively, if you cannot see your graphical overview it may be that you decided to hide it previously and Online remembers this as your preference, it can be expanded simply by selecting it.

Why doesn’t the balance screen have a date?

The current and available balances are the actual balances at the time they are viewed and could be changing constantly. If you print the screen using the Save as PDF option the date and time of printing will be applied.

Why doesn't the transaction screen open at the current month?

The transaction screen opens to the last month that a transaction was processed. If no credits or debits were received in the current month then the screen will show the last month that there was movement on the account.

If there has been no movement on the account for a significant amount of time then the default will revert back to the current month.