Bank statements are the backbone of MCA and small business lending decisions. They show deposits, withdrawals, and daily balances that reveal true cash flow and repayment capacity.
Manual intake slows everything down. Teams download attachments, rename files, check page counts, and upload to CRMs one by one. Heron automates intake end-to-end so statements arrive complete, organized, and tied to the right record.
Use Cases
- Capture submissions from shared inboxes: Heron connects to submissions@ or underwriting@ mailboxes and detects bank statement attachments automatically. It tags each file with merchant identifiers and date ranges so records are correct.
- Intake from portals and APIs: Submissions sent through web forms or partner APIs flow directly into Heron. Files appear immediately, ready for scrubbing without any manual handling.
- Detect missing pages and gaps: Heron checks page counts, sequence, and period coverage for each statement set. It flags missing pages and nonconsecutive months before packets reach underwriting.
- Standardize file naming: Heron renames files with a consistent pattern such as Merchant_Bank_MonthYear.pdf. It makes search, audit, and handoffs faster across teams.
- Auto-request missing items: When Heron finds a gap, it generates a templated email that lists exactly which pages or months are needed. Brokers get precise requests that speed corrections.
- Deduplicate submissions: Heron compares content, merchant IDs, and date windows to find duplicates. Duplicates are suppressed or flagged so queues do not fill with repeats.
- Route complete packets to the next step: Complete statement sets move directly to scrubbing or underwriting queues. Incomplete sets stay in a review lane with status and reason codes.
- Support multi-funder workflows: Brokers who send the same packet to multiple funders get uniform intake. Heron keeps the structure consistent so that downstream analysis and reporting match.
- Attach to the right CRM record: Heron matches statements to the correct merchant, contact, or deal. It prevents fragmentation and keeps a single source of truth.
- Timestamp and log arrivals: Every intake event receives timestamps and metadata. Teams can track speed and spot bottlenecks with a reliable audit history.
Operational Impact
Automated intake compresses the inbox-to-review window dramatically. Files move from receipt to ready for scrub in minutes, not hours. Teams keep pipelines flowing during volume spikes without adding staff.
Touchpoints per submission drop as manual downloading, renaming, and routing disappear. Analysts spend time on underwriting, not inbox cleanup. Exceptions become targeted, short tasks instead of email hunts.
Key metrics improve across the board. Turnaround time falls as the queue clears faster. Exception rate declines when missing pages and duplicates are caught up front. Cost per submission drops as hours of manual effort are removed.
Standardization improves reporting accuracy. With consistent file names, correct record matching, and full metadata, managers can measure throughput, error trends, and service levels reliably. Clean input accelerates every downstream step.
Operational KPIs affected most:
- Turnaround time: Intake-to-scrub time measured in minutes instead of hours.
- Touches per submission: Reduced from multiple manual steps to near zero.
- Exception rate: Fewer incomplete packets reach underwriting queues.
- Backlog reduction: Queues shrink daily, even during peak periods.
- Cost per submission: Lower processing cost through automation.
- FTE savings: Time reclaimed from intake is repurposed to higher-value work.
Heron delivers repeatable, measurable outcomes that compound over time: shorter queues, faster funding, and cleaner data.
Quality Controls and Exception Handling
Reliable intake depends on strong controls that keep quality high without adding friction. Heron builds these controls into each step so issues are caught early and resolved quickly.
Exception handling remains lightweight for operators. Reviewers see clear reason codes and structured context, then act in one pass and move on.
- Completeness validation rules: Page counts, period coverage, and sequence checks run on every submission. They catch missing pages and partial months immediately.
- Duplicate detection logic: Content signatures, merchant IDs, and date windows are compared to suppress repeats. Queues stay lean and accurate.
- Confidence thresholds for classification: Low-confidence classifications route to a quick review lane. Reviewers confirm type in seconds without slowing the main flow.
- Automated broker outreach: Templated emails request specific pages or periods with clear instructions. Brokers know exactly what to resend and where to send it.
- Exception dashboards: Teams monitor exceptions by type, volume, and time to resolution. Managers spot patterns and adjust intake rules without heavy process changes.
- Audit-ready event logs: Every status change, rename, and route decision is recorded with timestamps. Auditors and leaders get traceability without extra work.
Configuration and Field Mapping
Strong intake depends on correct mapping, so records are attached and searchable. Heron maintains structure and naming so that underwriters find what they need immediately.
Teams can adjust mappings over time. Small tweaks to names, folders, and fields keep intake aligned with operational changes.
- Record matching strategy: Heron matches by merchant name, email, external IDs, and deal keys. It prioritizes confidence and avoids creating duplicate records.
- Foldering and storage rules: Statements are filed by merchant and period using consistent paths. Reviewers can locate documents without guesswork.
- Standardized file naming: Naming templates apply uniformly across brokers and funders. Names include merchant, bank, month, and year.
- Metadata write-back: Intake status, completeness, and receipt timestamps write into CRM fields. Downstream teams see packet readiness at a glance.
- Review lane configuration: Low-confidence cases and incomplete packets route to a small queue with clear reason codes. Reviewers clear the lane quickly each day.
- Change control for templates: Naming and routing templates are versioned. Operations leaders can update them safely and track the outcome.
Benefits of Using Heron for Intaking Bank Statements
- Speed: Submissions move from inbox to ready for scrub in minutes. Underwriters start sooner and fund faster.
- Accuracy: Completeness checks and duplicate detection catch issues up front. Rework falls and decisions improve.
- Scalability: Teams absorb Monday surges and seasonal peaks without extra hiring. Workloads stay predictable.
- Consistency: Standard names, folders, and fields keep records uniform. Search, audit, and reporting are straightforward.
- Broker experience: Immediate acknowledgments and specific missing-info requests build trust. Brokers fix issues in one pass.
Heron turns repetitive intake work into a dependable loop that keeps deals moving and data clean.
FAQs About Intake for Bank Statements
How does Heron capture bank statements automatically?
Heron connects to shared inboxes, portals, and APIs to detect and ingest bank statement files as they arrive. It classifies each file, tags it with merchant and period metadata, and places it into the correct record.
What happens if a packet is incomplete?
Heron checks page counts and period coverage for each statement set. If anything is missing, it flags the packet and sends a templated missing-info request without blocking other submissions.
Can Heron detect duplicate statements?
Yes. Heron compares file content, merchant identifiers, and date ranges to find duplicates. Duplicates are suppressed or routed to a small review lane so queues remain clean.
How does Heron connect to our CRM?
Heron writes intake metadata into your system of record, including receipt timestamps, completeness status, and document links. Teams get immediate visibility without manual data entry.
How much time can operations save with intake automation?
Teams typically reduce intake and prep time by 80 to 90 percent. The same headcount processes two to three times more submissions with higher consistency.
