Transaction Account Matching via Embedding Vectors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional financial management systems are unable to accurately and efficiently assist users in sorting financial transactions into the proper accounts, leading to wasted time and resources, and potential user dissatisfaction due to manual sorting processes and incorrect account recommendations.

Innovation Solution

The system generates account grouping data, transaction grouping data, and user grouping data to analyze and predict the most suitable account for new financial transactions based on past user categorizations, merchant involvement, and transaction characteristics, providing recommendations or automatic sorting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional financial management systems use account names for matching transactions, then the system structure remains simple, but the accuracy of account recommendations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of account recommendationsVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system transforms account names into numerical feature vectors that capture semantic meaning and usage patterns. By representing accounts in a numerical space, the system can perform mathematical operations to find similar accounts, dramatically improving recommendation accuracy while maintaining manageable complexity through vector space modeling

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary embedding model that translates account names into numerical representations. This intermediary layer enables accurate matching by converting textual account names into a format that allows for similarity computation, bridging the gap between simple name-based systems and complex recommendation needs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If users manually sort transactions through the entire chart of accounts, then account recommendation accuracy is not compromised, but the time required for sorting deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime for sorting transactionsVSAvoidease of transaction sorting
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-computes account embeddings and organizes accounts into hierarchical groups based on their numerical representations before transactions need to be sorted. This preliminary structuring allows for rapid matching when transactions arrive, eliminating the need for users to manually browse the entire chart of accounts and dramatically reducing sorting time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical manual sorting process with an automated computational system. Instead of users physically navigating through account lists, the system uses numerical matching and similarity computations to automatically identify and recommend appropriate accounts, substituting human manual effort with algorithmic processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If traditional systems provide no account recommendations, then system complexity remains low, but productivity deteriorates due to manual sorting

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransaction sorting efficiencyVSAvoidautomation of sorting process
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables transactions to self-categorize by automatically matching them with appropriate accounts based on numerical similarity. The embedding model and matching algorithm work autonomously to recommend and assign accounts without requiring manual user intervention, significantly boosting productivity while implementing practical automation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where user corrections to automated account recommendations are used to refine and improve the embedding models over time. This feedback loop allows the system to learn from user behavior and continuously enhance its automation capabilities, increasing productivity while adapting to user needs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Adaptability or versatility

If the system uses user-specific transaction history for account matching, then personalization improves, but the system cannot handle new merchants or transactions without prior user history

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling of new transactionsVSAvoidlack of historical data
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal account embedding space that captures general accounting patterns and relationships applicable across all users. This universal representation allows the system to handle new transactions and merchants by comparing them against the general account structure, enabling the system to function effectively even when specific user historical data is unavailable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges user-specific transaction patterns with general accounting knowledge represented in the embedding model. By combining individual user behavior with universal account relationships, the system can provide personalized recommendations while also handling new merchants and transactions that lack user-specific history, leveraging both specific and general information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10726501B1Method to use transaction, account, and company similarity clusters derived from the historic transaction data to match new transactions to accounts
Publication Date: 2020.07.28 INTUIT INC
  • US10726501B1 patent drawing
  • US10726501B1 patent drawing
  • US10726501B1 patent drawing

AI summary

A method and system groups user accounts in a financial management system based on the similarities of the financial transactions associated with the accounts. The method and system groups merchants involved in the financial transactions based on how financial transactions involving the merchants are sorted into groups of merchants. The method and system group users based on how the users sort financial transactions into their accounts. The method and system assist users to sort future financial transactions based on the groups of accounts, the groups of merchants, and the groups of users.