# FinAPI: connect your bank and pay from that account

Connect a bank in FinAPI settings, sync transactions into Banking, and authorize SEPA payments from the selected account.

Connect a German bank through **FinAPI**, import its transactions into **Banking**, and authorize SEPA payments from the account you choose.

**Who this is for:** Finance admins who pay suppliers from a connected bank account and want those transactions in Banking for reconciliation.

FinAPI must be enabled for the workspace, and payment processing must be on. If the integration is missing, contact Cortena support.

## 1. Connect a bank

1. Open **Settings → Integrations → FinAPI treasury**.
2. Under **Sync bank transactions from**, pick the earliest booking date to import. Leave it empty to use the default lookback (90 days on the first sync). Set this before you connect.
3. Click **Connect bank**. Cortena opens a secure FinAPI window so you can sign in at your bank.
4. When the connection finishes, the bank appears under **Bank connections**.

Cortena creates the FinAPI connection for you when you connect a bank or start a sync. You do not need a separate activate step.

Changing the sync-from date to an earlier day backfills older transactions on the next sync.

## 2. Sync transactions into Banking

Bank transaction sync is on by default.

1. On the same FinAPI settings page, click **Sync now**.
2. Watch **Bank sync in progress**. Accounts sync first, then transactions. Accounts show up in **Banking** as soon as they are ready: you do not have to wait for the full import.
3. Open **Banking** to review the imported transactions. Bank rows show the institution logo when FinAPI provides one.

Scheduled sync keeps Banking up to date after the first run. **Sync now** is for an immediate refresh.

Spreadsheet banks are a separate path. See [Banks and data exchange](https://help.cortena.ai/guides/integrations/banks-data-exchange).

## 3. Choose the payment account

Payments are sent from a connected bank account, not from a typed IBAN.

1. Still in **FinAPI treasury**, open **Payment account** and select the account to pay from.
2. Save if the page asks you to.

Until an account is selected, Cortena will not send payments. The hint is **Connect a bank account before sending payments** or **Select which connected account to pay from**.

Some workspaces can instead pay from the IBAN on **Settings → Legal profile** (standalone payments). That option is off unless Cortena has enabled it for the workspace. The usual path is the payment account above.

## 4. Authorize a payment

1. On a payable, send the invoice for payment. It joins a payment batch.
2. Open **Payments**.
3. On the batch, click **Authorize payment**. FinAPI opens a Web Form so an authorized person at the bank can approve the SEPA payment.
4. After the bank accepts it, the batch moves to **Authorized and completed**.

Embat and Agicap batches on the same page export when they are sent. FinAPI batches wait here until someone authorizes them.

For **International** (non-SEPA) FinAPI batches, use **Download pain XML** instead of the Web Form. See [SEPA vs international payment batches](https://help.cortena.ai/guides/integrations/sepa-international-payments).

Related: [Embat treasury](https://help.cortena.ai/guides/integrations/embat-treasury).

## 5. If authorization does not finish

If the person closes the bank window or the bank rejects the form, the batch stays on **Payments** under **Action required**.

| What you see | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| **Rejected by user** | The signer aborted the FinAPI window. Click **Retry authorization**. Cortena opens a new window. The old link is not reused. |
| **Payment authorization expired** | The window timed out. Click **Retry authorization**. |
| **Payment authorization failed** | The bank did not confirm a payment. Click **Retry authorization**. |

Returning to Cortena with a "completed" browser redirect is not enough on its own. The batch only leaves the queue after FinAPI confirms the payment.

## 6. Disconnect

- **Disconnect** on a bank connection removes that bank. You can connect it again later.
- Disconnecting the **last** FinAPI bank clears the FinAPI connection for the workspace. The next **Connect bank** or **Sync now** sets it up again.
- **Disconnect FinAPI** removes the connection without waiting for the last bank to go. The confirmation says it will be created again on the next bank connect, sync, or payment.

Accounts from a disconnected bank are ignored for matching and payment suggestions.

## Quick reference

| Task | Where |
| --- | --- |
| Set how far back to import | **Settings → Integrations → FinAPI treasury** → **Sync bank transactions from** |
| Connect a bank | **Connect bank** |
| Import now | **Sync now** |
| Choose the account that pays | **Payment account** |
| Approve a SEPA batch | **Payments** → **Authorize payment** |
| Try again after an abort | **Retry authorization** |