This feature is designed exclusively for New Zealand-based businesses and provides a simple, secure way for business owners to pay themselves directly from their business—without needing to log in to internet banking each time.
While not a core accounting function, this tool is a quality-of-life upgrade within Joy Pilot, designed to make day-to-day financial admin more seamless. By connecting your business bank account and setting up basic verification details, you can automate and streamline your personal payments in just a few clicks.
Whether you're a sole trader or small business owner who regularly draws from your business, this guide will walk you through everything you need to:
Set up your personal bank account
Connect to your bank feed via Akahu
Authenticate your device
And pay yourself effortlessly.
Setting Up Your Account
Step 1: Adding Your Personal Bank Account
Navigate to 'My Profile' in Joy Pilot.
Locate the field labeled 'Personal Bank Account Number' and enter your account details. This is where your payments will be deposited.
To ensure the security of your confidential information, re-enter your password when prompted to save these changes.
Step 2: Mobile Phone Number for Authentication
Within 'My Profile,' find the 'Mobile Phone Number' field.
Enter your current mobile number, which will be used for authentication purposes.
Confirm your password again and select 'Save Changes' to update your profile.
Step 3: Connecting to a Bank Feed
You can connect your bank account to Joy Pilot via Akahu, which securely links your bank data and enables payments to flow smoothly.
Two ways to access the bank feed setup:
From the Accounting Menu:
Go to the Accounting menu.
Select Banking from the dropdown list.
Or, directly from the Dashboard:
On your homepage dashboard, locate the Banking panel.
Click the [ + Bank feed ] link to start the connection process.
What happens next:
You’ll be guided through a few secure setup steps via Akahu, including entering your bank credentials.
A verification code will be sent to your email — enter this to complete the connection.
Once connected, your bank account will be linked to Joy Pilot, making it easier to pay yourself directly without switching between platforms.
Step 4: Connecting Your Bank Account
After verification:
Select the bank account you wish to connect. Note: This refers to your company's bank account.
Click the 'Connect' button to establish the connection between your selected bank account and Joy Pilot.
Step 5: Activating the Bank Feed
Return to the home dashboard. Next to your company's bank account number, there will be an internet icon.
Click this icon and select the internet bank feed you've just set up with Akahu.
Click 'Save.' The icon should change color (e.g., from grey to green), indicating a successful connection.
Making Payments
With everything set up, you are now ready to make a payment:
Navigate to 'Take Home Payments' from the 'Business' dropdown menu or the left-hand side menu.
Click 'Add a new take home payment' and fill in the necessary fields.
Save the payment; it will appear in the take home payments list with a corresponding icon (e.g., a black dollar sign).
Click on this icon to initiate the 'Pay Now' process.
A verification code will be sent to your registered mobile phone.
Enter the received code in the verification pop-up window.
Review the payment details and, if correct, click the 'Pay Now' button to process the payment.
Post Payment Confirmation
The icon next to your payment will change colour (e.g., from black to orange) and, after a few seconds, to another colour (e.g., grey), indicating the payment has been processed successfully.
Summary
This remarkable feature streamlines the process of paying yourself without the need for logging into internet banking. It saves time and enhances the efficiency of financial transactions for NZ businesses. Joy Pilot ensures that managing your company's finances is not only straightforward but also secure, with verification steps at every crucial point. Embrace the ease of managing financial transactions and focus on growing your business with Joy Pilot.
If you would like to know how you can securely import account balances and transactions directly into Joy Pilot from your business bank account see our guide [here].