How do I get a rule to go back and correct past transactions?

Your confusion ends here, @timothyfloor-gma.

Allow me to fill you in on everything you need to know about the bank rule feature in QuickBooks Online (QBO).

The bank rules aren't retroactive. Thus, the rule you created will only apply to the newly downloaded transactions in QBO. You'll want to categorize your previous bank transactions and put them in the correct accounts. Here's how:

1. Sign in to your QBO account.
2. Click Banking/Transactions from the left menu.
3. Select the appropriate bank account.
4. In the For review tab, find and select the transaction to expand the view.
5. Select the correct account in the Category drop-down.
6. Review the information, then click Add once everything looks good.

I'm adding this article for more guidance: Categorize online bank transactions in QuickBooks Online.

Just in case you want to learn more about the bank rules feature in QBO, you can read through this article for detailed information: Set up bank rules to categorize online banking transactions in QuickBooks Online.

Should you need any additional assistance while managing your bank transactions, you can leave a comment below. I'll be sure to get back to you.