Guides
Practical, step-by-step help for getting bank transactions into QuickBooks, Xero and Excel — and for fixing the problems that stop imports.
These guides are for bookkeepers, accountants and small-business owners who import bank statements by file: when a bank feed has broken, when you're catching up on old months, or when your bank simply doesn't connect to your accounting software. Each guide explains the steps in plain language, shows what the files actually look like, and ends with a checklist you can use next time.
Start here
New to importing bank files? Read these three in order:
- Which bank file format to download — so you pick the easiest file for your software.
- How bank exports differ by country — so dates and amounts come through correctly.
- The import guide for your software: QuickBooks Online or Xero.
QuickBooks
Getting bank transactions into QuickBooks Online and keeping them right.
- How to Import Bank Transactions into QuickBooks Online (CSV, QBO)
Download the right file, get it into QuickBooks format, upload it and review the transactions.
- How to Reconcile a Bank Account in QuickBooks Online After a CSV Import
Prove an import is complete, and track down a difference that won’t go to zero.
- QuickBooks Bank Upload Errors: What They Mean and How to Fix Them
Wrong format, wrong dates, backwards amounts, zeros, duplicates and file size limits.
Xero
Importing bank statements into Xero and cleaning up afterwards.
- How to Import a Bank Statement into Xero (CSV and OFX)
Prepare a CSV or OFX file, import it into the right account and fix common problems.
- How to Fix Duplicate Transactions After a Bank Import (QuickBooks and Xero)
Find duplicates, remove them in the right order, and stop them happening again.
Excel and PDF statements
Getting transactions into a spreadsheet and into shape.
- How to Convert a PDF Bank Statement to Excel (Without Retyping)
Three ways to get transactions out of a PDF, and how to check nothing was missed.
- How to Combine Debit and Credit Columns into One Amount Column
Excel formulas, Google Sheets and a reusable Power Query step for a single signed amount.
File formats
Understanding the files your bank offers.
- QBO vs QFX vs OFX vs CSV: Which Bank File Format Should You Use?
What each format is, which software prefers which, and what to download.
By country
How bank exports differ around the world.
- Bank Statement CSV Formats by Country: US, UK, Canada and Australia
Date order, currency and column layouts for US, UK, Canadian, Australian and NZ banks.
By bank
Converters set up for a specific bank, with notes on where to find its export and what usually goes wrong.
- Chase CSV to QuickBooks
Convert a Chase checking or credit card CSV into a QuickBooks Online CSV or QBO file. Reads the Chase layout automatically.
- Bank of America CSV to QuickBooks
Convert a Bank of America CSV, summary rows and all, into a QuickBooks Online CSV or QBO file.
- Wells Fargo CSV to QuickBooks
Wells Fargo CSV files have no header row. Convert yours into a QuickBooks Online CSV or QBO file in seconds.
- Barclays CSV to Xero
Convert a Barclays CSV export into a Xero bank statement CSV or OFX file, with UK dates and payees in the right columns.
- HSBC UK CSV to Xero
Convert an HSBC UK CSV download, which has no header row, into a Xero bank statement CSV or OFX file. UK date format, free and private.
- Monzo CSV to Xero
Convert a Monzo CSV statement into a Xero bank statement CSV or OFX file. Keeps payee names, handles Pot transfers, UK dates.
- RBC CSV to QuickBooks
Convert an RBC Royal Bank CSV download into a QuickBooks Online CSV or QBO file. Joins split descriptions and handles CAD$ / USD$ columns.
- CommBank CSV to Xero
Convert a CommBank NetBank CSV export, which has no header row, into a Xero bank statement CSV or OFX file with Australian dates.
Can't find what you need?
If your bank's file won't import, or a guide is missing a step, let us know which bank and software you use. Guides are updated when banks or software change their screens — every guide shows when it was last updated.