Guide

Import a PDF bank statement into QuickBooks or Xero

When a bank feed doesn’t reach back far enough, or a client sends PDFs, the way in is the bank import in QuickBooks Online or Xero. Both accept CSV. Neither reads a statement PDF reliably. So the job is: PDF to CSV, then import.

1. Convert the PDF

Drop the statement onto the converter, check the balance badge, and choose a download. QuickBooks (.qbo) is the quickest route into QuickBooks: you upload it on the bank transactions screen and there are no columns to map. OFX (.ofx) does the same job for Xero and Quicken. If you would rather map columns yourself, QuickBooks / Xero CSV gives you three: Date, Description, Amount, with money out as negative numbers. The steps below are for the CSV.

2. Import into QuickBooks Online

1. Go to the bank transactions screen and choose to upload from file.
2. Select the CSV and the account it belongs to.
3. Map Date, Description and Amount, choosing the single-amount-column option and the YYYY-MM-DD date format.
4. Review and accept the transactions.

2. Import into Xero

1. Open the bank account and choose to import a statement.
2. Upload the CSV.
3. Map Date to Transaction Date, Amount to Transaction Amount and Description to Description or Payee.
4. Complete the import and reconcile as usual.

Menu names change from time to time in both products; the mapping step is the part that matters.

Before you import

• Make sure the statement period doesn’t overlap transactions already in the books, or you’ll create duplicates.
• Check the closing balance after import against the PDF.
• For clean-up jobs, convert and import one month first to confirm the mapping.

Open the converter   Free preview of every row. Nothing is uploaded.

More guides: Convert a bank statement PDF to CSV · Convert a bank statement PDF to Excel · Convert a credit card statement PDF to CSV or Excel