Format CSV files in Excel to get bank transactions into QuickBooks

Learn how to check the format of the CSV file you got from your bank to upload transactions to QuickBooks.

Instead of connecting your bank and credit card accounts to QuickBooks, you can upload them manually. You usually download this CSV file from your bank. Before you can upload it, you need to make sure the data is in the correct format.

In this article, you'll learn how to:

• Understand CSV formats
• Fine-tune the formatting
• Fine-tune the formatting for credit card accounts
• Upload transactions into QuickBooks Online

Learn about CSV formats

Each bank formats CSV files differently. This means you may not be able to import CSVs from certain banks since files don't have the format QuickBooks needs. If your bank doesn't support CSV files but offers QuickBooks Online (.QBO), Quicken (.QFX), or Microsoft Money (.OFX), you can import your data using one of these file formats. You'll also be able to upload more than 90 days of bank transactions using manual upload.

You can upload CSVs with either the following 3-column or 4-column format. These are the only column amounts QuickBooks can handle. They must also be formatted in the following orders.

The 3-column format

This format has a Date, Description, and Amount column.

The 4-column format

This format has a Date, Description, Credit, and Debit column.

Fine-tune the formatting

If you see an error message when you upload, do the following:

• Remove any zeroes (0) from the file. Leave those cells blank.
• Correct any transactions that display numbers in the Description column.
• Remove the word "amount" if it appears in the Credit or Debit column header. They should only read "Credit" and "Debit" without the word "amount."
• Make sure the dates are in one format. We recommend you use: dd/mm/yyyy.
• Mac users must save the file as a Windows CSV file.
• Some banks add the day of the week in the Date column (for example, 20/11/2018 TUE). You need to remove the day of the week. To do this, split the date and the day of the week into separate columns:
  1. Open the CSV in Microsoft Excel.
  2. Highlight the column that contains the date.
  3. Go to Data then select Text to Columns.
  4. Follow the onscreen steps and select the following:
     • Original data type: Delimited
     • Delimiters: Space
     • Column data format: General

You can also follow the steps from Microsoft.

Fine-tune the formatting for credit card accounts

CSV files for credit card accounts may display transactions in reverse. For example, deposits may appear as negative amounts because paying your credit card reduces your balance.

To make sure these transactions are imported correctly, select the corresponding credit card account (not a bank account) when you upload the file into QuickBooks Online.

To post credit card transactions to your company file, select a credit card account (not a bank account) in QuickBooks Online.

Upload transactions into QuickBooks Online

When your file is formatted correctly, follow these steps to upload them into QuickBooks Online.