Loading

Importing Bank Statements

Bank statements can be imported in the three formats banks actually hand out: CSV, OFX (and QFX), and CAMT.053, the ISO 20022 XML statement. Every line goes into the feed queue to be coded and posted, and the statement's opening and closing balances are kept for the reconciliation. Importing works entirely offline, and importing the same file or an overlapping one twice adds nothing twice.

Where to find it

Admin Panel → Finance:

  • Bank Feeds & Reconciliation — the Import statement tab: upload a statement, map a CSV layout, see what was imported

Architect Panel → ERP - Finance:

  • Feed Queue — the same console for architects

Importing a statement

  1. Open Import statement and choose the Bank account. Only bank connections with a ledger account are listed.
  2. Leave Format on Detect from the file, or choose CSV, OFX / QFX, or CAMT.053 (ISO 20022 XML).
  3. Choose the Statement file (CSV, OFX, QFX or XML, up to 8 MB) or drop it on the box. A larger file should be split by month.
  4. OFX and CAMT.053 files are read straight away. The result shows the format, the period, the number of lines, how many were new, and the opening and closing balances.
  5. Press Code the new lines to go to the queue, or Reconcile this statement to start its reconciliation.

Mapping a CSV the first time

Every bank lays its CSV out differently, so the first file from a bank is mapped by hand and saved as a layout.

  1. Read First rows of the file, as the bank wrote them. The column guesses are filled in from the headings.
  2. Say which column is the Date and the Description (both required), and either Amount (signed) or the Money in and Money out pair.
  3. Optionally map Reference, Payee / payer, Transaction ID (recognises a line seen before), Running balance (gives the closing balance), Value date and Currency.
  4. Check the reading options: Delimiter, Lines to skip, First row is headings, Decimal comma (1.234,56), Money out is positive and Date format (d day, m month, Y year: d/m/Y reads 31/01/2026). Press Re-read with these settings after changing them.
  5. Enter a name under Save as a layout (optional), for example Barclays business CSV, and press Import statement.

Next month's file from that bank is read with its saved layout straight away. To set a bank up from a sample before month end, use Save the layout only: it keeps the mapping without importing a line. Saving under an existing name updates that layout.

What each format gives

  • OFX / QFX: the bank's transaction ID for each line and the closing balance.
  • CAMT.053: opening and closing balances, and booked entries only; a pending entry is not on the statement yet.
  • CSV: whatever the layout maps. Without a running balance, the closing balance is typed when reconciling.

Re-importing and overlaps

The same file is recognised and adds nothing (Already imported.). A statement that repeats the last days of the previous one is handled line by line: each line is recognised by the bank's transaction ID, or by its date, amount, narrative and reference. A line deleted from the queue is restored, not duplicated.

The list of statements

Under the form, Statements imported into the account lists each file with its period, lines, new lines, opening and closing balances, status (imported or reconciled) and who imported it when.

What goes wrong

  • A statement refused for another account: the file's account number or IBAN does not match the connection's.
  • "Say which column holds the amount": map Amount (signed), or both Money in and Money out.
  • Amounts the wrong way round: tick or untick Money out is positive and re-read.
  • Rows skipped: the result says how many; usually a summary or blank row the layout should skip.

Worked example

A company's bank exports CSV with separate Paid in and Paid out columns, dates as 31/01/2026 and a balance column. The bookkeeper maps Paid in to Money in, Paid out to Money out, Balance to Running balance and Date format d/m/Y, saves the layout as Barclays business CSV and imports January: 212 lines, all new. February's file imports in one click with the saved layout, and the three days it repeats from January are recognised and not added again.

Recommendations

  • Prefer OFX or CAMT.053 where the bank offers them; they carry transaction IDs and balances.
  • Map Transaction ID and Running balance on a CSV whenever the bank provides them.
  • Import whole months, so each statement reconciles to a month end.
  • Use a drop folder for banks that deliver files automatically; see the article on setting up a bank account.