A categorised workbook adds a spending label to each extracted transaction and groups totals by label. It gives you a starting point for reviewing activity. You still decide whether a label fits the transaction and your own reporting categories.
Download the categorised workbook
- Open the Categorised Excel tool.
- Upload a readable, unlocked PDF of up to 25 MB and choose Convert My Statement.
- Open More formats and select Categorised Excel under Spreadsheet+.
- Open the .categorized.xlsx file and compare the extracted transactions with the PDF.
- Review the Category column before using the summary.
The regular Download Excel button produces the standard two-sheet workbook. Choose the labelled option in More formats to get categories. Categorised CSV is also available there if you only need the transaction rows.
Know the three sheets
| Sheet | Contents | Use it to |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Account information, period, balances, transaction count | Confirm the intended statement |
| Transactions | Date, Description, Category, Debit, Credit, Balance | Review and edit individual labels |
| By Category | Category, Transactions, Total Debit, Total Credit, Net | Inspect totals for the entire export |
The By Category sheet is a static snapshot, not a PivotTable or a set of live formulas. It totals the full uploaded statement; it does not automatically split a multi-month PDF into monthly reports. Net is Total Credit minus Total Debit within each category.
How categories are assigned
The exporter matches words in the description against an ordered rule list. The first match wins. Income, refund, and transfer rules are checked before merchant rules. A description containing AMAZON MKTP REFUND, for example, matches Refund before Shopping. STARBUCKS matches Coffee. An unmatched description is labelled Uncategorised.
These examples explain the rules, not the purpose of any actual purchase. A general retailer may sell groceries and office equipment, and a payment processor's description may hide the original merchant. The same description gets the same label under the current rules; the system does not learn from edits you make in Excel.
Review and correct the labels
Filter Transactions by Uncategorised first, then inspect transfers, refunds, large amounts, and broad merchant categories. Edit Category cells to match your own reporting structure. Keep the amount and source description intact unless you have checked an extraction error against the PDF.
Suppose Coffee contains two debits of 4 and 6. Its original summary shows two transactions, Total Debit 10, Total Credit 0, and Net -10. If the 6 transaction belongs in a different category, editing its label leaves the original By Category totals unchanged. Recalculate your report before relying on it.
Build totals that reflect your edits
Create an Excel table from the reviewed Transactions data, then create a PivotTable on a new sheet. Put Category in Rows and Debit and Credit in Values, using Sum. Refresh the PivotTable after changing the source. If Excel shows Count instead of Sum, check whether the amounts were imported as text. Microsoft's PivotTable guide explains setup and refresh options.
For a monthly report, first confirm the Date column contains usable dates and add the date grouping you need. Review transfers separately if your aim is spending analysis: moving money between your accounts is different from buying something.
Keep the right output for the next step
Categorised CSV contains the six transaction columns but neither Summary nor By Category. Choose it for a flat table, or keep XLSX for the workbook. Neither output assigns your accounting software's account codes automatically. For importing into accounting software, follow the Xero guide or QuickBooks guide.