CSV is useful when you need a plain transaction table for a spreadsheet or an import workflow. First check whether your bank already offers a CSV download for the period you need. If you only have a PDF, our converter extracts the rows into a CSV you can review and adapt to the destination.
Convert and download your CSV
Need the original document first? Follow the bank statement PDF download guide.
- Open the PDF to CSV converter.
- Upload an unlocked PDF of up to 25 MB. Prefer one account and one currency per file.
- Choose Convert My Statement and wait for the result.
- Select Download CSV. You can also download Excel from the same conversion to review its account summary.
- Compare the extracted rows with the PDF before editing or importing them.
For image-based statements, use the scan preparation checklist. Current page allowances are shown on pricing.
Understand the five output columns
The general CSV contains transaction rows only. It does not include the Excel Summary sheet, a separate Reference column, categories, or a single signed Amount column.
| Column | What it contains | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Extracted transaction date | Day, month, year, and statement period |
| Description | Extracted transaction narrative | Wrapped lines and punctuation |
| Debit | Outgoing amount where available | Compare with the PDF's debit convention |
| Credit | Incoming amount where available | Compare with the PDF's credit convention |
| Balance | Running balance where available | Missing values and row alignment |
A blank numeric cell is not proof of a zero balance. Keep missing information distinct from an amount printed as zero. The file uses UTF-8, comma separators, quoted text, and line-feed row endings. A CSV parser handles quoted commas; splitting each line at every comma will not.
Open the file without changing the data
Try the fictional source PDF and sample CSV download before uploading your own file. The sample uses our CSV exporter and contains three transactions in USD: a 500.00 deposit, a 125.00 supplies payment, and a 50.00 fee. Its opening balance is 1,000.00 and its closing balance is 1,325.00.
The description “Example supplies, office” contains a comma. In the raw CSV it is enclosed in quotes, so it remains one field. The Debit and Credit cells are blank when not applicable; Balance is a running total, not a payment to import. Compare the sample with the Excel workbook if you also need the account summary.
In Excel, use Data → From Text/CSV where available. Select comma as the delimiter, check character encoding, and inspect the date and number columns before loading. This gives you a preview instead of relying entirely on automatic interpretation when you double-click the file. Microsoft explains the available options in its text and CSV import guide.
Save your working copy as XLSX if you add formulas, formatting, or extra sheets. Keep the original downloaded CSV as a reference. When exporting an edited copy back to CSV, check that the separator, date format, and selected worksheet match the receiving system.
Prepare an accounting import
Read the destination's required columns before uploading. Some systems use separate money-in and money-out fields; others need one signed Amount. For a normal deposit-account transaction, that signed amount is Credit minus Debit after checking the source values. A debit of 40 becomes -40; a credit of 150 becomes 150. Do not import the running Balance as the transaction amount.
The website does not currently offer a custom column-mapping editor. Make required changes in a working copy. For Xero, choose the dedicated export and follow the Xero import guide. For QuickBooks, read CSV vs QBO before choosing your file.
Check before accepting the rows
- Compare transaction count, first and last dates, and rows around page breaks.
- Check one incoming and one outgoing amount in the destination's preview.
- Look for overlap with earlier uploads or an existing bank feed.
- For a deposit account, compare opening balance plus credits minus debits with closing balance.
- Investigate missing values or differences before accepting the import.
If everything appears in one column, check the delimiter setting. If dates switch month and day, import again with an explicit date interpretation. If the destination rejects the headers, adapt them to its documented template rather than renaming the file extension.