How to Import Bank Statements into Xero
To import a bank statement into Xero, convert the statement PDF to a CSV with Date, Amount, Payee, and Description columns, then in Xero go to Accounting → Bank accounts → Manage Account → Import a Statement and map those columns. Xero brings the transactions in so you can reconcile them against your accounts.
What Xero expects
Xero imports bank data from a CSV with a Date column, an Amount column (a single signed value, or separate money-in/money-out columns), and a Payee or Description column. Dates must be in a consistent format Xero can read. The upload itself is quick — the work is producing that clean CSV from a PDF statement.
The fast path
Rather than retyping rows, convert the statement PDF to a CSV automatically, then import that file into Xero. Because the converter signs amounts correctly and cleans up each description, the column mapping in Xero is straightforward and the transactions arrive ready to reconcile.
Step by step
- Convert the statement. Upload the PDF statement and download the categorized CSV.
- Open the bank account. In Xero, go to Accounting → Bank accounts and choose the account.
- Import a statement. Select Manage Account → Import a Statement and upload the CSV.
- Map and reconcile. Map Date, Amount, and Payee to the CSV columns, import, then reconcile.
FAQ
Can Xero import a PDF bank statement directly?
No. Xero imports CSV, OFX, or QIF files, not PDFs. Convert the PDF statement to CSV first, then import it.
Will my transactions be categorized in Xero?
Xero matches transactions to bank rules and accounts during reconciliation. Starting from a pre-categorized CSV gives you a helpful first pass to check against.
Keep reading
- How to Convert a PDF Bank Statement to Excel (or CSV)
Three ways to turn a PDF bank statement into an Excel/CSV spreadsheet — copy-paste, Excel's PDF import, and an automatic converter — with the pros and cons of each.
- How to Import Bank Statements into QuickBooks
How to get transactions from a PDF bank statement into QuickBooks Online using a CSV — the format QuickBooks expects, and how to prepare it in seconds.
- How to Categorize Business Expenses for Taxes
A practical guide to categorizing business transactions from your bank statements so tax time is painless — and how to get a pre-categorized CSV to start from.
- How to Convert a Bank Statement PDF to CSV
The fastest way to turn a bank statement PDF into a clean CSV — what a CSV needs to contain, why manual methods break, and how to do it in seconds.