Convert bank statement PDF to Xero
Drop the PDF below and download a CSV laid out the way Xero’s bank statement import expects it: *Date, *Amount, Payee, Description and Reference. The file follows Xero’s published CSV template, uses signed amounts (negative for money out) and writes dates as DD/MM/YYYY. The statement is reconciled before you download.
What Xero CSV is and where it imports
Xero can import statements as CSV, OFX, QIF or QBO. The CSV route is the one most bookkeepers use for statements that did not come through a bank feed, because Xero provides a fixed template and maps it with one click.
In the template, the asterisk marks the two required columns, Date and Amount. Description holds the text from the statement. Payee and Reference are left empty, because a bank statement PDF rarely separates them reliably and guessing would make bank rules match the wrong lines.
Check the date order. Xero reads the file using your organisation’s region, and a UK, Australian or New Zealand organisation expects DD/MM/YYYY, which is what this export writes. A US organisation expects MM/DD/YYYY, and the mistake does not always fail loudly: days 1 to 12 are silently swapped with months. For a US organisation, import the OFX file instead, which stores dates in an unambiguous form.
Imports into: Xero (Import a statement)
How to import the file
Xero
- Go to Accounting > Bank accounts and choose the account the statement belongs to.
- Open Manage account > Import a statement, click Browse and pick the CSV.
- Xero recognises the template columns; check that Date, Amount and Description are mapped, then click Import.
- Open the Reconcile tab and match or create a transaction for each line.
Common import errors
- Xero reports the date is invalid or the dates are in the future.
- The date order does not match the organisation region. This file uses DD/MM/YYYY; for a US organisation, import the OFX export instead.
- Xero warns that some lines were already imported.
- Xero may flag lines that look like ones already imported. Import only the new period, or delete the earlier statement lines first.
- Imported balance does not match Xero’s statement balance.
- Check that the opening balance in Xero equals the statement’s opening balance; our check only proves the rows match the PDF, not Xero’s starting point.
Download a sample file
Built from our synthetic sample statement by the same exporter the converter uses. Open it to see the exact layout before you convert your own statement.
CSV vs QBO vs OFX vs Xero CSV
| Format | Best for | Duplicate detection | Carries closing balance | Column mapping on import | Date format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSV | Spreadsheets, scripts, tools with a custom CSV import | No | Per-row running balance column | Yes, every time | Your choice: ISO, MM/DD/YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY |
| QBO (Web Connect) | QuickBooks Online | Yes, FITID per transaction | Yes, ledger balance | No | Fixed YYYYMMDD, never ambiguous |
| OFX 2.2 | Xero, GnuCash, Moneydance and other finance apps | Yes, FITID per transaction | Yes, ledger balance per currency | No | Fixed YYYYMMDD, never ambiguous |
| Xero CSV | Xero bank statement import with a line-by-line review | No transaction IDs; Xero may flag possible duplicates | No | Template columns, recognised by Xero | DD/MM/YYYY |
FAQ: Xero CSV
Should I use the Xero CSV or the OFX file for Xero?
Both import. CSV lets you see and edit every line before import; OFX carries the closing balance and needs no mapping. Bookkeepers often prefer CSV because it is easy to review.
Why are Payee and Reference empty?
Statement PDFs mix payee, reference and memo text in one description. We put all of it in Description rather than guess, which keeps Xero bank rules predictable.
Is there a row limit?
Long statements are split into files of up to 1,000 rows, by date, so a single day is not split across files. Import them in order.
Can I use ChatGPT to prepare a Xero import file?
For a short statement you can, as long as you check the totals and the date order yourself. This tool reconciles every line against the statement balance, never uploads the client file, and writes Xero’s column layout directly.
Do negative amounts mean money out?
Yes. Withdrawals and card payments are negative, deposits positive, which is what the Xero template expects.