Xero bank statement CSV: layout and how to import it

What the format is

Xero can import a bank statement from a CSV. It needs a Date and an Amount for each line, and takes optional detail such as Payee, Description and Reference. Xero recommends OFX over CSV when your bank gives you the choice.

Which software takes it

Xero. Other programs usually want plain CSV or OFX.

How our file is laid out

Date,Amount,Payee,Description,Reference
10/03/2026,-12.40,CORNER CAFE 0412 SEATTLE WA,CORNER CAFE 0412 SEATTLE WA,
10/15/2026,1800.00,PAYROLL DEPOSIT ACME LTD,PAYROLL DEPOSIT ACME LTD,

There are no opening or closing balance columns and no account number, which Xero tells you to remove. Credit cards use the same layout: purchases are negative and payments are positive.

How to import it

1. 01Export with MM/DD/YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY, matching your Xero organisation.
2. 02In Xero, open Accounting, then Bank accounts.
3. 03On the account, open the menu and choose Import a Statement.
4. 04Drag the CSV in, or select it, then choose Next.
5. 05On the first import, assign each column to its Xero field: Date to Transaction date, Amount to Transaction amount, then Payee, Description and Reference. Xero reuses this for later CSV imports unless the headers change.
6. 06If asked, choose the date format, then review the lines and choose Complete import.

The full walk-through is in the Xero import guide.

Common errors and fixes

Date format mismatch

Xero lists DD/MM/YYYY, MM/DD/YYYY and YYYY/MM/DD among the formats it takes, and also formats with hyphens such as DD-MM-YYYY. It doesn’t list YYYY-MM-DD with hyphens. When a date could be read either way, Xero asks, and then applies your answer to every later CSV statement too. Export with a slash format, and check the question each time.

Column assignment prompts every time

Xero reuses your assignment unless a file has extra columns or different headers. Our headers are the same on every export, so it should only ask once.

Wrong sign on credit card lines

Xero wants purchases as negative amounts and payments as positive on a credit card account. That is how we write them. If the lines come out the wrong way, check that you chose a credit card account.

Duplicates

Xero doesn’t import lines that match ones it already has.