Import bank transactions from CSV into your budget
Monatsklar does not connect to your bank. You export transactions as a CSV file and read them in locally, with no online banking credentials.
How the import works
- In your bank’s online banking in a browser, export your transactions as CSV (choose the period, use the export or download function).
- In Monatsklar open “Bank import” (Ctrl+8) and drag the file in.
- If the format is recognised, Monatsklar says so. Otherwise you map date and amount (optionally payee and description) once and save an import profile.
- Pick the target account, check the preview, import. Entries that already exist are marked “already present”.
Verified US, UK and PayPal formats
For these, a specific export variant was checked against a published sample file, importer code or documentation:
| Bank / service | Note |
|---|---|
| Chase | Checking and credit card variants; credit card import uses the post date. |
| Bank of America | Checking variant (Date, Description, Amount, Running Bal.). |
| Capital One | Credit card variant with separate debit and credit columns. |
| Lloyds | Separate debit and credit amount columns, DD/MM/YYYY. |
| NatWest | Signed value column, DD/MM/YYYY. |
| Starling | Signed amount column. |
| PayPal | English activity download; the net amount is used. Check currency and status. |
Recognition applies to specific export variants, not to every product a bank offers. Banks change their exports from time to time; “verified” is no guarantee for every account. German bank formats are supported as well – see the German page.
General export tips
Where the export function sits differs by bank and changes over time. It is usually in the transaction list of your account in browser-based online banking rather than the phone app. Search your bank’s help for “export transactions” or “CSV”. Other banks and spreadsheet files often work through manual column mapping but may need some preparation.
Common pitfalls
- Signs: some exports show card spending as positive amounts. Check the preview; signs can be inverted during import.
- Decimal separator and dates: comma or point, DD/MM or MM/DD – adjustable in the advanced mapping. Slash dates are ambiguous, so check them before importing.
- Encoding: UTF-8, UTF-16 with a byte-order mark and, as a fallback, Windows-1252 are read. Check special characters in the preview.
- Currency: one book has one currency and nothing is converted. Split multi-currency files first.
- Re-imports: entries that already exist are marked; you can untick single rows.
When you assign imported rows to a category, Monatsklar remembers it for that payee and assigns it automatically next time.
More
Step-by-step details are in the bank import help. How your book is stored and backed up: offline expense tracker for Windows.
Related: Help: bank import · Offline on your PC · No subscription
Bank and service names are trademarks of their respective owners. Monatsklar has no partnership or affiliation with these companies.
Monatsklar does not provide financial, tax or investment advice. The app records and summarises; decisions stay with you.