Download bank transactions into QuickBooks

The most common task when using Quickbooks is to enter transactions. Often banks provide transactions through online banking. Instead of entering transactions by hand from the printed paper statement, check first which format your online banking provides.

File formats from online banking

OFX, QFX, QBO - transactions have the date, amount, payee name, optional description, an optional check number for checks, and unique transaction ID
QIF - transactions have the date, amount, payee/description, check number
CSV - transactions have the date, amount, payee/description, check number
PDF - transactions are presented inside to printed bank or credit card statement

Importing into Quickbooks Desktop and Quickbooks Online

QuickBooks 2020-2023 imports QBO (Web Connect) files as the easiest option to import transactions. Quickbooks provides the Bank Feeds interface to "match" transactions to vendor records after import and assign expense/income accounts and add transactions into the register.

Transactions in the QBO format

If your bank provides transactions in QBO format, this is the easiest option to import into Quickbooks as Quickbooks imports QBO (Web Connect) format, simply import this file into Quickbooks or Quickbooks Online
If your bank provides QBO files but does not provide direct online download, Quickbooks may not import the QBO file from your bank, use the ProperConvert app to make your QBO file importable by Quickbooks

Transactions in the OFX format

QBO format is essentially OFX format with added details related to Quickbooks
Use the ProperConvert app to convert OFX files to QBO format and import into Quickbooks

Transactions in the QFX format

QFX format is OFX format with added details for Quicken and may be importable by Quickbooks by simply renaming the .QFX file extension to .QBO
If renaming does not help, use the ProperConvert app to make your QFX file into an importable QBO file

Transactions in the QIF format

QIF format is Quicken Interchange Format and many accounting systems and online bankings sites can provide transactions in the QIF format (for example, Quicken can export transactions as QIF)
Use the ProperConvert app to convert QIF files to QBO format and import them into Quickbooks

Transactions in the CSV format

CSV format can be edited in Excel or other spreadsheet software
Excel or Google Sheets is an excellent tool to enter transactions quickly line by line
Once you have transactions, use the ProperConvert app to convert CSV/Excel to importable QBO format

Transactions in PDF bank statement

PDF files are often the only option to download old transactions (past 90 days)
Bank2QBO provides an easy option to extract transactions from PDF files and create an importable QBO file

Import as IIF format

Quickbooks Desktop imports the IIF format, which allows specifying vendor name and expense/income account (category) and import transactions directly into the register.
You have to be precise with vendor names and expense/income account names, so it is a good idea to get your transactions into CSV/Excel format first, edit them and then convert them to the IIF format
Use the ProperConvert app to convert transactions to CSV format
After CSV/Excel file is edited, use the ProperConvert app to convert to IIF

Importing into older Quickbooks

For older Quickbooks, IIF format is the only option to import. Use the instructions above to get your data into IIF format

If your QIF file has categories as your expense/income transactions in Quickbooks, use ProperConvert for quick conversion from QIF to IIF.