This tutorial shows how to convert a PDF file from your bank or credit card statement to CSV format and import into Quickbooks Online.
Use the ProperConvert app to convert PDF to CSV. Other formats are supported as well.
PDFs (Portable Document Format) and Excel files are two different types of documents that are used for different purposes. PDFs are commonly used for documents that need to be shared and read electronically, while Excel files are used for storing and organizing data in a tabular form.
One reason why it can be hard to convert PDFs to Excel is that PDFs are primarily designed for display and reading, rather than for data entry and manipulation. PDFs are often used to present documents in a fixed layout that is independent of the software, hardware, and operating system being used. This means that the layout and formatting of a PDF document will remain the same no matter where it is opened, which is not the case with Excel files.
Another reason why it can be difficult to convert PDFs to Excel is that PDFs often contain a mixture of text, images, and other types of data, which can make it challenging to extract and organize the data in a meaningful way. For example, a PDF document may contain a table of data that is mixed in with other text and images, making it difficult to separate the data from the rest of the document.
There are also technical challenges involved in converting PDFs to Excel. PDFs are typically created using specialized software that includes advanced features such as encryption, password protection, and digital signatures. These features can make it difficult to access and extract the data from a PDF, even with the use of specialized tools.
In summary, converting PDFs to Excel can be challenging because PDFs are designed for display and reading, rather than for data entry and manipulation. PDFs can also contain a mixture of text, images, and other types of data, which can make it difficult to extract and organize the data. Additionally, technical challenges such as encryption and password protection can make it difficult to access and extract the data from a PDF.
Follow the steps below for the Windows version, followed by the Mac version.
Make sure you are using the latest version of PDF2CSV. Download it from the PDF2CSV download page. Start PDF2CSV and select a PDF file.
Review transactions before converting. Check that dates are correct, have the correct year, amount, withdrawals, and deposits are shown in corresponding columns.
Try the different PDF Libraries if your PDF file is not parsed correctly by the selected library. You can change the PDF library for better parsing a specific PDF file.
Check with your accounting software for the expected format, in many cases, it has to be the system where you import data, expected for Quicken and Quickbooks. Set the year if missing manually.
Choose the CSV Target: Regular CSV, Excel (XLS or XLSX), Quickbooks Online, Xero, Quicken for Mac (CSV Mint), POSH or copy to clipboard to be pasted into any spreadsheet software like Excel.
Set the Date format for Quickbooks Online. Quickbooks online imports with Date format as MM/DD/YYYY.
Click the 'Convert' button to create a CSV file. For Excel targets, an Excel file will be created.
Confirm the file name and location.
Now the CSV file is created, let's switch to Quickbooks online and import created CSV file. Look for 'Banking' and click on it.
The next step is to select an account and click the 'File Upload' button.
Then click the 'Browse' button and select the created CSV file, click 'Next'.
Then select an account in Quickbooks to import and click 'Next'.
The next step is to confirm the mapping and date format. Date and Description columns should be preselected and the amount column needs to be set. Click the 'Next' button.
Review transactions in Quickbooks online, before importing and click the 'Next' button.
Finish the import by on the next step. Once the transactions are imported, you can review and categorize them under the account.
See this tutorial for Windows as a video:
Make sure you are using the latest version of PDF2CSV. Download it from the PDF2CSV download page. IMPORTANT: PDF2CSV is now replaced with the ProperConvert app, which converts from more formats and converts to more formats.
Start PDF2CSV and select a PDF file.
Review transactions before converting. Check that dates are correct, have the correct year, amount, withdrawals, and deposits are shown in corresponding columns.
Choose the CSV Target: Regular CSV, Excel (XLS or XLSX), Quickbooks Online, Xero, Quicken for Mac (CSV Mint), POSH or copy to clipboard to be pasted into any spreadsheet software like Excel.
Set Output Dates for Quickbooks Online. Quickbooks online imports with Date format as MM/DD/YYYY.
Click the 'Convert' button to create a CSV file. For Excel targets, an Excel file will be created.
Confirm the file name and location.
Now the CSV file is created, let's switch to Quickbooks online and import created CSV file. Look for 'Banking' and click on it.
The next step is to select an account and click the 'Upload' button.
Then click 'Browse' and select created CSV file, click 'Next'.
Then select an account in Quickbooks to import and click 'Next'.
The next step is to confirm the Mapping and Date format. Date and Description columns should be preselected and the Amount column needs to be set. Click the 'Next' button.
Review transactions in Quickbooks online, before importing and click the 'Next' button.
Finish the import by on the next step.
Once the transactions are imported, you can review and categorize them under the account.
See this tutorial for macOS as a video: