Import a bank statement

Bring transactions into an account from a CSV, OFX, QFX, or QIF file.

Importing is faster than typing, and it catches the things you forgot to record.

Before you begin

  • A statement file downloaded from your bank, in CSV, OFX, QFX, or QIF.
  • The account it belongs to, already created in Pentos.

Download the file on the iPhone, or put it somewhere the Files app can reach.

Steps

To import a bank statement, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Settings tab and tap Import Transactions.

  2. Choose the account under Into Account.

    Import one account’s statement at a time. This is what tells Pentos where the transactions belong.

  3. Tap Choose File and pick the statement.

  4. Map the columns, if the file is a CSV.

    Refer to Map CSV columns. OFX, QFX, and QIF files skip this step.

  5. Review the Preview.

    Every row is listed with the date, payee, and amount Pentos read, along with how it was categorised and whether it looks like a duplicate.

  6. Untick anything you do not want.

  7. Tap Import.

A summary reports how many transactions were imported.

Duplicates

Rows resembling transactions you already have are marked Probable duplicate and left unticked.

That makes re-importing safe. If you are unsure whether last month’s statement is already in, import it and let the duplicate detection sort it out.

The check is a resemblance, not a certainty. Two identical coffees on the same day are a real pattern, so glance at anything flagged before dismissing it.

What happens to imported transactions

They land in the register, and your rules run on them as they arrive. Anything no rule matched arrives uncategorised.

The chip under the account’s balance counts those. Tapping it filters straight to them, which is the fastest way to finish an import.

Tip

Import first, then categorise in bulk. Filter to a payee, select all, set the category once, and make a rule so next month is already done. Refer to Edit transactions in bulk.

If the import fails

Nothing is written. A failed import leaves your budget exactly as it was, so there is no half-imported state to clean up.

The usual cause is a CSV whose columns were mapped wrongly, most often the date format. Refer to Map CSV columns.

Next steps