Map CSV columns

Tell Pentos which columns of a CSV hold the date, the amount, and the payee.

CSV has no agreed layout, so every bank writes one differently. The first time you import a CSV into an account, Pentos asks you to say what its columns are, then remembers the answer for that account.

OFX, QFX, and QIF name their own fields and skip this entirely.

Steps

To map CSV columns, follow these steps:

  1. Start an import and choose a CSV file. Refer to Import a bank statement.

  2. Under Columns, match each of your file’s columns to what it holds:

    FieldWhat to pick
    DateThe column holding the transaction date
    PayeeWho the money went to or came from
    AmountThe value, in whichever style the file uses
    NotesAnything worth keeping, such as a reference

  3. Set the Date Format to match the file.

    This is the one that catches people. 03/04/2026 is 3 April in some countries and 4 March in others, and the file will not tell you which.

  4. Set the Amount Style:

    • Amount for one column carrying positive and negative values.
    • Inflow / Outflow for two separate columns.

  5. Turn on Flip sign if outgoing money is written positive.

  6. Check the preview underneath, which shows real rows read with your settings.

  7. Tap Continue.

Read the preview before continuing

The preview is the check that catches everything.

Look at three things:

  • Dates. Do they land where you expect? Find a row you remember and confirm.
  • Signs. Is spending negative and income positive? If it is inverted, use Flip sign.
  • Payees. Are they names, or reference numbers? A different column may be the better choice.

The layout is remembered

Pentos keeps the mapping for that account, so the next statement from the same bank imports without asking.

If your bank changes its export format, the mapping step returns.

Next steps