Bank statement PDF to Xero
How to turn a PDF bank statement into the CSV layout Xero's bank import accepts, with a reconciliation check before you import it.
Xero imports bank statements from CSV. Bank feeds cover current accounts at the larger banks, but they do not cover everything: closed accounts, older periods before the feed was connected, foreign accounts, and above all statements a client emails you as a PDF.
The format Xero expects
Xero's bank statement import wants date, amount, and a payee:
| Date | Amount | Payee | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-04 | -45.25 | SAINSBURYS | |
| 2026-01-05 | 2450.00 | SALARY |
A single amount column with negatives for money out. KontoSheet's Xero CSV button writes this layout directly, so there is no rearranging afterwards.
Check it balances before it goes in
A statement with a missing row imports cleanly and then refuses to reconcile, usually long after you have forgotten which file caused it.
Every conversion is therefore checked against the statement's own figures:
opening balance + sum of transactions = closing balance
If it does not hold to the cent, the file is flagged and you are not charged. That check is the difference between a file you can trust and a file you have to audit line by line.
Steps
- Download the PDF from online banking.
- Upload it and read the verdict on the preview.
- Click Xero CSV.
- In Xero: Accounting → Bank accounts → Manage account → Import a statement, then map the columns.
Dates and formats
Dates come out as real dates, not text, so Xero's import does not misread day and month. Amounts come out as numbers that sum. Neither survives a copy-and-paste from a PDF viewer, which is the usual reason an import fails on the first attempt.
One account, one period
Convert one account and one period per file. Mixed currencies cannot be summed and so cannot be checked - when more than one currency appears in a statement, it is flagged and not charged.