The short answer
File type: CSV. Required columns: Date, Amount. Optional columns: Payee, Description, Reference, Check Number. The converter on this site writes a file with the header Date,Amount,Payee,Description,Reference.
These rules were read on 5 October 2026 from Xero's own help page, named at the end of this page. Vendors change import rules without notice, so compare with the vendor's page before you rely on a detail.
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Required and optional columns
| Column | Required by Xero | In the file this site writes |
|---|---|---|
| Date | required | yes |
| Amount | required | yes |
| Payee | optional | yes |
| Description | optional | yes |
| Reference | optional | yes |
| Check Number | optional | no |
Date and amount conventions
| Rule | What applies to Xero |
|---|---|
| File type | CSV |
| Header row | optional; the vendor says a file can be imported without headings but named columns are easier to map |
| Dates, on the vendor's page | one of the date formats Xero lists on the page; the list could not be read on the checked date |
| Dates, in the file this site writes | DD/MM/YYYY, for example 04/03/2024. The converter offers dd/mm/yyyy and mm/dd/yyyy and the user picks the one that matches the Xero organisation's region, then confirms the dates on Xero's column-mapping screen. |
| Amounts, on the vendor's page | One signed Amount column for both income and expenses. Income is positive; expenses are negative, written with a leading minus sign or in brackets, for example -30.00 or (30.00). Commas must not be used as the decimal mark. |
| Amounts, in the file this site writes | A single signed Amount column: money out is written as a negative number, money in as a positive number. |
| Header of the file this site writes | Date,Amount,Payee,Description,Reference |
From a web search excerpt of the vendor's help page (the page itself refuses automated reading; re-check it in a browser): "Show income as positive amounts and expenses as negative amounts using a negative sign in front of the amount or with brackets, for example -30.00 or (30.00)."
A worked example of 3 rows
Invented sample data. These 3 rows were made up for this page. They are not from a real statement and hold no real account, name or balance.
The file the converter on this site writes for Xero from a bank file that has a date, a payee, a memo, a reference and an amount. Dates are written as DD/MM/YYYY.
Date,Amount,Payee,Description,Reference 04/03/2024,-4.50,Coffee Corner,Card purchase,S0001 05/03/2024,2500.00,Example Co,Salary March,S0002 07/03/2024,-1234.56,Sample Landlord,Standing order,S0003
- Row 1: 4 March 2024, 4.50 of money out. In the file: Date 04/03/2024, Amount -4.50.
- Row 2: 5 March 2024, 2500.00 of money in. In the file: Date 05/03/2024, Amount 2500.00.
- Row 3: 7 March 2024, 1234.56 of money out. In the file: Date 07/03/2024, Amount -1234.56.
The payee, memo and reference of each bank row go to the text columns this layout has; what has no column in it is left out.
Common import errors
Each line pairs a mistake with the rule above that it breaks. This page does not quote Xero's own error messages.
| What goes wrong | The Xero rule behind it |
|---|---|
| A required column is missing or cannot be matched | Required columns: Date, Amount. |
| The first row is read the wrong way: a header taken as a transaction, or a transaction taken as a header | Header row: optional; the vendor says a file can be imported without headings but named columns are easier to map. |
| Dates are refused or read as another day | Dates: one of the date formats Xero lists on the page; the list could not be read on the checked date. |
| Money out arrives as money in, or an amount lands in the wrong column | One signed Amount column for both income and expenses. Income is positive; expenses are negative, written with a leading minus sign or in brackets, for example -30.00 or (30.00). Commas must not be used as the decimal mark. |
Also stated on Xero's help page
- Only the Date and Amount fields are needed to create bank statement lines.
- Payee is recommended; if the payee is an existing contact, the name must match the contact name exactly to avoid duplicates.
Bank by bank: 40 CSV exports to Xero
One page per bank layout, each with the column mapping from that bank's CSV to the Xero file. The layouts come from public open-source importer files kept by volunteers, not from the banks.
United States (11)
- Chase
- Chase credit card
- Bank of America checking
- Bank of America credit card
- Wells Fargo checking
- Citi
- Capital One credit card
- USAA
- Charles Schwab checking
- Fidelity cash management account
- State Employees' Credit Union (NC SECU)
Canada (11)
- TD Canada Trust
- Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)
- Scotiabank chequing
- Scotiabank credit card
- CIBC
- Tangerine
- Simplii Financial
- Desjardins
- Capital One Canada
- American Express Canada
- Wealthsimple
United Kingdom (10)
- Monzo
- Starling Bank
- Barclays
- Barclaycard
- Lloyds Bank
- Halifax
- MBNA
- Tesco Bank
- Marcus by Goldman Sachs
- John Lewis Partnership Card (NewDay)
Australia (5)
United Kingdom and EU (1)
International (2)
Source documents
The official Xero help page "Import a bank statement in CSV format", at central.xero.com/s/article/Import-a-CSV-bank-statement (named as text, not linked). How it was read on 5 October 2026: search excerpts of the official page; the page itself needs a browser. The official page refuses automated fetches (HTTP 403 or a script-only page), so the rules were read from web search excerpts of that same official URL on the checked date. Re-check in a browser before relying on a detail.
Import rules of four accounting and budgeting apps, taken from each vendor's own help pages. This project is not affiliated with or endorsed by YNAB, Intuit/QuickBooks, Xero or Wave; the names are trademarks of their owners. Vendors change import rules without notice.