CSV
Import transactions from a CSV file, such as an export from your bank or another budgeting app. You map the file's columns to the app's fields, review the transactions, fill in anything missing (or let AI do it), and import them in one go.
Start an import
You can start from several places:
- Transactions tab: open the ⋮ menu and choose Import transactions (CSV).
- More › Profile: under Data & Backups, tap Import data.
- More › Support: under Tools & Resources, tap Import data.
- An account's Account details: open the ⋮ menu and choose Import transactions. Every transaction goes into that account, so your file doesn't need an account column. This screen also accepts OFX, QIF and OFC files (see OFX, QIF and OFC).
On the Import transactions via CSV screen:
- Turn on Swap inflow and outflow if your bank exports deposits and expenses the wrong way round (you can also change this on the next screen).
- Tap Pick file and choose your CSV file.
On Android you can also open a CSV or bank file with Beyond Budget from your file manager or email app. The app asks Which account? and then starts the import.
Map your columns
The CSV mapping screen lists each CSV column of your file, what it's Mapped to, and a preview of the first row's value. The header shows how many transactions the file contains.
Common column names (for example Date, Amount, Category, Account, Payee, Notes, Tags) are recognised and mapped automatically. Tap a column to change its mapping. The fields you can map to are:
- Amount (required): positive for money in, negative for money out.
- Date: tap the settings icon on the date column to pick the Date format if the dates look wrong.
- Category
- Account (not offered when you import from an account)
- To Account (For transfers only): the account money was moved to. A transfer also needs the account it came from, either an Account column or the account you started the import from.
- Notes, Payee, Tags
- None: ignore the column.
Tap Next to continue. If you haven't mapped date, amount, category or account, the app asks Proceed with CSV importing? and recommends mapping them so the AI can help on the next step. You can carry on and fill them in by hand instead.
If some rows can't be read, a warning lets you view the CSV Errors with their line numbers; if you continue, those rows are left out.
Review and confirm
The Review and confirm screen groups the transactions:
- Pending information: transactions missing something, such as a category or an account. Each one says what's missing.
- Importable transactions: ready to go.
- Invalid transactions: rows that can't be imported, for example when the amount isn't a valid number.
Only importable transactions are imported. To fix one that's pending, tap it and pick what's missing. Swipe a transaction to the left to remove it from the import.
Tools & Actions
At the top, Tools & Actions offers quick fixes:
- AI auto-matching (Pro): "Let AI suggest the best categories and accounts for your transactions". The AI matches the category and account names in your file to the categories and accounts in your budget and fills them in on the pending transactions. Check the result, and tap the undo action on the message if you don't like it.
- Bulk edit mappings: "Quickly update categories and accounts for multiple transactions at once". On the Bulk property mapping screen, each value From CSV (for example Groceries) is listed under Categories or Accounts: choose the category or account it should become, and tap Set mapping to apply it to every transaction with that value.
- Remove duplicates: shown when some transactions look like ones you already have, marked Possible duplicate. Removes all of them from the import in one go.
When everything looks right, tap the checkmark at the top. The app confirms how many transactions will be added (and warns you if some look repeated), then tap Import. The transactions are added to your accounts straight away.
Free and Pro
| Free | Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| How far back you can import | 3 months | Up to 5 years |
| AI auto-matching | — | ✅ |
| New payees and tags from the file | Within the Free limits (5 payees, 5 tags) | ✅ |
Transactions older than your plan allows, or dated in the future, are left out, and a banner tells you when that happens. Each file can hold up to 500 transactions, so split a bigger file into smaller ones. If the file's new payees and tags would take you over your plan's limits, the transactions are still imported, just without creating those payees and tags.
Send the file by email
On the import screen, tap Copy import email to copy our import address, or the open-email button next to it to start an email. Send the file from the email address you sign in with, from any device, and it's imported securely into your budget. This is handy when the file is on your computer.
For the smoothest import, make sure your file has a header row with column names. If the app says the file is invalid, check that it includes columns for Date, Amount, Category and Account.