CSV format details
CSV has no single standard, so here is exactly what FinParse produces:
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Columns | Date, Description, Debit, Credit, Balance |
| Encoding | UTF-8 with a byte-order mark, so Excel detects accented characters and currency symbols correctly |
| Separator | Comma, with quotes around values that contain commas, quotes or line breaks |
| Dates | ISO 8601 (YYYY-MM-DD), which sorts correctly and is not confused between day-first and month-first locales |
| Amounts | Plain numbers with a dot as decimal separator and no thousands separators, for example 1234.56 |
| Empty values | Empty cells, for example the Credit column on a debit row |
| Line endings | CRLF, the most widely compatible choice |
Descriptions that begin with characters such as =, +, - or @ are prefixed with an apostrophe. This stops spreadsheet programs from treating statement text as a formula, a known risk with CSV files.
When to choose CSV over Excel
- Accounting imports. Many bookkeeping tools accept bank transactions as CSV and let you map columns during import.
- Google Sheets. Use File → Import → Upload and choose “Comma” as the separator.
- Scripts and databases. CSV is easy to read from Python, R, SQL tools or a spreadsheet macro.
- Version control and archiving. A text file is small and easy to compare between periods.
If you plan to work in Excel directly, the Excel export keeps number and date formatting and adds a summary sheet.
Importing into accounting software
Import screens differ between products, but most ask you to match file columns to their fields. With FinParse’s CSV, map Date to the transaction date, Description to the payee or memo, and either use Debit and Credit as separate money-out and money-in columns, or create a single amount column in a spreadsheet first with =Credit-Debit if your software expects signed amounts.
Always import into a test period or review the preview your software shows before confirming, and compare the totals with your statement.
Not sure which format your bank offers? Read PDF vs CSV bank statements.