How to Manually Upload Bank Transactions into QuickBooks Online

Manual upload is how you get transactions into QuickBooks Online when a live bank feed is not an option: an unsupported bank, a closed account, or statements older than the 90-day feed window. It takes a CSV or QBO file and a few minutes.

Step by step

1. Go to Transactions, Bank transactions.
2. Select Upload from file, or the drop-down beside Link account.
3. Drag in your CSV or QBO file and select Continue.
4. Choose the QuickBooks account the transactions belong to.
5. For CSV, map the columns: Date, Description, and Amount, or separate Credit and Debit.
6. Review the preview and select Import, then Yes to confirm.

The CSV format QuickBooks expects

• 3 columns: Date, Description, Amount (negatives for money out).
• 4 columns: Date, Description, Credit, Debit (amounts in separate columns).
• Dates should be consistent, and remove any summary or balance rows the bank adds.

Skip the formatting with QBO

Formatting CSV columns by hand is the tedious part. If you are working from a PDF statement, convert it to QBO instead. The QBO file imports with no mapping at all. For the full picture across Online and Desktop, see the guide to importing bank statements into QuickBooks.

FAQ

Where is the upload option in QuickBooks Online?

Go to Transactions, Bank transactions, then select Upload from file (or the drop-down next to Link account). Choose your CSV or QBO file and the account it belongs to.

What columns does QuickBooks need in a CSV?

Either three columns (Date, Description, Amount) or four (Date, Description, Credit, Debit). Remove summary and running-balance rows before uploading.

Do I have to map columns for a QBO file?

No. QBO files carry the field structure QuickBooks expects, so there is no mapping step. That is one of the main reasons to prefer QBO over CSV.