QuickBooks CSV field mapping

Map bank CSV fields to QuickBooks without guessing.

Banks use different header names for the same transaction concepts. Map by the meaning of each column, then check fictional and known examples before exporting a QuickBooks bank CSV.

Updated July 31, 2026 · Examples use fictional data.

Use the next step nowChoose a local CSV, TXT, or XLSX file and confirm the suggested columns before export.
Apply the field mapping

Target field reference

QuickBooks fieldCommon source headersRule
DatePosted Date, Transaction Date, DateUse one date convention.
DescriptionDescription, Memo, Details, Payee, NameChoose the most useful readable text.
AmountAmount, Net Amount, Transaction AmountUse signed values in a 3-column file.
CreditDeposit, Money In, CreditPositive values; leave Debit blank.
DebitWithdrawal, Money Out, DebitPositive values; leave Credit blank.

3-column mapping

Use Date, Description, Amount when the source already has one signed amount column. Check that deposits are positive and payments are negative for the intended bank-account workflow.

4-column mapping

Use Date, Description, Credit, Debit when the source separates money in and money out. Each transaction should normally populate one amount field and leave the other blank.

Do not merge unrelated text blindly

A source may include Payee, Memo, Category, Reference, and Notes. BankFileKit maps one Description column. Decide which source field is useful without exposing unnecessary private detail in the exported file.

Date mapping checklist

  • Choose MM/DD/YYYY, DD/MM/YYYY, or YYYY-MM-DD.
  • Check ambiguous day/month values.
  • Remove time-only or subtotal rows.
  • Use the same convention throughout the source.

Amount mapping checklist

  • Remove currency symbols only if the parser cannot normalize them.
  • Confirm parentheses mean negative amounts.
  • Do not populate Credit and Debit on the same row.
  • Check a known fee, purchase, deposit, and refund.

Example source-to-target mapping

Fictional bank headerQuickBooks target
Posting DateDate
Transaction DetailsDescription
Money InCredit
Money OutDebit

Preview before export

Open the QuickBooks CSV formatter, choose a local file, confirm suggested columns, and inspect the first rows. The source file and mapping remain in browser memory.

When the target is a QBO test

A QuickBooks Online bank CSV is not the same as a .qbo Web Connect file. If you specifically need a candidate QBO for a cautious Desktop test, first check the CSV to QBO file requirements and keep the beta compatibility boundary in view.

Current input boundary

The CSV formatter accepts CSV, TXT, and XLSX. CSV/TXT files are read as browser text with a leading BOM removed when present; XLSX uses the first worksheet. The separate Excel-to-QBO beta also accepts XLS. One file can contain up to 20 MB and 50,000 transaction rows.

Sources checked July 31, 2026: Intuit CSV formatting guidance.