The two supported layouts
| Layout | Header | Amount rule |
|---|---|---|
| 3-column | Date, Description, Amount | Deposits are positive; payments are negative. |
| 4-column | Date, Description, Credit, Debit | Fill one side per row and leave the other side blank. |
QuickBooks Online CSV format
QuickBooks Online CSV format: 3 columns or 4 columns.
QuickBooks Online bank uploads use either one signed Amount column or separate Credit and Debit columns. Keep the layout simple and verify the meaning of every amount before import.
Updated July 31, 2026 · Examples use fictional data.
Use the next step nowMap source headers, preview the rows, and download a 3-column or 4-column CSV locally.
Format a bank CSV Map by meaning, not by bank wording
A bank may call the description column Memo, Details, or Payee. It may also split withdrawals and deposits into differently named columns. Match each source column to its meaning, then review several known transactions before export.
Use one date convention
BankFileKit supports MM/DD/YYYY, DD/MM/YYYY, and YYYY-MM-DD. A value such as 01/02/2026 is ambiguous until you choose the source convention. Mixed formats should be corrected instead of guessed.
Fictional 3-column example
Date,Description,Amount 07/01/2026,Fictional Coffee Shop,-12.50 07/02/2026,Fictional Client Payment,425.00
Fictional 4-column example
Date,Description,Credit,Debit 07/01/2026,Fictional Coffee Shop,,12.50 07/02/2026,Fictional Client Payment,425.00,
Before you upload
- Keep a copy of the bank export.
- Confirm date order and amount direction.
- Remove totals, blank headings, and decorative rows.
- Check that each transaction appears once.
- Use the local CSV formatter to preview the final rows.
What this format does not decide
A correctly shaped CSV does not determine categories, tax treatment, reconciliations, or whether a transaction belongs in a particular account. Those decisions remain in QuickBooks and your bookkeeping workflow.
CSV upload versus a QBO file
This guide covers a QuickBooks Online bank CSV. A .qbo file uses a separate Web Connect structure and is not interchangeable with a formatted CSV. If the target is a cautious Desktop Web Connect test, see the CSV to QBO file requirements; BankFileKit's QBO output remains unverified in real Desktop.
BankFileKit processing limits
The formatter accepts one CSV, TXT, or XLSX file at a time, up to 20 MB and 50,000 transaction rows. XLSX parsing uses the first worksheet. The current workflow targets US English and USD files.
Sources checked July 31, 2026: Intuit CSV formatting guidance.