When you need this
Bank feeds are the easiest way to get transactions into QuickBooks, when they work. But there are plenty of times they don't:
- You're catching up on months or years of books, and the feed doesn't reach back that far.
- A feed broke, disconnected or skipped a stretch of transactions.
- The account is closed, so there's no online access, just old PDFs.
- A client emails you a stack of statements instead of bank access.
- The bank or card issuer doesn't support a feed at all.
In each case, the statement PDF is the record you have. StatementCheap turns it into a file QuickBooks can import.
Pick the right file
| Format | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .qbo (Web Connect) | QuickBooks Online and Desktop | Intuit's recommended file for uploads. No column mapping needed. |
| 3-column CSV | QuickBooks Online | Date, description, amount. Easy to review or edit in a spreadsheet first. |
| Excel (XLSX) | Your records and review | Not for import. Useful for working papers and client files. |
Not sure which one? Read QBO vs OFX vs QFX for a plain-English rundown, or PDF to QBO for import steps in both QuickBooks Online and Desktop.
The workflow
- Collect the PDFs. Download each month's statement from online banking. Our bank guides cover where to find them, for example at Chase or Wells Fargo.
- Convert and check. Upload each statement. We extract every transaction and check that the opening balance plus the transactions equals the closing balance.
- Fix before you import. If a statement doesn't reconcile, we point to the rows where the running balance breaks. Fix it now. It's much harder to find once it's buried in your books.
- Import. In QuickBooks Online, go to Bank transactions and choose Upload from file from the Link account dropdown. In Desktop, use Banking > Bank Feeds > Import Web Connect Files.
- Categorize and reconcile in QuickBooks. Match and categorize as usual, then run QuickBooks' reconcile tool using the statement's ending balance.
Tips that save time
- One statement per import. QuickBooks Online limits uploaded transaction files to 350 KB and 1,000 lines. Monthly files also make mistakes easier to trace.
- Watch the overlap. If a feed already covers some dates, import only the gap to avoid duplicates.
- Set up bank rules first. QuickBooks can categorize imported transactions with your rules, which saves clicks on big catch-up jobs.
- Use the right account. Import credit card statements into the credit card account, not the checking account.
Can't QuickBooks read PDFs now?
QuickBooks Online can extract transactions from some uploaded PDF or image statements, according to Intuit, for statements in English. If that covers your needs, use it. StatementCheap is useful when you want a file that works in QuickBooks Desktop too, an Excel copy for your records, or a balance check before you import. Our QuickBooks Online import guide walks through both options.
What we don't do
We don't connect to your bank or to QuickBooks, and we don't categorize transactions. You download a file and import it yourself. That keeps the tool simple and the price low.
Pricing
5 pages a day are free with no sign-up. A $6 pack covers 150 pages. Bookkeepers with steady volume usually pick Pro at $19 a month for 2,000 pages. See the pricing page, or read how bookkeepers use StatementCheap.
Works with statements from any bank, including Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Capital One, Barclays and HSBC.