YNAB CSV import: the format, a free template, and how to import past transactions

YNAB's File-Based Import takes a CSV from your bank and drops it into an account, which is how you add transactions without linking a bank, back-fill months before your starting balance, or replace a connection that imports duplicates or reversed amounts. YNAB is relaxed about the file (it maps the columns for you) but has a few rules that trip people up: one account per file, no categories, duplicates it silently skips, and transactions you deleted that it won't import again. Here's the format, the steps, what each option does, how to get PDF statements in, and free templates with known totals so you can test first.

1. The templates

YNAB doesn't publish a template file; its help article File-Based Import in YNAB says "YNAB will match each column in your CSV file to a YNAB field: Date, Payee, Memo, Outflow, and Inflow." The files here use exactly those five headers in that order, so every column lines up with its field. File-Based Import puts a file into one account (you pick it at the top of the import window), so there is one file per account. No sign-up.

The rows are written from Utilly's fictional sample statements (explained on sample bank statement PDF), read by the same engine Utilly's converters use, so they can't drift from the PDFs. Payee holds the bank's text for the line and Memo is empty. Outflow and Inflow are plain positive numbers, with the other column left blank. Dates are year-first (2026-09-01): YNAB's help doesn't name a required date format, and year-first can't be read day-first by mistake. The checking file is plain ASCII text (valid UTF-8) with Windows line endings, about 1.5 KB.

Date,Payee,Memo,Outflow,Inflow
2026-09-01,ACH DEBIT GUSTO PAYROLL 0912,,6420.18,
2026-09-01,STRIPE TRANSFER ST-K2M8Q4,,,3184.27
2026-09-02,CHECK 2041,,1850.00,
2026-09-02,ACH DEBIT AUSTIN ENERGY UTIL,,412.66,

2. The CSV format YNAB reads

YNAB calls CSV "the recommended and preferred file format" and also accepts QFX, OFX and QIF. You don't have to reformat a bank's CSV first: its FAQ answers "Do I need to reformat my CSV file?" with "No." What matters:

Two more rules from the same article. "File import no longer skips zero-amount rows", so padding or information rows with no amount become $0 transactions; delete them from the file first. And if the first row is data rather than column names, tick No header row. A Balance column isn't one of YNAB's fields; the simplest thing is to delete it before importing.

3. Importing a file, step by step

File-Based Import works "on the web app or an iPad (this feature is not available on iPhone, Android, or other mobile devices)." On a computer, from YNAB's help:

1. Download or export the transactions from your bank as CSV (or QFX, OFX or QIF).
2. Open YNAB in the browser.
3. "Drag and drop your file(s) onto YNAB—anywhere in YNAB." The Import Transactions window opens.
4. At the top, check the account the transactions go into.
5. Check that each column is matched to the right field; if one isn't, pick the right field from its dropdown.
6. Set the options (next section) and import. Imported transactions then wait for you to approve and categorize them.

On an iPad, YNAB's steps use Split View: open https://app.ynab.com in Safari ("You may need to tap Request Desktop Version"), drag the Files app to the side of the screen, then drag the bank file into YNAB. YNAB's iPad steps mention QFX, QIF or OFX files.

Approving doesn't decide whether a transaction counts: "Even if you don’t approve an imported transaction right away, whether income or spending, it still impacts your plan." So a bad import affects your plan right away, before you review it.

4. The import options

For a CSV, YNAB says "These are the only customization options available":

QFX, OFX and QIF files get Import Memos and Swap Payee and Memo instead of the column dropdowns. There is no time zone setting: "Adjusting to local time is always on by default."

5. One Amount column, or Outflow and Inflow

Both shapes work. YNAB's FAQ on a file with one Amount column: "Select that same Amount column for both the Inflow and Outflow fields in the import dropdowns." It adds that "YNAB reads positive and negative values from a single column" and that if your inflows and outflows come in reversed, you use the Swap option.

6. Past transactions and PDF statements

YNAB's Starting Balance article answers "Can I Import Past Transactions from before My Starting Balance?" with "Yes, but you’ll need to use File-Based Import to do so." It also suggests making a Fresh Start afterwards so the old transactions sit in an archived plan instead of needing categories, and the import FAQ says "We don't recommend importing transactions beyond one year old when using File-Based Import."

When the bank's own download doesn't go back far enough, the monthly PDF statements are what's left, and YNAB can't read them: "YNAB is unable to read other file types for File-Based Import." The route that works:

1. Find the account's start date in YNAB and gather the PDF statements before it.
2. Convert each PDF to CSV. Bank statement to CSV reads the PDF, shows a free preview, and checks that the opening balance plus every line equals the closing balance, so you know no line was missed. Its clean CSV is Date,Description,Amount,Balance with one signed amount. Delete the Balance column, then in YNAB match Description to Payee and Amount to both Outflow and Inflow. For card statements, use credit card statement to CSV; purchases come out negative. Prefer a file YNAB reads without mapping? Bank statement to OFX makes an OFX.
3. Or paste the rows into the blank template, with money out under Outflow and money in under Inflow.
4. Test one month and include the transactions dated before the start date. Then fix the starting balance (section 9) and import the rest.

Scanned statements work too: see scanned bank statement to Excel. Downloading a converted statement uses 1 credit ($9 for 5, no subscription); the preview and balance check are free with no sign-up.

7. Duplicates, matching and skipped transactions

This is where most file imports go wrong, and YNAB's rules explain it:

• Matching manual entries. YNAB matches an imported transaction to one you entered "as long as the amounts are exactly the same and the dates are within ten days of each other."
• Skipping duplicates. With File-Based Import used regularly or alongside Direct Import, "YNAB will automatically skip imported transactions with the exact same date and amount to avoid duplicates." Two genuine purchases of the same amount on the same day can be skipped as one.
• Reconciled dates. "transactions dated more than three days prior to the last reconciled transaction aren't imported." Back-fill before you reconcile, or expect old lines to be skipped.
• Deleted transactions stay blocked. "When you import transactions and then delete them, YNAB won't allow those same transactions to be imported into that account again." YNAB's way around it is to enter them by hand, or create a new unlinked account with a $0 starting balance, move the transactions into it, delete the old account and import again.

Duplicates that still get through may mean the dates in the file differ from those already imported. YNAB recommends deleting the duplicates and reconciling, which limits them from then on. Its troubleshooting article adds that "Duplicates often occur when a bank retroactively changes something about the transaction". If a linked account keeps importing duplicates or reversed amounts, YNAB's own fix is to unlink it and use File-Based Import; for reversed amounts, "With this option, inflows/outflows can be swapped with one click!"

8. Credit card accounts

Import a card file into the credit card account in YNAB. Purchases, fees and interest are outflows; payments and refunds are inflows. The credit card template does it that way: 19 outflows totalling 1,939.94, a 1,500.00 payment and a 42.18 return as inflows.

A payment you import on both sides needs one more step. YNAB's How to Handle Imported Credit Card Payments says a first payment may not be recognized: "it may show as two separate transactions—an outflow in your checking and an inflow in your credit card account." Edit it, choose Credit Card Payment, and set Paid to and Paid from; "YNAB will remember this setup for your next payment." (In the templates the checking file's AMEX payment and the card file's payment are different fictional cards, so they won't pair.)

Converting card statements from PDF? Convert a credit card statement PDF to Excel covers the card layouts.

9. Checking the import against known totals

Import the templates into new unlinked accounts with a $0 starting balance in a test plan, never into accounts you rely on. Then compare:

The data is fictional (Example Community Bank and Sample Customer LLC don't exist; both statements say SAMPLE STATEMENT, FICTIONAL DATA FOR DEMONSTRATION ONLY). Replace every row before using the template for real, and reconcile afterwards: YNAB recommends reconciling "at least once a week".

10. Error messages and fixes

On privacy, YNAB says an imported file is processed on its servers and "We don't keep the file." Moving the same history into Monarch Money instead? Importing transactions into Monarch Money uses one signed Amount column and an Account column. For Quicken, see importing a CSV into Quicken; for Actual Budget, see Actual Budget CSV import.

Utilly isn't affiliated with YNAB. The rules, steps and quotes above are from YNAB's Help Center, checked November 11, 2026; the templates weren't imported into a live YNAB plan, and YNAB's import screen may differ from what's described if it changes. Sources: File-Based Import in YNAB, The Starting Balance, My transaction amounts are reversed, My transactions are importing more than once, Adding Transactions Without Direct Import, How to Handle Imported Credit Card Payments, Approving and Matching Transactions. YNAB updates these pages; if a screen differs, follow the current help.

FAQ

Related guides

• How to import transactions into Monarch Money (CSV format, free template, old statements)
• How to import a CSV file into Quicken (Windows, Mac and Simplifi)
• Free sample bank statement CSV (fictional, with known totals)
• Catch-up bookkeeping: getting 12 months of bank statements into QuickBooks or Xero and reconciled
• How to convert a credit card statement PDF to Excel
• Convert a scanned bank statement PDF to Excel (OCR, checked to the balance)

Related tools

• Bank reconciliation checker: compare a bank statement to your books and list missing, duplicate and mismatched transactions.
• Receipt to CSV: turn PDF or photo receipts and invoices into CSV, Excel, or QuickBooks and Xero bill imports.