---
key: import-a-bank-statement
title: Import a bank statement
audience: staff
section: bookkeeping
routes: ["/bookkeeping/transactions", "/bookkeeping/transactions/import"]
permissions: ["bookkeeping.transactions.manage"]
features: ["bookkeeping"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: "Bring your bank or credit-card activity into Nova by uploading an OFX or QFX file, or by uploading or pasting a CSV and matching its columns."
keywords: [bank feed, bank import, OFX, QFX, CSV, statement download, credit card statement, bank export]
related: [categorize-bank-transactions, add-a-bank-transaction, set-up-auto-categorize-rules, reconcile-a-bank-account]
---

In the sidebar, open **Bookkeeping**, then **Transactions**. The page address is `/bookkeeping/transactions`. The import window opens at `/bookkeeping/transactions/import`.

## Before you start

- Download a statement from your online banking. OFX and QFX files import straight away. A CSV needs one extra step to tell Nova which column is which.
- Your role needs permission to manage transactions. If you do not see **Import**, ask your admin.
- Bookkeeping has to be set up first (see [[set-up-bookkeeping]]).

## Steps

1. Under **Account** at the top of the list, pick the bank or credit-card account the statement belongs to. Every import lands in the account chosen here.
2. Press **Import**. The **Import bank statement** window opens.
3. To import an OFX or QFX file, choose it with the file picker. Nova imports it right away and shows Importing… until it finishes. Skip to step 7.
4. To import a CSV, choose the file, or paste the CSV text into the box that reads Or paste CSV here (first row = column headers). Nova reads the header row and shows how many columns it detected.
5. Match the columns. Nova guesses, so check each one: **Date**, **Description**, then under **Amount style** pick **One signed column** (map **Amount**) or **Separate debit / credit** (map **Debit (out)** and **Credit (in)**). In one signed column, positive amounts come in as money in and negative ones as money out. If your bank gives each line a reference, map it under **Unique ID**.
6. Press **Import CSV**.
7. Read the message. It tells you how many lines were imported, how many duplicates were skipped, how many rows could not be read, and how many your rules categorized.
8. Press **Close**. The window stays open after an import so you can bring in another file. The new lines are in the list.

## What you see

- Each line shows its **Date**, **Description**, **Amount** (money out shows with a minus sign), a status of unreviewed (or categorized, if a rule caught it) and **Category**.
- Lines without a category are waiting for you and do not count in your reports yet. See [[categorize-bank-transactions]].
- Importing the same file again skips the lines already in this account and counts them as duplicates, with or without a **Unique ID** column.
- The **Filters** button lets you show only **Money in** or **Money out**.

## If something looks different

- **Import** is greyed out: the account picked under **Account** uses a currency that is no longer your organization's currency, or you have no bank or credit-card account yet. Choose a current account.
- **Import CSV** stays greyed out: you still need a **Date** column and either an **Amount** column or both **Debit (out)** and **Credit (in)**.
- The message reads only Imported 0: Nova found no lines it could read. Rows with no readable date, or with an amount of zero, are left out. Check the column choices, or download the file again from your bank.
- Dates such as 03/04/2026 came in as the wrong month: Nova reads a date with slashes month first. Change the date column to year-month-day (2026-04-03) in the file before importing.
- The same month came in twice: a CSV and an OFX of the same period are not matched against each other. Import each account in one format.
- The message says the import failed: the file could not be read at all. Download it again from your bank.
- You have no file at all: record the line by hand instead. See [[add-a-bank-transaction]].

[[route:/bookkeeping/transactions/import|Import a statement]]