Check and format your bank statement file correctly before importing transactions into Sage Accounting.
Choose your bank statement file type below to check the format requirements and prepare your file for a successful import.
Supported file formats
OFX or ASO files are an industry-standard format. This means you can upload your OFX file without needing to edit it.
The maximum file size you can upload is 250 MB.
We can only import transactions from one bank account at a time. We’ll import transactions from the first bank account within a file, and ignore the rest.
We need to know what format the dates are in so we can process the file correctly. We'll prompt you to confirm this before uploading.
To find out what format the dates are in:
- Open your QIF file in a text editor. If you’re a Windows user, you can use Notepad, or use TextEdit if you use a Mac
- Find a date linked to a transaction and take note of their order. We need to know the order of day, month and year
- Select the correct date order when you upload your file
The maximum file size you can upload is 250 MB.
Tips to create your CSV file
There are two ways to create the CSV file to import:
- Adjust the CSV file from your bank to match one of our CSV file templates
- Download a template file. Then copy and paste information from your bank into our template
CSV file with three columns
Download a three-column CSV template
- The file must contain columns labelled Date, Description and Amount and be in that order.
- Separate dates in the Date column by a slash, such as 04/01/2021.
- The Description column must contain text. It can't be blank.
- The text in the Description column must all be on one line.
- The Amount column must only contain numbers.
- Payments in and payments out must both be in the Amount column.
- Payments out must have a negative value.
CSV file with four columns
Download a four-column CSV template
- The file must contain columns labelled Date, Description, Money in, Money out and be in that order.
- Separate dates in the Date column by a slash, such as 04/01/2021.
- The Description column must contain text. It can't be blank.
- The text in the Description column must all be on one line.
- The Money in and Money out columns must only contain numbers.
- Payments in must be in the Money in column.
- Payments out must be in the Money out column.
Add more details with columns
If you want to upload more detailed transaction information, you can add more columns in your file. You can include information like:
- Transaction reference
- Payee name
- Address
Extra Column Headings
Any new column headings must match one of the column headings below:
| Header options | Information in your column |
| Cheque number | For example, 650240 |
| Cheque |
| Cheque ref |
| Document number |
| | |
| Reference | For example, a 20-inch lemon drizzle cake |
| Reference number |
| Transaction reference |
| Transaction ref |
| | |
| Payee name | For example, Jane Doe |
| Payee |
| Payee description |
| Customer reference |
| Customer |
| Cust ref |
| | |
| Address Line 1 | For example, Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Address |
| Street |
| House/street |
| Address Line 2 |
| Address Line 3 |
| City |
| Town/city |
| Town |
| | |
| Postcode | For example, NE13 9AA |
| Post code |
| Post-code |
| | |
| Phone number | For example, 07700 900 982 |
| Phone |
| Phone # |
| | |
| Payee bank ID | For example, HSBC |
| Payee BankID |
| BankID |
| Bank ID |
| | |
| Payee account | For example, 12345678 |
| Payee account number |
| Payee account ref |
If you’re uploading an XLS or XLSX file, we only process the first tab in your file.
If you want to import data from other tabs in your file, you can:
- Copy all the data into the first tab
- Upload the data from each tab as a separate file
- Upload each tab individually, using the same file. You'll need to move each tab to the first tab position before starting a new import
What's next?
Once your file is ready, continue to Import bank statement.
- Solution ID
- 240718093942637
- Last Modified Date
- Thu Aug 20 14:05:55 UTC 2026
- Views
- 0