How it works
From PDF statement to a spreadsheet that adds up
1. Reading the statement
When you upload a PDF, the converter reads the text layer of the file together with the position of every word on the page. Words are rebuilt into printed lines, the transaction table is located by its column headings (Date, Description, Debits, Credits, Balance), and each dated row is assigned to the column it was printed in. Section headings such as “Electronic Debits” or “Checks Cleared” set the direction of amounts in single-column layouts, and a running Balance column is used to double-check the sign of every row.
Statements are read as printed — no bank login is ever requested, and no template has to be set up per bank. If the file is a scan with no text layer, or no transaction table can be found, you are told exactly that, with the next step to take.
2. The balance check
Every statement prints two numbers that let you verify a conversion independently of the converter: the opening balance and the closing balance. StatementConverter checks that
opening balance + total credits − total debits = closing balance
and shows you the equation on the result. Three outcomes are possible:
- Reconciled. The extracted rows reproduce the closing balance to the cent.
- Off by a shown difference. Rows that could explain the difference are flagged — an amount equal to the difference, a likely duplicate, or the row where a running-balance chain breaks — and you can edit or remove rows and re-run the check before downloading.
- Check not available. The summary balances could not be read (some statement formats do not print both). The transactions are still listed for review and export.
3. Reviewing and editing
The result page is a working table, not a screenshot: dates, descriptions, debits, credits, amounts and balances are all editable, rows can be added or removed, and the balance equation updates as you type. Saving re-runs the check on the server, so what you download is always what the check last verified.
4. Exporting
- CSV and Excel — on every plan, with a Summary sheet in Excel showing the balances and the check result.
- QBO — QuickBooks Web Connect format with unique transaction IDs, ready to import without column mapping (Starter and Pro).
- OFX — for Quicken, Xero and other OFX importers (Starter and Pro).
- QIF — for older Quicken versions and legacy tools (Starter and Pro).
- Merged CSV — a batch of statements combined into one file with a source-file column (Starter and Pro).
Your files
Original PDFs are processed in memory and are not retained. Results are kept for 24 hours so you can come back to them, then deleted automatically; the Delete now button on every result removes them immediately. Passwords for protected PDFs are used only to open the file during conversion and are never stored or written to logs. The full details are in our Privacy Policy.