Import a Bank Statement Into Manager (manager.io)

Why Manager won't import your PDF

Manager reads a wide range of bank files, .ofx, .qfx, .qbo, .qif, .csv, and even .sta, .swi, .940, and .iif, but a PDF is not among them. A statement PDF is a printed page rather than a list of dated transactions, so Manager has no column of amounts to import. When your bank only gives you a PDF, the transactions are stuck in a document the app cannot read. Converting that statement to an OFX or QIF gives Manager a file it understands, so a month of activity flows into the account ready to categorize instead of being entered by hand.

The Import bank statement steps

Manager keeps the import on the bank account itself. Open the Bank and Cash Accounts tab and click Import bank statement at the bottom, or click the Cleared balance figure for a specific account and choose Import bank statement there. Click Choose File and select the statement you converted, pick the bank account the transactions belong to, and click Next. Manager shows a summary of the transactions it will bring in; review it and press Import. Because a converted file comes out with clean, consistent fields, that summary is a quick confirmation rather than a cleanup of a malformed export.

Which format to convert to

Manager accepts several formats, and the structured ones are the smoother choice. An OFX file, or its QFX and QBO variants, carries a unique identifier per transaction, and a QIF carries categories, so both import with little preparation. Manager's own guidance is to use CSV only when the bank offers none of the other options, since a CSV needs more setup to line the columns up correctly. Converting your statement straight to OFX or QIF sidesteps that, giving Manager the kind of file it handles most cleanly, with CSV kept as the fallback for when you specifically need a spreadsheet.

Duplicate handling and review

One reason the review step matters is duplicates. Manager recognizes most duplicate transactions on its own, comparing type, date, and amount, so importing a statement that overlaps activity already in the account will not usually double-post. Still, the summary before import is your chance to confirm the account and catch anything unexpected. Reviewing the transactions in the converter before export adds a second safeguard, so the set you import is already clean, and the pairing of your review and Manager's duplicate detection keeps the register accurate.

Free, cross-platform, and private

Manager appeals partly because it is free and runs anywhere, as a desktop app on Windows, Mac, and Linux or in the cloud, and the desktop edition keeps your books on your own machine. Getting a statement into it starts with the conversion. Because the file holds real account activity, it is processed to build the OFX or QIF and then deleted automatically, with nothing retained on a server afterward. For someone who chose Manager to keep financial data local, that automatic deletion fits: the transactions end up only in your own copy of Manager, not lingering in a third-party tool.

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