Import a CSV statement

If your bank offers camt.053 statements, use them instead: they include the IBAN and the balances, so ark.flow can recognise the account and check the balance. CSV is still useful when your bank has no XML export, and for PayPal, Stripe and expense reports.

Before you start

• The file must end in .csv and be no larger than 10 MB.
• The separator, semicolon or comma, is detected automatically.
• If your bank lets you choose, export dates as dd.mm.yyyy or yyyy-mm-dd.

Formats recognised automatically

On the Import screen, choose Other source (auto-detect), then Auto-detect CSV, and drop the file. ark.flow reads the header row and recognises these formats:

Source	How it is recognised
PostFinance	Buchungstext column plus Gutschrift or Belastung
PayPal	Export with Gross, Fee and Net columns (or Brut, Frais, Net)
Stripe	Export from the Stripe Dashboard
Expense reports	Date, Descriptif, Débit, Crédit columns

For PayPal and Stripe, only CHF transactions are imported. CSV statements from Banque Migros, Viseca and Twint are dropped from their own account button, like their PDF statements (see Import a PDF statement).

Map the columns

When the format isn’t recognised, the Column mapping screen opens with a preview of the first rows.

1. Tell ark.flow which column holds each piece of information: Date, Description, then either Debit and Credit, or a Single amount. The Balance column is optional.
2. With a single amount, a negative figure is money going out and a positive figure is money coming in.
3. Choose the decimal separator: point (1234.56) or comma (1234,56).
4. Check the preview, then click Import with this mapping.

Rows that can’t be read (unreadable date, missing column, zero amount) are not imported. The next screen lists them with their row number.

Approve the entries

The Entry validation screen lists each transaction with its proposed accounts and the total debits and credits.

• The bank account is the one you chose on the Import screen. If you didn’t choose one, it is account 1020.
• With column mapping, the counter-account is suggested from words in the description (for example “train” or “parking” for travel expenses), otherwise 6500 Other expenses. These proposals have a confidence of 70%, so review all of them.
• Correct the accounts where needed, then click Import all or Import selected.

Common problems

Amounts are 100 times too large, or simply wrong: the decimal separator doesn’t match the file. Go back to the column mapping and change it.

All expenses show up as income: with a single amount column, check that your bank exports outgoing payments as negative figures. If not, use the Debit and Credit columns.

Some rows are reported as skipped: most often, their date is in a format ark.flow can’t read. Change the date format in your bank’s export and import the file again.

An Excel file is rejected: save it as CSV from your spreadsheet first.