Import missing bank-statement transactions into Xero

1. Find the missing period before preparing a file

Open the intended bank account in Xero and compare its statement lines with the bank's records. Note the last correct date and the next date already present. This defines the gap you need to fill.

For example, if a feed contains transactions through 30 June and resumes on 8 July, review 1 to 7 July. Do not assume the whole July statement is missing. Check whether someone has already imported part of the gap manually.

Xero's duplicate statement guidance notes that duplicates can arise when the same period arrives through a manual import and a feed. Keep a short record of which ranges your team has loaded.

2. Use a bank export or convert the PDF you have

Ask the bank for a transaction file before extracting a PDF. Xero recommends OFX over PDF when that option is available. Its native PDF import is limited to supported banks in US and Canadian organisations and is not available on Ledger plans.

If a supported direct file is unavailable, use Datamolino's bank statement conversion and upload the PDF to its Bank statements area. Use a complete source and check its account and date range. Bank uploads accept PDF files up to 60 MB and 50 pages. The upload guide lists the requirements.

You may not need a file at all. Datamolino can export the reviewed transactions directly to the matching bank account in Xero. This guide covers the CSV route, for when you prefer to import a file into Xero yourself.

3. Review the captured rows and export the required range

Compare dates, descriptions and amounts with the source statement. Investigate any Review required or Failed status. Datamolino may make partial captured data available, so an export button alone does not prove the statement is complete.

A passed balance tally checks arithmetic. A date-range check does not prove there are no missing dates or transactions. Compare the page boundaries and the first and last rows you expect before proceeding.

Choose CSV for the accounting import. Datamolino's CSV uses one Amount column: money out is negative and money in is positive. Its XLS format has separate debit and credit columns. Use the statement filters if you only need part of the period, and save the exact CSV you intend to import. See the export instructions.

4. Import into the correct Xero bank account

Open Bank accounts in Xero, select the relevant account and choose Import a Statement from its menu. Select the CSV. Review the column assignments and transaction preview before completing the import.

• Confirm that dates represent the intended day and month.
• Check one payment and one receipt against the source, including their signs.
• Check that descriptions have reached the intended field.
• Review the selected date range against transactions already present.
• Resolve any reported import errors rather than assuming all rows were accepted.

If the preview is wrong, return to the file and mapping before proceeding. Keep one file per destination account; a combined export from several accounts should not be loaded into a single Xero account.

5. Compare the statement balance and then reconcile

Check the imported range in Xero and compare its statement balance with the actual bank balance for the same date. Xero's balance comparison guide explains how to locate missing, duplicate, deleted or manually created statement lines.

The import creates bank statement lines for reconciliation. It does not establish what every payment was for or replace the review of invoices and receipts. Match the imported lines to the appropriate accounting transactions using your normal process.

If something is wrong after import

Identify the affected statement lines before changing them. Use Xero's current guidance to remove confirmed duplicates or correct missing data. Do not treat “delete and reimport everything” as a universal undo, particularly after reconciliation or other work has been completed.

Keep the source PDF, reviewed export and imported date range. For a different accounting system, the general PDF conversion guide covers the capture and export steps without assuming Xero's import behavior.

Should I import a whole month when only a few dates are missing?

Import the required range after checking existing statement lines and feed coverage. An overlapping file can create duplicate work, even when the software detects some duplicates.