How-to Guide
How to Import Bank Transactions from CSV
A practical walkthrough for getting transaction data into Prosper safely, mapping accounts correctly, and keeping your books audit-ready.
Overview
CSV import is a great option for getting started (and it's included in Starter). The key is correctness: the right schema, the right account mapping, and a reconciliation process that proves your numbers.
If you want automatic sync instead, see bank feeds.
Step 1
Export a CSV
Export transactions from your bank or prior system. Include date, description, and amount fields at minimum.
Step 2
Check the format
Make sure the CSV has consistent columns and values. Remove empty rows and confirm dates and amounts look correct.
Step 3
Upload to Prosper
Upload your CSV in Prosper. You can use CSV import on Starter, or pair it with bank sync on paid tiers.
Step 4
Confirm schema
If prompted, confirm which columns represent date, description, amount, and account/category. This prevents mis-imports.
Step 5
Map accounts and categorize
Map account labels to your chart of accounts. Then review exceptions so categories stay consistent.
Step 6
Reconcile and lock the boundary
Reconcile accounts to your bank statement. If this is a migration cut-off, verify and lock the opening balance.
CSV format tips
- Prefer a single signed amount column (positive/negative) if possible
- Keep a consistent date format (e.g., YYYY-MM-DD)
- Remove totals rows and empty lines
- Keep descriptions intact (they help categorization)
If your export is messy, fix the CSV first—then import. Clean inputs create clean books.
Account mapping and trust
Account mapping is the most important step in CSV imports. If mapping is wrong, the reports will be wrong—even if every transaction imported.
Use reconciliation to validate correctness. Read the reconciliation guide.
Lock the opening balance (for migrations)
If you're switching from another system, use a clean cut-off date. After import and verification, lock the opening balance to create a trusted boundary between historical data and new activity.
Ready to import your CSV?
Start free and import safely with a workflow built for correctness.