CSV vs Excel vs QBO: which statement export should I use?
Use Excel XLSX when you want a workbook for review, CSV when you need a flat transaction table, and QBO when you are preparing a QuickBooks-style handoff and can check the import details.
Which export fits the job?
| Format | Use it when | Check before handoff |
|---|---|---|
| Excel XLSX | You want transaction rows alongside summary and reconciliation worksheets. | Review the Summary, Reconciliation, and Rows sheets; confirm any warnings and source details. |
| CSV | You need a flat, portable table for a spreadsheet or another import workflow. | Check dates, separators, signs, debit/credit columns, descriptions, and the target system’s expected column mapping. |
| QBO | You are preparing a QuickBooks-style statement-file handoff. | Choose the correct date convention, inspect the import preview and account mapping, and verify each transaction before accepting it. |
CSV and XLSX keep review data in a spreadsheet-friendly form. QBO is a transaction statement file; it is not a connection to your bank and does not transfer data directly into an accounting account.
What is different about ExtractMint’s QBO file?
The current QBO output is generated as OFX SGML version 1.02. Its file contains BANKID 0000 and ACCTID 0000000000, generic bank and account identifiers. Review the target account mapping and import preview before accepting the file. This project has not verified an external QuickBooks import across account setups.
If the date order is ambiguous, ExtractMint pauses QBO until you choose DD/MM/YYYY or MM/DD/YYYY. The QBO export also has stricter text limits than CSV or Excel; if a row cannot be represented, use the error message to correct the row or choose a spreadsheet export.
What about the other download options?
- DOCX or PDF: document-style summaries for reading or sharing, not substitutes for checking transaction rows.
- Review JSON: saves extracted rows and validation details so a conversion can be resumed later.
- Review-pack ZIP: combines review files and can include source PDFs if you enable that option. Treat it as a financial document.
- Combined XLSX: combines multiple converted files in a workbook when more than one result is loaded.
Review before you import or share
Check dates, descriptions, references, amounts, debit/credit direction, and running balances against the source. A balance match is a useful consistency check, but it does not prove that every transaction is present or correct. No bank-specific format has been independently validated against real statements.
Core statement conversion runs in your browser. See the privacy page for data-flow details and export handling.