How to Import Banking Transactions in Business Central
- Ben Cole
- Jul 10
- 8 min read
Updated: Nov 10
If you're a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central user, you know how essential it is to have your banking transactions accurately reflected in your system for smooth financial management. While linking your bank feed directly to Business Central is the ideal scenario, it's not always possible or sufficient. Some banks don't natively support direct linking, or you might have multiple cardholders on a single account, causing partial data imports. If you've faced these challenges, this comprehensive guide will walk you through an effective workaround: importing banking data from a CSV file directly into Business Central.
After following these step-by-step instructions, you will be able to confidently import your banking transactions—even without direct online integration—and set up reusable import templates tailored to your bank's export format.
Table of Contents
Why Import Banking Data from Files?
Although Business Central does offer direct bank feed linking, there are reasons to consider knowing how to import banking files manually, including:
Bank Feed Limitations: Not all banks are supported by Business Central's out-of-the-box bank feed linking. If your bank isn't on the supported list, this import method is a lifesaver.
Multiple Cardholders: Some corporate or business bank accounts have multiple cardholders. Direct imports often only pull in transactions for the primary user, missing others. Importing from a CSV file exported from your bank ensures you capture all cardholders' activity.
Custom or Legacy Formats: If your bank exports transaction data in a custom format or an older style not compatible with direct feeds, file import lets you map and adapt the data for Business Central.
Even if you don't fall into these categories, understanding how to import bank files can add flexibility to your financial operations and provide a backup solution when online feeds encounter issues.
Step 1: Create or Verify Your Bank Account Card
Before you import any data, the first step is to set up your bank account correctly in Business Central.
If you haven't done this yet, here's how:
1. Navigate to the Bank Accounts list in Business Central.
2. Select "New" to create a new bank account card.
3. Fill in the necessary details such as the bank account number, bank name, and other relevant information.
By default, new bank accounts are not linked to any bank feed or data exchange definition. For demonstration, let's say you created a bank account with the number 1234.
For more information on setting up Bank Accounts, or any other Business Central tutorials, check out Microsoft Learn.
Step 2: Set Up the Bank Statement Import Format
Once you have your bank account card ready, the next step is to configure the bank statement import format. This format tells Business Central how to interpret the banking data file you will upload.
On your bank account card, scroll down to the Transfer section. You'll find a field labeled Bank Statement Import Format. Initially, this field will be blank since no import format is linked yet.
Here is where you will create or select a data exchange definition that matches the file format of your bank file. If you have multiple accounts within the same bank and export format, you can actually reuse the same import format across all of them (saving time and ensuring consistency!)
For this example, click the dropdown next to the field, and select New to create a new import format.
Check out Microsoft Learn for more information on Data Exchange Definitions.
Step 3: Use the Bank Statement File Format Wizard
Business Central includes a helpful wizard to guide you through setting up the import format. Here's how to access it:
After clicking New in the Bank Statement Import Format field, click the ellipsis (three dots) next to the dropdown.
Select Actions, then click Bank Statement File Format Wizard.
Step 3.1: Upload a Sample Bank Statement File
If you don’t have a sample file, the wizard can export a template for you. However, if you already have a CSV file exported from your bank, upload it here to use as a template.
For this tutorial, we’ll use a CSV file from Chase Bank that contains multiple columns, including cardholder number, transaction date, posting date, description, category, type, and amount.
This file is a perfect example of a use case where multiple cardholders' transactions are included, which direct bank feed imports might miss.
Step 3.2: Skip Header Lines
Next, specify how many header lines your file has that should be ignored during import. Typically, CSV files have a single header row containing column names. Set this value accordingly to avoid importing headers as transaction data.
Step 3.3: Define The Column Separator and Column Count
Since we are working with a CSV (comma-separated values) file, set the column separator to a comma. Business Central will then display the number of columns detected in your file, which should match the structure of your file.
Step 3.4: Map Columns to Data Fields
This is the most critical step. You need to tell Business Central which columns in your file correspond to specific data fields:
Date: Choose which date column to use. The example file has two date columns: transaction date (column 2) and posting date (column 3). For this import, we will use the posting date (column 3).
Amount: Select the column containing the transaction amounts (column 7).
Description: Choose the column with the transaction descriptions (column 4).
Double-check to make sure that these selections align with the structure of your file to avoid errors.
Step 3.5: Configure Date Format and Decimal Separator
The Bank Statement File Format Wizard will prompt you to specify the date format used in your file. In our example, it is M/dd/yyyy (month/day/year). Selecting the correct format is crucial for Business Central to interpret dates correctly.
Note: We will revisit and optimize this date formula in Step 5.
You will also choose the decimal separator used for amounts. In North America, this is typically a period (dot), but some regions use a comma.
Step 3.6: Link Import Format to Bank Account
Finally, link this newly created import format back to the bank account you created earlier (account 1234 in our example). This ensures that when you import transactions, Business Central knows which format to apply to this account.
Step 4: Import Bank Transactions Using Payment Reconciliation Journal
With your import format set up and linked, it's time to test importing your banking transactions.
Navigate to the Payment Reconciliation Journal in Business Central. This is where you'll upload your bank statement file and reconcile the transactions.
At the top of the journal page, click Import Bank Transactions. If you have multiple bank accounts linked, Business Central will prompt you to select which account you want to import data for. Since we only linked one, it will proceed automatically.
You can either click to select your file or drag and drop it into the upload area. For this example, we'll upload the same Chase CSV file used in the import format setup.
Step 5: How to Handle Import Errors: Fixed vs. Variable Text Formats
You may encounter an error when you first import the file because the wizard often defaults to a fixed text format for the data exchange definition, which expects columns of a fixed width.
However, CSV files are typically variable text, meaning column widths can vary (e.g., single-digit months vs. double-digit months in dates). Fixed text formats are inflexible and can cause import failures.
To fix this:
Go back to your bank account card and open the dropdown next to the import format and click Show Details.
Then navigate to the Data Exch. Def. Code Column, click the drop down, and Click Show Details.
Change the setting from Fixed Text to Variable Text.
Adjust the date format to use lowercase letters where necessary (e.g., m/d/yyyy instead of MM/DD/YYYY), which allows flexible date parsing.
These changes make your import format more adaptable and prevent errors caused by varying date lengths.
Step 6: Re-import and Review Your Transactions
Return to the Payment Reconciliation Journal and repeat the import process with the fixed settings corrected.
Your bank transactions should now load successfully into Business Central. You'll see all imported transactions displayed, and some may already be automatically tagged to expense accounts based on your system's setup.
This import method provides a powerful way to bring your banking data into Business Central, even when direct online feeds are not an option.
Additional Tips and Next Steps
Once you have your bank transactions imported, the next step is to reconcile these entries with your accounting records. With the Business Central's Payment Reconciliation Journal, you can match transactions, apply automated mappings, and ultimately streamline your bookkeeping.
To save time and minimize manual errors, consider setting up automated mappings for common transaction types in future workflows.
You can also explore advanced reconciliation features and rules to further enhance your financial processes.
FAQ: Importing Banking Transactions in Business Central
Q1: What file formats can I use to import banking data?
You can import banking data using a CSV file. The file must be structured with consistent columns that you can map during the import setup.
Q2: Can I reuse the same import format for multiple bank accounts?
Yes. If multiple accounts share the same export format, you can create one bank statement import format and link it to all those accounts, saving setup time.
Q3: Why am I getting errors during import?
Errors often occur due to mismatched date formats or using a fixed text import setting on variable-width files like CSVs. Changing the data exchange definition to variable text and ensuring correct date formats usually resolves these issues.
Q4: How do I handle multiple cardholders on one bank account?
Direct bank feed linking often only imports transactions for the primary cardholder. By exporting all transactions to a CSV file from your bank and importing it manually, you can capture all cardholders' activities.
Q5: Is there a way to automate this import process?
Currently, importing banking transactions from files is a manual process. However, you can automate reconciliation rules within Business Central after import. For automatic bank feeds, check if your bank supports native integration with Business Central.
Q6: How does the Payment Reconciliation Journal help after importing transactions?
The Payment Reconciliation Journal allows you to review imported transactions, match them to invoices or payments, and apply automated account mappings, making reconciliation efficient and accurate.
Conclusion
Importing banking transactions from a CSV files into Business Central is a valuable skill for users whose banks don't support direct feed integration or who need to capture data for multiple cardholders. By creating a bank statement import format using the Bank Statement File Format Wizard and linking it to your bank account, you can customize how Business Central reads your banking data files.
To avoid common errors, remember to configure your data exchange definition correctly, especially when choosing variable text over fixed text and setting the right date format.
Once set up, use the Payment Reconciliation Journal to import your transactions and start the reconciliation process.
With this approach, you gain full control over your banking data imports and ensure your financial records in Business Central are comprehensive and up to date.
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Ready to optimize your Business Central environment with guidance from a BC expert?
Contact Ben Cole at Ben@BenColeBC.com or (214) 433-0923.
Ben Cole is passionate about making Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central work smarter for real people—users and partners alike. With roots in public accounting, Ben’s seen firsthand how automation and clever solutions can transform the Business Central experience. He’s known for breaking down complex topics with a dash of wit and plenty of practical advice. If you want to get more out of Business Central (and maybe even enjoy the process), Ben’s your go-to guide.
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