Struggling to Import Bank Statements into Zoho Books?

Importing bank statements in Zoho Books can sometimes be a frustrating task for accountants, often leading to errors that can slow down your work. One of the most common issues is when the statement fails to fully import, leaving you with a long list of errors. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone! Here's a quick look at the most common errors and how you can easily fix them. 1. Incorrect Date Format - One of the most frequent issues accountants face while importing bank statements is related to the date format. Even though Zoho Books suggests the date format as dd-mm-yyyy, errors can still occur if the format isn’t interpreted correctly. Solution: Convert the Date Format to Text - A simple trick to avoid this error is to convert the date format into text using Excel. Here’s how you can do it: - Select the date column in your Excel sheet. - Use this formula: =TEXT(G8, "dd/mm/yyyy"). - After applying the formula, save your file and then import it into Zoho Books. This should resolve any date-related errors and allow your statement to import successfully. 2. Unsupported File Format - Another common error happens when accountants attempt to upload bank statements in a format that is not supported by Zoho Books. Zoho accepts several formats, but if you don’t use one of the accepted types, you’ll encounter issues. Solution: Use Supported File Formats - Zoho Books supports the following file types for importing bank statements: - CSV - TSV - XLS - OFX - QIF - CAMT.053 - CAMT.054 - It's also possible to directly import a PDF file downloaded from your bank without modifying the file name. This method is often the simplest, as Zoho Books can automatically read and categorize the data from many banks' PDF statements. - Troubleshooting Other Issues Even when you’re using the correct formats and date structure, you may still run into occasional problems. Common reasons include: - Extra or incorrect symbols in the numeric fields. - Blank rows or unformatted text in your import file. - Incorrect account mapping during the import process. Double-check these aspects to ensure a smooth import. Are you also facing issues while importing bank statements in Zoho Books? Share your experiences or any specific errors in the comments below, and let’s get them resolved together! For more tips, tricks, and hands-on help, stay tuned to Cloud Books Academy.