Overview
If you do an Einnahmen-Überschuss-Rechnung (EÜR), your bank statement is the backbone of your bookkeeping. The challenge is getting transactions into a spreadsheet or tool without manual typing.
This guide shows a simple monthly workflow: export or convert to CSV, categorize reliably, and reconcile so your EÜR stays current.
Quick summary:
- PDF statements are usually the most stable source for consistent imports.
- Structured conversion reduces manual cleanup in recurring monthly workflows.
- CSV, Excel, QuickBooks, and Xero can be handled in one process.
3 methods at a glance
KontoCSV
PDF-first conversion with consistent output fields.
Typically ~30 sec per page
Bank export
Native and free, but often limited by period or format.
Typically ~10 min
Manual entry
Works for tiny datasets, scales poorly for multi-page statements.
Typically ~5 min per page
Method 1: KontoCSV (Recommended)
- Automatic parsing of bank-specific PDF structures
- Stable columns for recurring monthly and quarterly runs
- Target profiles for CSV, Excel, QuickBooks, and Xero
- Lower manual correction effort after import
- Use original bank PDFs whenever possible
- Choose target profile explicitly for mixed currency workflows
- Run a short plausibility check before final booking
Method 2: Native banking export
Typical flow:
- Sign in to online banking and open the account
- Select period and open the export section
- Export and validate columns in your target system
Native exports are useful but not always consistent across periods and statement variants. For PDF-heavy bookkeeping, a standardized PDF-to-CSV workflow is often more reliable.
Method 3: Manual entry
Manual copy/paste can work for one-offs but becomes fragile quickly. Error risk rises with each additional page, especially for date, sign, amount, and balance consistency.
Method comparison
KontoCSV
Fast, consistent, and scalable for recurring imports.
Bank export
Free, but often constrained by period and layout changes.
Manual
Best reserved for exceptions, not recurring bookkeeping.
Step-by-step with KontoCSV
1. Export or convert your statement to CSV
Use a native CSV export when available. For PDF archives, convert with KontoCSV to get a consistent table you can filter and categorize.
2. Categorize transactions with a simple system
Create a small set of categories (income, software, travel, taxes, fees) and apply them consistently. This makes reporting and tax prep much faster.
3. Import and reconcile monthly
Import into your accounting tool or keep a master spreadsheet. Reconcile totals against the original statement to catch duplicates or missing lines early.
Best practices
- Use consistent file naming per client/account and month.
- Validate date, amount, sign, and balance before final posting.
- Keep one output profile per recurring workflow to reduce remapping.
- Keep business and personal accounts separate whenever possible.
- Do not overwrite raw amounts/dates; add categories in separate columns to preserve the audit trail.
- Keep the original PDFs archived even if you work with CSV day-to-day.
FAQ
Is Excel enough for EÜR bookkeeping?
For many freelancers yes, as long as you keep it consistent and reconcile monthly. If you use a tool (Lexoffice, sevDesk, QuickBooks), export profiles can reduce mapping work.
How do I deal with PayPal/Stripe payouts?
Use the payout reports for fee breakdowns and reconcile the net payout against the bank statement. Avoid posting only the net line without the fee details.
Conclusion
For PDF-based statement workflows, a standardized conversion process is usually the most reliable option for clean, repeatable imports.
It improves consistency across recurring monthly runs and reduces manual follow-up in accounting tools.
Try KontoCSVGerman original (more detail)
For the full German version with deeper context and local wording, open the original article: