To import a scanned bank statement into Xero, either upload the scan as a PDF, if your Xero is in the US or Canada and the scan meets Xero's rules, or convert it to a CSV first and import that. Either way, compare the opening balance, closing balance and line count with the paper statement before you reconcile anything.
Does Xero accept a scanned bank statement PDF?
Xero accepts PDF bank statements, scanned ones included, in organisations based in the United States and Canada, as long as the file meets its requirements. The scan has to be straight, at least 200 DPI, in English and not password protected. Xero still recommends a file downloaded from your bank over a scan.
Xero's guide to importing a PDF bank statement lists the requirements. Run through them before you upload:
- The file is a PDF, no larger than 40 inches (2,880 points) on either side.
- It is 35MB or smaller.
- It was scanned at 200 DPI or higher.
- The pages are straight. Xero says crooked or slanted scans can cause an error.
- It is a debit or credit statement, written in English.
- It has 100 pages or fewer.
- It is not password protected.
- It covers one account only.
Two more limits apply. PDF imports are not available on the Xero Ledger plan. And Xero names a list of supported banks for which its extraction has been checked. You can upload statements from other banks, but Xero warns the results may be less accurate.
Why scanned statements need more checking than bank-downloaded PDFs
A scanned statement is a picture of text, so every number has to be recognised from the image before Xero can use it. A PDF downloaded from your bank holds the actual characters. On a scan, a smudge can turn an 8 into a 3, a fold can hide a line, and a faint decimal point can vanish.
The errors that matter most are the quiet ones:
- A misread amount still looks like a valid number and imports without complaint.
- A misread date can move a line into the wrong month.
- A skipped line, often at the bottom of a page or under a staple, simply never appears.
Statements with check images on the page add another layer, since the images can be read as text. The guide to check images in PDF bank statements covers how those pages behave in conversion.
Which numbers on a scanned statement should you compare after a Xero import?
Compare four numbers from the paper statement with what Xero brought in: the opening balance, the closing balance, the number of transactions, and the total of money in and money out. If all four agree, the import is very likely complete. If one is off, it tells you where to look.
| Check | Where on the statement | Where in Xero | If it disagrees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening balance | Top of page 1 | Statement balance on the day before the period | A line is missing from the previous period |
| Closing balance | Summary box or last page | Statement balance on the last day | A line is missing, doubled or misread |
| Transaction count | Count lines per page | Lines on the review screen | A line was skipped or split in two |
| Money in and money out | Summary box, if printed | Sum the imported amounts | An amount was misread |
Finding a misread amount
When the closing balance is off and the count is right, an amount was misread. Work out the difference. For example, a gap of 50.00, where the statement shows 128.40 and Xero shows 178.40, points at a 2 read as a 7. Look for a line whose digits could be confused in that way, then fix it in the file or delete and re-import the line.
Uploading a CSV converted from a scanned statement into Xero
If Xero's PDF import is not available to you, or it struggled with the scan, convert the statement to a CSV and import that. Check the CSV against the paper statement first, because a CSV is easy to read and fix in a spreadsheet and a statement line in Xero is not.
- Convert the scan to a CSV with Date, Amount, Payee, Description and Reference columns.
- Open it in a spreadsheet and run the four checks from the table above.
- Fix any misread amounts or dates, and remove opening and closing balance rows.
- In Xero, open Bank accounts and choose Import a Statement from the account's menu.
- Upload the CSV, match each column to its Xero field, and choose the date format if asked.
- Review the lines, then complete the import.
Some people prefer OFX because it needs no column matching. The guide on whether to convert CSV to OFX covers when that is worth the extra step.
SimpleBankConvert is being built for digital PDF statements from US banks and cards, rather than scans. If a statement cannot be read cleanly, it says so instead of handing you a file with mistakes. You can join the list on the get started page.
Balance difference and date warnings on a scanned Xero import
A scanned PDF often triggers a warning on Xero's review screen. A balance difference means transactions are missing or extra. Unable to verify balance change means Xero could not find the opening or closing balance. Possible date discrepancies means Xero could not confirm the dates. Each one lets the import continue.
Xero's US page on resolving manual import errors gives the same fix for all three: complete the import, review the lines, then bring in anything missing with a different file type, or record it as a spend or receive money transaction and mark it as reconciled.
The mistake is to complete the import and move on. A warning that you click past becomes a reconciliation problem a month later, when the statement balance in Xero no longer matches the bank. Deal with it the same day, while the paper statement is on your desk.
When a scanned statement is the wrong source for Xero
A scan is the right source only when nothing better exists. If the bank can give you a downloaded PDF, an OFX file or a CSV for the same period, use that instead. If the account is still open, a bank feed avoids statements entirely for future months.
Skip the scan when:
- The bank's website still offers the same period as a download.
- The pages are photos taken at an angle, with shadows or curled edges.
- Handwritten notes cover the transaction area.
- Pages are missing, so the opening and closing balances cannot be checked.
For current and future months, connecting a bank feed to Xero removes the need for statements. If a feed you already have has stopped, the Xero bank feed troubleshooting guide is the place to start, not a pile of scans.