Prepare before importing

Make a backup of your current records. Create the destination account if needed, and decide which dates you are importing. Check whether any of those transactions are already in the account to avoid duplicates.

A CSV file from another app or a bank may use a different column layout. Check the format expected by Expense IQ; an Expense IQ CSV export is a useful reference when export is available. Changing a filename to .csv does not convert its contents.

Match the CSV column order

Expense IQ reads CSV fields in this order: payee or item description, category, amount, status, transaction date, remarks. A bank export with a different layout must be rearranged before importing; selecting a delimiter does not map its columns.

Use a negative amount for an expense and a positive amount for income. Dates use YYYY-MM-DD, for example 2026-10-11. Keep the status values in the format used by an Expense IQ export. A subcategory can be written as Parent:Child, such as Transport:Parking.

If the first row contains column headings, select that first-line option so the headings are skipped. Keep an untouched copy of the original file while preparing the import.

Choose the CSV settings

  1. Place the file in the csv_input subfolder of the data folder configured in Expense IQ.
  2. Open Database Tools → Import CSV and select the file.
  3. Select Import into Account.
  4. Match the decimal separator, field delimiter and first-line format to the file.
  5. Import the sample and review the resulting dates, amounts, descriptions and categories.

A comma used as a decimal separator is different from a comma separating columns. Selecting the wrong option can change how the file is read. If the file is not listed, check the data-folder access and input location.

Use QIF for a QIF file

Choose the QIF import option for QIF data and select the intended destination account. The Android interface labels QIF support as Beta, so inspect a sample before relying on a large import.

After either format, compare several entries and the account balance with the source. If something is wrong, resolve the format or restore your pre-import backup before retrying. Re-importing the same data can create duplicate records.