Bank statement conversion is the first link in a longer chain: client intake, parsing, categorization, balance verification, reconciliation, accounting software handoff, and audit trail. This hub covers the full workflow for accountants, bookkeepers, finance teams, lenders, and auditors.
Last updated 2026-10-26
Client PDFs arrive over email, secure portals, or accounting software shares. ClearlyLedger accepts drag-and-drop, batch conversion of dozens of statements per run, and handles password-protected PDFs using the password only for that conversion; it is never logged or stored.
0-second source retention means client PDFs are processed in memory and discarded immediately — relevant for engagements covered by GDPR, DPDPA, or client confidentiality agreements.
The rule engine detects the bank from the PDF header, applies the bank-specific column profile, and emits the standardized Date · Description · Debit · Credit · Balance schema. Bank-specific profiles cover common layouts, and any other bank falls back to general extraction.
Unknown layouts fall back to the regional template and log the pattern for future profile additions — see the bank profile management guide for how to submit a new bank.
21 standardized categories — payroll, rent, utilities, transfers, fees, interest, etc. — are applied by regex against the description column. Categories ride along in the export and map directly to chart-of-accounts in QuickBooks and Xero.
Opening + credits − debits must equal printed closing. When the arithmetic fails, ClearlyLedger shows the signed difference and flags the likely cause (missing row, duplicate row, sign flip) on screen and in the annotated file. This single check catches most silent-failure modes that downstream tools never notice.
Export as Excel for analysis or choose a supported CSV/OFX path for the target application. QuickBooks Online CSV is available; QuickBooks Desktop Web Connect (.qbo) is not currently offered. Per-bank import guides explain the available formats.
A 20-file batch of monthly statements averages 60–120 seconds end-to-end including balance verification. Larger files (annual statements, 50+ pages) extend proportionally. The 120-second per-file timeout caps the worst case.
Balance checks run where the statement provides enough information; an unavailable check is not a pass. A statement Excel/CSV file may be downloadable with flagged discrepancies for review. Hard blocks require Review & Repair before release; accounting-format exports can be withheld when their validation fails. Downloads also depend on plan access and an available, unexpired artifact. Balance reconciliation is one arithmetic check, not proof that every row, date, description or classification is correct. For example, opening 1,000 plus a 100 receipt minus a 100 payment closes at 1,000; omitting both transactions still balances. Compare source row counts where available, sample page boundaries, check duplicates, and review dates and descriptions against the PDF.
Yes. Every paid plan supports multi-client firms. Batches mix files from different clients in one upload; each file produces its own export with its own audit trail. Source PDFs are never retained beyond the processing call.
No — ClearlyLedger is the conversion layer in front of your accounting software. The output imports cleanly into QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, MYOB, FreshBooks, Wave, Sage, and Zoho Books.
Yes. 0-second source-PDF retention, TLS 1.3 in transit, no use of client data for AI training, EU/UK data handling alignment. See the security page for the full posture.
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