Managing categories imported from bank files
PocketSmith can import categories via QIF and CSV files. Learn how to tell whether your exported bank files contain categories!
In this user guide
QIF files and categories
Some online banking services include categories in their exported QIF files, and others do not. It depends on the bank's preferences. If your bank file includes transaction categories, they will be automatically imported into PocketSmith.
Identifying categories in my file 🔍
If you are curious about whether your bank includes categories in the QIF file, open your bank file with a plain text editor (e.g., Notepad on Windows, TextEdit on OS X, gedit on most Linux distributions). You should be able to spot categories easily if they are there.
A single transaction in a bank file will include
- Date of purchase
- Merchant name
- Location
- Transaction total amount
- Possibly a category
Here's an example of a QIF file, with and without categories, so you can see the difference.
Note
Sub-categories that are nested under their parent categories can also be imported with QIF files!
CSV files and categories
When importing a CSV file, PocketSmith will ask you to review all the columns in your file. If categories are present in your data, simply assign that column as Categories from the drop-down menu. Doing this will ensure your categories are imported with your bank file. Easy peasy!
Note
You may need to scroll to the right of the CSV format form to view all available columns.
OFX files and categories
Alert
Categories cannot be included in OFX files