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How to convert a credit card statement to CSV or QuickBooks

Converting a credit-card statement works like a bank statement, with one difference that matters: the signs. Purchases are money out and should be negative; payments and credits are positive. Download the statement PDF, convert it with the credit-card convention applied, and export CSV or a QBO file written as a credit-card account.

Why the signs matter

A credit-card statement lists purchases as positive charges, but in your books those are expenses — money leaving. If a converter copies the printed amounts without flipping them, every expense lands as income and your totals are backwards. LedgerClip signs purchases negative and payments/credits positive automatically, and writes the QBO export as a credit-card account so QuickBooks categorises it correctly.

Step by step

  1. Download the statement PDF from your card issuer. Most issuers keep statements under an account’s Statements & Documents area on the website or app. If your issuer offers a direct CSV or Excel export (Amex and Citi do for recent activity), that is even simpler.
  2. Convert it with the credit-card sign convention. On a credit card, purchases are money out (negative) and payments or credits are money in (positive). Use a converter that applies this correctly, or your expense totals will be inverted.
  3. Export as CSV or QBO. For QuickBooks, export a QBO file written as a credit-card account so QuickBooks files it as a card, not a bank account. For spreadsheets, CSV or Excel is fine.
  4. Reconcile before importing. Check that the previous balance, new charges, payments and new balance line up. A reconciliation check catches a missed transaction before it reaches your books.

By issuer

Pick your card issuer for exact download steps and format details:

American ExpressChaseCitiDiscoverCapital OneBank of America

Or start straight on the converter — it detects a credit-card statement automatically.

Questions

Do credit card charges show up as negative or positive?
In bookkeeping, credit-card purchases are negative (money spent) and payments/credits are positive. A good converter signs them this way automatically.
Which credit card issuers can I convert?
Any issuer that produces a text PDF, plus scans and photos via OCR. LedgerClip has dedicated guides for American Express, Chase, Citi, Discover, Capital One and Bank of America.
Is my credit card statement uploaded when I convert it?
With a browser-based converter, no — the statement is read on your device and never transmitted. Server-based tools upload it.

Related guides

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