If you've downloaded a CSV file and aren't sure what to do with it, you're not alone. CSV is one of the most common file formats in the world — here's everything you need to know.
CSV stands for Comma-Separated Values. It's a plain text file where each line represents a row of data and each value within that row is separated by a comma.
Open any CSV file in a text editor and you'll see something like this:
Date,Description,Debit,Credit,Balance
03/26,WALMART,13.73,,1582.52
03/26,DIRECT DEPOSIT,,2500.00,4082.52
Each row is a transaction. Each column is separated by a comma.
The easiest way is to double-click the file — Windows will open it in Microsoft Excel automatically. If Excel isn't installed, right-click → Open With → Notepad to see the raw data, or download the free LibreOffice Calc.
Double-click the CSV file. Mac will open it in Numbers (Apple's spreadsheet app) by default. You can also open it in Excel for Mac if you have it installed, or import it into Google Sheets.
Go to sheets.google.com, click + to create a new sheet, then File → Import → Upload and select your CSV file.
CSV is the universal format for financial data because every spreadsheet app and accounting software can read it. When you convert a bank statement PDF to CSV using csvbank.com, you get a file that works in Excel, Google Sheets, QuickBooks, Xero, and thousands of other apps.
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