How to Manually Import Transactions

Quick Review

• What: Import banking and credit card transactions using CSV files

• Why: Add historical transactions or migrate from other services

• How: Transactions > Select Account > Import icon > Choose CSV file

• Note: Web App only; categories not imported; one account at a time

Overview

Quicken Simplifi allows you to import transactions using CSV files. This feature is perfect for adding historical data, migrating from services like Personal Capital (now Empower) or Mint, or importing transactions your bank didn't download automatically.

Ashley used this feature when switching to Simplifi mid-year. They needed to import six months of transactions to have complete annual data for tax purposes. While the process required some preparation, having their full financial history in one place made the effort worthwhile.

Before You Import

Essential Requirements

• Web App only: Import feature not available on mobile

• Manual account required: Create the account first before importing

• One account at a time: Cannot bulk import multiple accounts

• One-time import: Each account can only import transactions once

File Preparation Rules

• Use the CSV template: Download Simplifi's template to avoid formatting issues

• Personal Capital/Empower files: Do NOT alter the downloaded file

• Mint imports:

  • Don't modify the CSV or JSON file before importing

  • Select "Mint" option during import

  • Limited to 10,000 transactions per import

Important Limitations

• Categories are NOT imported: Must categorize after import

• Only tags import: If included in the 'Tags' column

• Bank limitations: Many banks only provide 90 days of history

• Deleted imports don't re-import: Must manually recreate if deleted

Formatting Your CSV File

If creating your own CSV file, follow these exact specifications:

Required Headers

Your CSV file must include these exact column headers:

• Date

• Payee

• Amount

• Tags (optional but will import if included)

Formatting Rules

• All fields required: Date, Payee, and Amount cannot be empty

• Date format: M/D/YYYY (example: 1/1/2022)

• Negative amounts: Must have minus sign (-) in front or they import as positive

Ashley learned the hard way that expenses without negative signs imported as income, throwing off their entire budget until corrected.

Import Steps

1. Hover over the menu and select Transactions

2. Select the account you want to import into

3. Click the import icon (upward arrow in cloud) to the right of search box

4. Select where you're importing from

5. Verify correct account is selected

6. Select your CSV file or drag & drop it

7. Click Import

After Importing

Immediate Tasks

• Categorize all transactions (categories don't import)

• Verify amounts imported correctly (check for sign errors)

• Review dates for accuracy

• Add any missing tags if needed

Ashley's Post-Import Workflow

1. Sort by amount to quickly find any sign errors (expenses showing as positive)

2. Use bulk edit to categorize similar payees efficiently

3. Flag transactions needing receipts or further review

4. Verify final balance matches bank statement

This process typically takes Ashley 30-45 minutes for 500 transactions, with most time spent on categorization.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Import Failures

• Check headers match exactly: Date, Payee, Amount, Tags

• Verify date format is M/D/YYYY

• Ensure no empty fields in required columns

• Confirm negative signs on expenses

Wrong Transaction Types

• Expenses importing as income: Add negative signs

• All amounts positive: Check CSV for missing minus signs

Mint-Specific Issues

• File modified: Re-download without changes

• Over 10,000 transactions: Split into multiple files

• Wrong import option: Select "Mint" not generic CSV

Additional Notes

• Attachments: While only CSV files can import, you can attach other file types (PDFs, images) to transactions after import

• Manual entry alternative: For just a few transactions, manual entry is faster than import

The Bottom Line

Importing transactions into Quicken Simplifi requires careful preparation but enables you to maintain complete financial records. Use the official template when possible, follow formatting rules exactly, and plan time for categorization after import. Remember that imports are permanent—deleted imported transactions must be manually recreated.

Hint: Before importing, create a test file with just 10-20 transactions to verify your formatting. If the test works, proceed with the full import. Ashley also recommends keeping your original CSV file with "-original" in the filename as a backup. Since imports can't be repeated for the same account, having the source file lets you manually add any transactions that failed during import.