Will the CSV work with QuickBooks Online's transaction import?

UTF-8 CSV is the format QuickBooks Online's import tools expect. You will still need to map columns to QBO's required fields (Date, Description, Amount) during the import wizard, but the file format itself will be accepted without encoding errors.

What if a client's Excel file uses formulas for running balances?

Running balance formulas resolve to their computed values in the CSV output. Each cell exports the number it displays in Excel, not the formula behind it, which is exactly what accounting software needs for transaction imports.

Can I convert multiple client files in one session?

Yes. Upload multiple .xlsx files at once and each produces a separate CSV. This is practical when processing month-end imports for several clients in the same sitting.

Does this handle Excel files with currency-formatted cells?

Yes. The cell's underlying numeric value is exported — currency symbols, thousands separators, and display formatting are stripped. Accounting software import wizards expect plain numeric values, so this is the correct behavior.

What about older .xls files some clients still send?

Both .xls and .xlsx formats are supported. Older clients who have not upgraded their Excel version will still produce files this tool can convert.

Excel to CSV for Bookkeepers: Import Transactions Into Accounting Software

Bookkeepers live at the intersection of Excel and accounting software — and the friction between those two formats is a daily tax on your time. Client records arrive in Excel. Bank exports come as .xlsx. When QuickBooks, Xero, or Wave needs a CSV import to match transactions or update records, that conversion step should take seconds, not derail your workflow. Deliteful converts Excel files to UTF-8 CSV reliably, so your imports go through on the first attempt.

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Bookkeepers routinely perform imports that accounting software only accepts in CSV format: transaction uploads, chart of accounts imports, customer and vendor list updates, opening balance loads. The source data for these imports often comes from clients in Excel — a format they are comfortable with but that needs conversion before it is usable. Excel's own CSV export is inconsistent: on Windows systems with European locale settings, it may produce semicolon-delimited files that QuickBooks rejects; on any system, it may export in a non-UTF-8 encoding that corrupts special characters in vendor names or account descriptions.

Deliteful produces UTF-8 CSV with comma delimiters regardless of the operating system or locale it runs on. Formula cells — calculated balances, running totals, tax amounts — export as resolved numeric values. The output is compatible with QuickBooks Online and Desktop import wizards, Xero's CSV import, Wave's transaction upload, and FreshBooks' contact import, among others.

How it works

1
Upload the client Excel file
Upload the .xlsx or .xls file containing the transaction records, account data, or contact list you need to import.
2
First sheet converts to UTF-8 CSV
Deliteful exports all rows and columns from the first worksheet with formulas resolved and consistent UTF-8 encoding applied.
3
Import into your accounting platform
Download the CSV and use it in your accounting software's import wizard to upload transactions, contacts, or account data.

Frequently asked questions

Will the CSV work with QuickBooks Online's transaction import?: UTF-8 CSV is the format QuickBooks Online's import tools expect. You will still need to map columns to QBO's required fields (Date, Description, Amount) during the import wizard, but the file format itself will be accepted without encoding errors.
What if a client's Excel file uses formulas for running balances?: Running balance formulas resolve to their computed values in the CSV output. Each cell exports the number it displays in Excel, not the formula behind it, which is exactly what accounting software needs for transaction imports.
Can I convert multiple client files in one session?: Yes. Upload multiple .xlsx files at once and each produces a separate CSV. This is practical when processing month-end imports for several clients in the same sitting.
Does this handle Excel files with currency-formatted cells?: Yes. The cell's underlying numeric value is exported — currency symbols, thousands separators, and display formatting are stripped. Accounting software import wizards expect plain numeric values, so this is the correct behavior.
What about older .xls files some clients still send?: Both .xls and .xlsx formats are supported. Older clients who have not upgraded their Excel version will still produce files this tool can convert.

Create your free Deliteful account with Google and convert your clients' Excel files to accounting software-ready CSV without encoding headaches.