How to convert a bank statement PDF to Excel (3 ways)

Your bank gives you a PDF, your accountant (or your budget) needs a spreadsheet. There are three ways to bridge the gap. Which one is best depends on how far back you need to go and how much cleanup you are willing to do.

Option 1: export from online banking (CSV, OFX, QIF)

Many banks let you download recent transactions as a CSV or in an accounting format straight from online banking, usually from the transaction list or a “Download” or “Export” button.

• Good: the data comes directly from the bank, so there is nothing to misread.
• Limits: exports often cover only recent months, business and personal accounts can differ, and the file layout varies by bank. Once a month is closed, the PDF statement is often the only thing left.

If an export covers the period you need, use it. If you only have PDFs, or need older months, read on.

Option 2: Excel’s own PDF import

Excel in Microsoft 365 for Windows can read tables from a PDF: Data → Get Data → From File → From PDF. Excel shows the tables it found on each page, and you load one or combine several in Power Query.

• Good: built in, works offline.
• Limits: each page is often a separate table, descriptions that wrap onto a second line become separate rows, amounts can arrive as text, and nothing tells you whether a row was missed. Expect cleanup on every statement.

Option 3: a bank statement converter

A statement converter understands that the PDF is a list of transactions, not just a table. With StatementEasy:

1. Download the statement PDF from your bank (the original PDF, not a photo or screenshot).
2. Drop it on the converter. Several months can be dropped at once.
3. Look at the check: Balances match means every row added up against the running balance printed on the statement.
4. Choose your columns (money in and out, or a single signed amount) and the date format, then download Excel or CSV.

The file is read by your browser first (only a file it cannot read goes to our server), which matters for documents with your account number and spending.

Whatever you use: check the totals

Before relying on a converted statement, compare it with the summary box on the PDF:

• =SUM(C:C) over money out should equal the statement’s total withdrawals or debits.
• =SUM(D:D) over money in should equal total deposits or credits.
• Opening balance + money in − money out should equal the closing balance.

If those three agree, you have every transaction with the right amount. StatementEasy does this for you and shows the result in the summary sheet.