Transaction Imports: Reconcile CSV, OFX, QFX, and a Mislabeled QBO

The challenge

The same account activity has been exported four ways. Bring it into one ledger without counting it four times, then find the biggest expenses and recurring charges.

Start here

Open the SharePoint folder linked above. The working exports are transactions.csv, transactions.ofx, transactions.qfx, and transactions.qbo. Two Screenshot_3-10-2025 JPEG files provide visual context. Start with the first few lines of each export in a text editor and use the CSV as the comparison table.

Try it

1. Identify the actual structure of each file and normalize dates, signed amounts, merchant descriptions, and accounts.

2. Import all four exports without duplicates: loading another copy should leave the ledger unchanged.

3. Calculate inflows, outflows, net recorded flow, merchant totals, and recurring payments.

4. Find account and statement-header inconsistencies, and distinguish recorded inflows from earned income.

What to build

Build a 20-row ledger, a field-mapping note, a duplicate-import report, and a short spending summary. Keep the raw description and memo when adding a cleaner merchant or category.