CSV import is the fastest way to backfill history. Most banks and credit cards let you download a CSV of your transactions; BudgetLabs takes that file, lets you map the columns, and adds the transactions in one batch.

Before you start

Export the CSV from your bank or card portal. Date range is up to you — a single month is fine for a first pass.
Open the file in a spreadsheet briefly to confirm it has columns for date, amount, and description. (Almost every export does.)

Run the import

Go to Transactions.
Tap Import Transactions and choose CSV mode.
Upload the file.
Map the columns BudgetLabs needs to the columns in your file:
- Date column
- Amount column
- Description column
- Category column (optional — leave blank if your bank doesn't categorize)
Review the preview. BudgetLabs flags likely duplicates against transactions you've already logged.
Apply your auto-categorization rules (see the rules article) if you have any.
Confirm and import.

The transactions land on the Transactions list and the Dashboard updates immediately.

Tips

Sign convention. If your bank exports debits as positive numbers and credits as negative (or vice versa), check the preview before confirming. The amount sign should match BudgetLabs's expectation: positive for income, positive for expense (the type tells the app the direction).
Date format. US-style MM/DD/YYYY and ISO-style YYYY-MM-DD are both fine. Confirm the parsed dates in the preview look right.
One account at a time. If you have multiple accounts, import them one CSV at a time so duplicates are easier to spot.

Duplicate detection

The import compares each row against existing transactions on date + amount + description. Likely duplicates are excluded from the batch by default. You can override individual exclusions in the preview.

Splitting a transaction at import

If an imported row spans multiple categories, click the Split icon (the branching-arrow icon next to the Ignore button) in the preview to split it before saving. Type an amount into the first sub-row; the second auto-fills as the remainder. See the AI bank statement import article for the full step-by-step.

When CSV isn't the right tool

Receipts — use the Receipt scanning flow.
Pasted bank statement text or a screenshot — use AI bank statement import instead. It's looser about format and parses non-CSV inputs.

Free vs Pro limits

CSV import itself is unlimited on both Free and Pro. The limit applies to Smart Import (the AI-powered parser) — Free includes 1 import per day; Pro lifts the cap.