> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.budgetbandit.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Import a CSV > Import a bank CSV into Budget Bandit: map columns, set the date format, and skip duplicate rows you already have. A CSV import adds transactions to one account you choose. Use it to bring history into an account that is not on a bank feed, or to top one up between syncs. A CSV import adds transactions to the account you select, inside your current budget. It does **not** create a new budget and it does **not** overwrite your existing budget. To migrate a whole budget from another app, use YNAB, Monarch, or Actual instead. ## Import a file Go to Import. Pick the **target account** for the transactions, then upload your CSV file. Budget Bandit auto-detects which CSV column is the date, the amount, the payee, and so on. Adjust any that are wrong using the **Map To** dropdowns. Required: a **Date** column, and either an **Amount** column or an **Inflow** plus **Outflow** pair. Leave it on **Auto-detect**, or pick the exact format your bank uses if dates look wrong in the sample. Continue to the preview. Each row is checked against transactions you already have in that account and tagged **new**, **duplicate**, or **likely duplicate**. Pick **Skip duplicates** (recommended), **Skip only exact matches**, or **Import everything**, then import. The result shows how many were imported and how many were skipped. ## Column mapping You map each CSV column to one of these fields: | Field | What it is | | ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Date** | Required. The transaction date. | | **Amount** | A single signed column (negative for spending). | | **Inflow** / **Outflow** | Use instead of Amount when your bank splits credits and debits into two columns. | | **Payee / Description** | The merchant or description. | | **Memo / Notes** | Extra notes. | | **Category** | A category name, if your file has one. | | **Reference ID** | A bank-supplied unique ID, used to match duplicates exactly. | | **Skip** | Ignore this column. | If your bank reports spending as positive numbers, tick **Invert amounts** to flip the signs. If you map only Inflow, all amounts come in positive; only Outflow, all negative. Full field-by-field reference: CSV format. ## Duplicate detection Budget Bandit compares each incoming row to what is already in the account: * **Exact match** — the same Reference ID, or an identical date, amount, and payee. * **Likely duplicate** — a close match within a few days, even without a reference ID. * **New** — no match found. **Skip duplicates** imports only new rows, which is the safe default when a file overlaps history you already have. ## Save your mapping Tick **Remember this mapping for future imports to this account** and Budget Bandit reuses your column choices the next time you import a file with the same columns into the same account. ## If rows do not come through Rows with an unreadable date or amount are skipped, and you are told how many. See Why rows did not import. ## Related Exact columns, date formats, and amount handling. A structured file that needs no column mapping. Skipped, dropped, or duplicate rows. Sync instead of importing files.