> ## 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 from Actual

> Import from Actual Budget to Budget Bandit. Move accounts, categories, transactions, and monthly assignments into a new budget.

The Actual importer reads your Actual Budget export and rebuilds it as a new
budget: accounts, categories, transactions, and the amounts you budgeted each
month.

<Warning>
  This import creates a **brand-new budget**. It never overwrites or merges into
  a budget you already have.
</Warning>

## Export from Actual

In Actual Budget, export your budget. Actual produces a `.zip` file that contains
the budget database (`db.sqlite`) and a `metadata.json` file. Keep the `.zip`
intact — do not unzip it.

## Import into Budget Bandit

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Actual importer">
    Go to Import, then **Import from Actual Budget**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload the .zip">
    Drag the `.zip` onto the drop zone, or click to browse. Budget Bandit reads
    the budget file in your browser.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the preview">
    You see counts for accounts, categories, transactions, and budget months.
    Confirm the budget name.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Import everything">
    Choose to import. Budget Bandit creates the new budget, switches to it, and
    loads your data.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What comes across

* **Accounts** with their balances.
* **Category groups and categories** as you had them in Actual.
* **Transactions**, including split transactions, with their cross-links
  preserved.
* **Monthly assignments** — what you budgeted per category per month.

<Note>
  If the export is missing `metadata.json` or `db.sqlite`, Budget Bandit cannot
  read it. Upload the full `.zip` from Actual rather than a file you extracted
  from it.
</Note>

## After importing

Open <a href="/budgeting/assign-and-move-money">the budget</a> to see your assignments, and review
categorization in <a href="/transactions/to-review">To Review</a>.

## If something looks off

See <a href="/import/why-rows-didnt-import">Why rows did not import</a> or
<a href="/troubleshooting/imports">import troubleshooting</a>.

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Import overview" icon="arrow-right-arrow-left" href="/import/overview">
    All five importers and the new-budget rule.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Splits" icon="divide" href="/transactions/splits">
    How split transactions behave after the move.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>