> ## 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 YNAB

> Import from YNAB to Budget Bandit. Move your full budget — accounts, categories, transactions, and monthly assignments — into a new budget.

The YNAB importer reads your YNAB export and rebuilds it as a new budget in
Budget Bandit: accounts, category groups and categories, transactions, and the
amounts you assigned each month.

<Warning>
  This import creates a **brand-new budget**. It never overwrites or merges into
  a budget you already have. After it finishes you can switch between budgets;
  nothing existing is touched.
</Warning>

## Export from YNAB

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open YNAB settings">
    In YNAB, open Settings (the gear icon).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Export the budget">
    Choose **Export Budget**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Download the file">
    YNAB gives you a `.zip` file. Save it where you can find it. The zip contains
    a Register CSV (your transactions) and a Plan CSV (your monthly
    assignments).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Import into Budget Bandit

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

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

  <Step title="Review the preview">
    You see counts for accounts, categories, transactions, and budget entries.
    Confirm the budget name, which is taken from your YNAB export.
  </Step>

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

## What comes across

* **Accounts** — every account that appears in your register.
* **Category groups and categories** — YNAB's structure, minus internal groups
  (the hidden "Internal Master Category" and "Hidden Categories" groups are not
  brought over). The **Inflow** group is treated as income.
* **Transactions** — with payee, memo, and cleared status. Transfers between
  accounts are recognized and linked rather than double-counted, and YNAB's
  "Starting Balance" rows are handled as account starting balances.
* **Monthly assignments** — the amounts you budgeted per category per month, from
  the Plan CSV, so your history of assignments comes with you.

<Note>
  If the export is missing its Register CSV, Budget Bandit cannot read it. Make
  sure you uploaded the full `.zip` straight from YNAB rather than a single
  extracted file.
</Note>

## After importing

Your transactions are in the new budget. Open <a href="/budgeting/assign-and-move-money">the budget</a> to
see assignments, and review categorization in
<a href="/transactions/to-review">To Review</a>. Set up
<a href="/rules/create-a-rule">rules</a> to keep future transactions tidy.

## If something looks off

See <a href="/import/why-rows-didnt-import">Why rows did not import</a> for skipped
rows, 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="How credit cards work" icon="credit-card" href="/concepts/how-credit-cards-work">
    Card handling differs from YNAB — read this next.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>