A bank CSV export is a text table of account transactions for spreadsheets or accounting software. RFC 4180 describes a basic CSV layout, but does not prescribe bank transaction columns, date formats or decimal marks. Klarbon writes CSV from supported structured bank statements. Reading PDF statements is not available yet.
What does RFC 4180 fix, and what does it leave open?
RFC 4180, published by the IETF in 2005, describes records separated by line breaks, fields separated by commas, an optional header row and double quotes around fields that contain commas, quotes or line breaks (RFC 4180). It registers the text/csv media type. It says nothing about money.
| Property | Bank CSV in practice |
|---|---|
| Separator | comma or semicolon, often semicolon where the decimal mark is a comma |
| Decimal mark | point or comma, as chosen by the export layout |
| Date order | day first, month first or ISO, set by the bank |
| Amount sign | one signed column, or separate debit and credit columns |
| Encoding | UTF-8 or an older Windows code page |
| Balances | sometimes a running balance column, often none |
Because nothing ties these choices down, a file can open with every value in one column, or with dates and amounts misread. A spreadsheet's import dialog lets you set them explicitly.
Bank CSV or a structured statement?
A CSV export carries no fixed fields for the account, the opening and closing balances or the transaction type. Structured formats such as CAMT.053 and MT940 define those fields. CSV suits spreadsheets and imports that let you map columns yourself.
What does Klarbon do with bank CSV?
Klarbon writes CSV from a bank file it reads, such as CAMT.053, MT940, CODA or Norma 43 (reading these is in beta), after checking that the opening balance plus the transactions equals the closing balance. The file uses semicolons and a decimal comma, with layouts for Lexware Office and sevdesk; see supported bank statement tools. Klarbon does not read bank CSV files. For figures you want to work with directly, the Excel workbook keeps dates and amounts typed.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a standard bank CSV format?
No. RFC 4180 describes the basic CSV layout, but each bank chooses its own columns, separator, date order, decimal mark and character encoding. A file from one bank may need different import settings from another.
Why does my bank CSV open with every value in one column?
Usually because the file uses semicolons and your spreadsheet expects commas, or the other way round. Import it with the separator set explicitly instead of opening it directly.
Can Klarbon read my bank's CSV file?
No. Klarbon writes CSV files from bank files it reads, such as CAMT.053 or MT940, but it does not read bank CSV files today.
Does a CSV file work with every accounting package?
No. Each package expects its own columns and settings. Use the layout your software's import screen names, and test a short period first.