CSV Processing Rules
Learn how to configure CSV parsing rules to automatically convert your bank statements into Beancount transactions.
What are CSV Rules?
CSV Rules are configuration settings that tell Beanflow how to parse your bank's CSV export format. Each bank exports transaction data differently - CSV Rules map those columns to the correct transaction fields.
Why use CSV Rules? Once configured, you can upload any CSV from that bank and Beanflow will automatically extract transactions with the correct date, amount, description, and accounts.
When to Use CSV Rules
Use CSV Rules For
- Monthly bank statements (CSV format)
- Credit card transaction exports
- Structured data with consistent columns
- Any tabular financial data
Use Receipt Prompt For
- Scanned receipts (images)
- PDF invoices
- Unstructured documents
- One-off receipts
The CSV Rules Tab
Access CSV Rules from the folder detail view. The tab shows your current configuration status and the conversational builder.
Screenshot: CSV Rules tab showing Conversational Builder interface
Key Concepts
Column Mapping
Map CSV columns to transaction fields: date, description, amount (debit/credit), etc.
Date Parsing
Handle different date formats: MM/DD/YYYY, YYYY-MM-DD, DD-MMM-YYYY, etc.
Amount Handling
Parse amounts with or without currency symbols, handle positive/negative values.
Account Assignment
Automatically assign transactions to the correct Beancount accounts.