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CSV Import Extension

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mark

06 Dec, 2025 06:15 PM

Hi all,

I've run into a problem with importing CSV files: because there's no standard format/structure for them holding financial data, unlike a Quicken file, each financial institution can generate data in its own way. Some, like Schwab, even generate the data in different formats depending on the type of account -- checking vs investment -- you export.

This quickly becomes a PITA using Moneydance's built-in CSV importer, because it appears to store/retain only the most recent CSV file structural information (i.e., you can't store separate definitions for different accounts or institutions...so far as I can see).

I've tried the CSV Importer extension and, while it's a decent piece of software (thanx, kind author!), it has a few limitations that keep me from adopting it (assuming I'm understanding all of its capabilities). For example, for reasons I don't understand, the transactions it creates don't trigger Moneydance's "hey, this looks like a prior transaction, do you want to merge it?" functionality. Even when I manually edit the created transaction to have the same date, check number and description field (the amounts are already the same as pre-existing transactions).

So, some questions...

1) Is there a way to use the built-in import functionality and define account-specific templates? I suspect not, but...

2) Is there something I'm doing wrong with CSV Importer which is preventing the matching/merge functionality from working?

3) Are there other template-creating CSV importing extensions people recommend?

• Mark

1. 1 Posted by -Kevin N. on 06 Dec, 2025 08:35 PM

   

   Hi Mark,

   Regarding question 2), can you confirm that you are selecting the 'Online' radio button for the 'Import Transaction as' option in the main CSV Importer window when importing the file?

   -Kevin N. (not a member of Moneydance support)

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2. 2 Posted by mark on 06 Dec, 2025 08:39 PM

   

   Hi Kevin,

   I am importing them as "Regular".

   FWIW, I installed the latest unofficial version of the plugin from Stan's github site, and it resolved the problem I was running into.

   But if there's a way to get the official version to work properly, I'd be interested in that, too.

   What does changing from Regular to Online do?

   • Mark
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3. 3 Posted by dwg on 06 Dec, 2025 09:04 PM

   

   The inbuilt importer is geared more towards the one off import and given the existence of Stan's importer I doubt if the inbuilt importer's functionality will be extended.

   I believe Online triggers the Moneydance option to mark the transactions as imported and thus sets them up for the confirmation process.

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4. 4 Posted by -Kevin N. on 06 Dec, 2025 09:11 PM

   

   Hi Mark,

   The difference between 'Online' and 'Regular' is fuzzy.
   Even Stan's instructions aren't definitive when it come to this...
   "Regular and Online act slightly differently. It's a Money Dance option. Try it yourself."

   My observations are that the 'Online' option seems to include the 'Category' field.
   Personally, I've always used 'Online' and haven't run into any issues.

   I don't pre-enter any transactions, so the 'Merge' option doesn't really play into it for me.

   From my testing, in order for the Merge option to be offered, the option to 'Automatically Merge Downloaded Transactions' in 'Preferences' must be un-ticked. Which makes sense.

   -Kevin N. (not a member of Moneydance support)

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5. 5 Posted by mark on 07 Dec, 2025 12:41 AM

   

   Thanx, I’ll check it out

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6. 6 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 07 Dec, 2025 08:36 AM

   

   following

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