Tutorial Accounting PHC · Primavera · Sage

How to Import Bank Statements into Accounting Software PHC, Primavera, Sage and TOConline (2025)

Posting bank transactions manually into accounting software is slow and error-prone. In this guide we show how to convert a bank statement PDF to Excel and import it directly into PHC, Primavera BSS, Sage and TOConline — in minutes, not hours.

2 April 2025
10 min read
Bank2PDF Team
PHC, Primavera, Sage, PT accounting

1. The Problem with Bank Statements in PDF

Every accountant in Portugal knows the problem: the client sends the bank statement as a PDF, but the accounting software — PHC, Primavera or Sage — needs the transactions in a structured format (Excel or CSV) to import them.

Copying transactions manually is impractical for statements with hundreds of rows. And Portuguese banks rarely offer direct Excel export — CGD, BCP and Santander only export in PDF or OFX (a format not all ERPs support).

The 2-step solution

1. Convert the bank statement PDF to Excel (using Bank2PDF)
2. Import the Excel into the accounting software

We will show you exactly how to carry out each of these steps, including the Excel format required by each software package.

2. Preparing the Excel in the Correct Format

Before importing into accounting software, the Excel file with bank transactions must follow a standardised format. The good news is that Bank2PDF already generates the file in this format automatically.

Standard format accepted by PHC, Primavera and Sage

Column Format Example Notes
Data DD-MM-YYYY 15-03-2025 Hyphens or slashes
Descrição Free text SEPA TRF João Silva Max. 255 chars in PHC
Débito Number (decimal comma) 1,250.00 No € symbol
Crédito Number (decimal comma) 500.00 No € symbol
Saldo Number (decimal comma) 12,450.00 Optional in some ERPs

Bank2PDF generates this format automatically

The Excel exported by Bank2PDF has exactly these columns, with dates in DD-MM-YYYY and numeric values with the correct decimal format — ready to import without modifications.

3. Importing Bank Statements into PHC

PHC CS and PHC GO allow you to import bank transactions through the Treasury module. The process is similar in both versions.

Step by step — PHC CS / PHC GO

  1. Convert the bank statement to Excel with Bank2PDF (CSV/XLS format)
  2. In PHC, go to Treasury → Account Statements → Import Statement
  3. Select the Excel or CSV file generated by Bank2PDF
  4. On the column mapping screen, map: Column 1 = Date, Column 2 = Description, Column 3 = Debit, Column 4 = Credit, Column 5 = Balance
  5. Confirm the decimal separator: comma (,)
  6. Click Import and verify the summary (number of transactions imported)
  7. Go to Treasury → Bank Reconciliation to match against accounting entries

Common PHC issue: "Invalid date format"

PHC rejects dates in ISO format (YYYY-MM-DD). If this happens, check that Bank2PDF exported in DD-MM-YYYY. Alternatively, in Excel select the date column, right-click → Format Cells → Date → select the format 14-03-2012.

PHC and OFX/QIF format

PHC also supports import in OFX (Open Financial Exchange) format, which some Portuguese banks (such as BPI) provide directly. If your bank offers this format, you can import it directly into PHC without conversion. For banks that only provide PDF (the majority), the PDF → Excel route via Bank2PDF is the most reliable.

4. Importing Bank Statements into Primavera BSS

Primavera BSS (in the Executive, Professional and Start editions) has a robust Treasury module with support for bank statement imports.

Step by step — Primavera BSS

  1. Convert the statement to Excel with Bank2PDF (save as CSV with semicolon separator)
  2. In Primavera, go to Treasury → Banks → Bank Statements → Import
  3. Select the file type: CSV/Excel
  4. Select the corresponding bank account
  5. In the import wizard, define the column mapping:
    • Value date: Date column
    • Description: Description column
    • Debit/Out: Debit column
    • Credit/In: Credit column
  6. Confirm and click Import Transactions
  7. Run Bank Reconciliation under Treasury → Reconciliation

Primavera: CSV separator

Primavera BSS prefers CSV with semicolon (;) as the column separator (PT standard), not comma. Bank2PDF exports in this format by default. If you have issues, open the CSV in Notepad to confirm the separator.

Automatic bank reconciliation in Primavera

After importing the transactions, Primavera lets you reconcile automatically with accounting documents. Go to Treasury → Bank Reconciliation, select the period and account, and the system automatically flags transactions that match entries. Unreconciled items are highlighted for manual review.

5. Importing Bank Statements into Sage

Sage 50c and Sage 100cloud (Portuguese editions) allow you to import bank statements through the Accounting or Financial Management module.

Step by step — Sage 50c Portugal

  1. Convert the statement to Excel/CSV with Bank2PDF
  2. In Sage, go to Accounting → Imports → Bank Statement
  3. Select the bank and accounting account
  4. Upload the CSV file and define the field mapping
  5. Sage validates the number of transactions and the closing balance
  6. Confirm the import and go to Accounting → Bank Reconciliation

Sage and OFX statements

Sage 50c also supports the OFX/QFX format (Quicken/Microsoft Money), which some banks provide. Novo Banco and BPI offer this format on their online banking platforms. Check your online account settings before converting the PDF.

6. TOConline, Contabilizei and Other ERPs

TOConline

TOConline (a Portuguese cloud platform widely used by certified accountants) allows you to import bank statements in Excel via Accounting → Imports → Bank Transactions. The required format is identical to the standard above (Date, Description, Debit, Credit, Balance). The Bank2PDF Excel file is directly compatible.

Contabilizei

Contabilizei supports statement import via CSV. Under Bank Accounts, select "Import transactions" and upload the file generated by Bank2PDF. The system automatically recognises the format if the columns are in the correct order.

Moloni

Moloni is primarily invoicing software, but includes a treasury module with statement import. Go to Treasury → Bank Accounts → Import Statement and use the standard CSV format.

Custom software / direct Excel

Many accounting practices use their own Excel spreadsheets for reconciliation. In that case, the Bank2PDF Excel file can be copied and pasted directly or linked via Power Query for automatic updates.

7. Common Errors and Solutions

"Invalid date format" when importing

The software expects dates in DD-MM-YYYY but Excel may be displaying YYYY-MM-DD. Select the date column in Excel, go to Format Cells → Date and choose the Portuguese format (14-03-2012). Alternatively, use Bank2PDF which always exports in the correct format for Portugal.

Values appear as text, not numbers

This happens when values include the € symbol or when the decimal separator is a period (.) instead of a comma (,). Select the value columns, use Find and Replace to remove "€" and replace "." with ",". Bank2PDF exports values without the symbol and with the correct decimal separator by default.

Transaction imported with wrong sign (debit instead of credit)

Some software packages (especially older versions) expect debits as negative values in a single "Amount" column, rather than two separate columns. Check your software's import instructions. Bank2PDF generates two separate columns (Debit and Credit), which is the most compatible format.

PHC cannot find the option to import a statement

The statement import feature requires the Treasury module to be active in PHC. Check the licence under Administration → Licence → Modules. If the module is not included, contact your PHC partner. Alternatively, PHC allows Excel import directly on some transaction entry screens.

Closing balance does not match the bank statement

Check that all transactions were imported (compare the number of rows). Watch out for duplicate transactions (this can happen if you import the same period twice). Also confirm that the opening balance in the software matches the opening balance on the statement.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

Does Bank2PDF generate an Excel file ready to import into PHC and Primavera?
Yes. The Excel generated by Bank2PDF has standardised columns (Date, Description, Debit, Credit, Balance) with dates in DD-MM-YYYY and numeric values with the correct decimal format — exactly what PHC, Primavera BSS, Sage, TOConline and most Portuguese ERPs expect.
Which format is best for importing into Primavera: Excel or CSV?
Primavera BSS accepts both, but CSV is more reliable because it avoids Excel cell formatting issues. Bank2PDF exports CSV with a semicolon separator (PT standard) and UTF-8 BOM for Windows compatibility.
Can I import statements from several months at once?
Yes. Bank2PDF processes multi-page, multi-month PDFs and generates a single Excel file with all transactions in chronological order. You can then import this complete file into your accounting software — PHC and Primavera process transactions individually regardless of the period.
My bank provides OFX — do I still need to convert the PDF?
If your bank provides OFX/QIF and your software supports it, use that format directly — it is the fastest option. BPI and Novo Banco offer OFX on their respective online banking platforms. CGD, BCP and Santander do not provide OFX — in those cases, the PDF converted with Bank2PDF is the best alternative.

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Complete Guide

How to Convert Bank Statement PDFs to Excel in Portugal

All methods, free and paid, to convert statements from any Portuguese bank.

 Supported Banks

All Portuguese Banks

CGD, BCP, Santander, Novo Banco, BPI, Crédito Agrícola, Montepio, Banco CTT and more.