Retrieving data from other programs

Banana Accounting Plus allows you to retrieve transactions from other programs, both as a first step to start your accounting and on a recurring basis.

Import bank transactions

This is the most common data import situation. Please refer to the dedicated section:

• Import transactions into accounting

You can use these features to import data either on a recurring basis or as a one-time operation.

Example of importing a bank CSV file using Excel

If you need to import bank data and no import extension is available, you can also proceed via Excel by creating a data structure similar to that of the Transactions table and then copying and pasting the data:

1. Create an Excel sheet called "Transactions" with the same columns as the Transactions table in your accounting file.
   • Date, Doc, Description, Debit account, Credit account, Amount
2. Import the bank data into Excel in a separate table.
3. Copy it or transfer it using formulas into the Transactions sheet.
4. Select and copy the Transactions data in Excel.
5. Go to the Transactions table in Banana Accounting.
6. Move to the end and give the Paste command.
   The program will add new rows.
    

To convert data from one format to the Banana Accounting format, you can also use formulas, as shown in the example in this image, where the 
The Debit and Credit accounts are assigned using a formula based on the sign of the amount.

Multi-currency accounting columns

If the accounting is multi-currency, also add the columns.

• Currency code
• Amount in base currency.       
  If you have the amount in foreign currency and in base currency, the exchange rate is calculated by Banana Accounting.

Additional tips

• If the amount columns do not contain thousand separators, Excel may not convert them into numbers. In this case, select the entire column and use the "Replace" command, then enter the thousand separator.
• If the data is sorted in reverse order compared to how you keep it in Banana, before proceeding with field mapping, position yourself on the Date column, click the arrow on the right and sort from oldest to newest.
• You can add any additional columns you need.
• With Excel Office Scripts, you can also create a macro to automate file conversion.

Use ChatGPT or another AI assistant

If the data is not confidential, you can use ChatGPT or another AI assistant to create an Excel file with the same columns as those in the Transactions table.

• Upload your transaction file to the AI assistant.
• Indicate that it is a file containing bank transactions and, if possible, briefly explain the format, logic, and meaning of the columns.
• Ask to transform the content into an Excel file and specify that:
  • The file must be compatible with Banana Accounting, so that the assistant can correctly use the format information.
  • The columns must correspond to those of the Transactions table in Banana Accounting, for example: 
    Date, Doc, Description, Debit account, Credit account, Amount.
  • It must complete the Debit account and Credit account with the related bank account number, based on the sign of the amount.
  • Specify the character used in the file as the thousands and decimal separator, for example. 
    Thousands separator ".", decimals "."
• Open the generated file in Excel and verify the result.
• You may need to make manual changes or provide further instructions to the AI assistant to refine the result.
• When the file is correct, select and copy the data from Excel.
• Go to the end of the Transactions table in Banana Accounting and paste it.

Recurring import from other programs

• See: Import into accounting

It may also be necessary to regularly import data:

• Import monthly transactions from the payroll program.
• Import invoices issued with an invoicing program.
• Import payments recorded with the invoicing program.
• Import sales recorded in an online shop.
• Import data from another accounting program.
• Import data from a cash register management program (for example for a restaurant or a hotel).

In these cases, there are two possibilities:

1. Make sure your application exports the data in the txt (TSV) file format, specifically prepared for import into Banana Accounting.       
   See the Instructions for creating a file to import into Banana Accounting (in English).
2. Use an import extension that converts the data exported from the program into the format accepted by Banana.
   • Check whether there is already a prepared extension.       
     See: Import extensions.
   • Create an import extension.       
     See: Develop an Import Extension       
      

Creating a new accounting file starting from existing data

If you want to use Banana Accounting starting from accounting managed with other software, or if you want to reconstruct the accounting from existing data.

Retrieving data from audit files or other formats

You can recreate an accounting file in Banana Accounting starting from files that contain all accounting data such as:

• Audit File For Taxation.
• Create file from external data

One-time data import with Excel

If you start keeping your accounting with Banana and need to retrieve transactions from another accounting software, it is probably faster to use Excel to copy and paste the data.

1. With the old accounting program, export the data in a format readable by Excel (CSV, txt, ..).
2. Import the data into Excel (see below)
3. In Excel, arrange the columns exactly in the same sequence as they appear in the Transactions table of Banana.
   • Instead of changing the column order, it may be more convenient to add new columns next to the existing ones and copy the data there, or use formulas to retrieve and convert the data. With formulas, you can remove spaces, modify texts or convert amounts and dates.
4. Open the new accounting file in Banana Accounting.
5. In Excel, select the data to copy and use the Copy (Ctrl+C or Copy from the Edit menu) command.
6. Go to Banana and use the Paste (Ctrl+V or Paste from the Edit menu) command.

This method is useful for retrieving data from MS-Money, Intuit Quicken and QuickBooks, and from most other accounting programs.

Import from other programs to switch to Banana

To facilitate switching to Banana Accounting from other programs, we have developed some extensions that allow users to import into Banana Accounting transactions already entered in other software. We therefore recommend consulting the specific pages related to the program you want to migrate from:

• Import transactions from Infoniqa ONE 50
• Import transactions from Bexio
• Import transactions from Smallinvoice