You have a PDF and you need a spreadsheet. Here are the three ways, from worst to best.
1. Copy and paste
Select the table in the PDF, paste into Excel, spend twenty minutes fixing columns that merged. Works for one short statement. Does not work for scans.
2. Export from the bank
Most banks let you download transactions as CSV or QFX for recent periods (often 90 days to 18 months). Good for recent months; useless for older statements and for closed accounts.
3. AI extraction
Upload the PDF or photo and let an AI read it. ProfitBooks extracts every transaction, checks the totals against the balances printed on the statement, categorizes each line, and exports CSV. It works on scans and statements from any year. Free to start: bank statement converter.
What to check after converting
- Opening balance plus transactions equals closing balance.
- Dates are in the right year (statements spanning December to January trip up simple converters).
- Debits and credits have the right sign.