Will the OFX definitely import into Xero?

The file follows the OFX 2.1 specification, which Xero’s statement import accepts, and every export is round-trip verified against our own parser. The import itself runs inside Xero’s UI — if Xero rejects a spec-compliant file, tell us through the feedback form.

Should I use CSV instead?

Only when you want Xero’s manual column mapping. OFX spares you the mapping step and carries stable transaction ids that help Xero skip duplicates, which CSV imports cannot.

Does this work for M-Pesa statements?

Yes — the converter reads M-Pesa PDFs, password-protected included, and writes the same spec-compliant OFX. KES is detected automatically.

Import your statement into Xero.

The import lives inside Xero’s own UI — this guide gives you the path: Accounting → Bank accounts → Import a statement. Xero accepts OFX (preferred) and CSV; here is how to produce a clean file and what to verify afterwards.

Where the import lives

In Xero, open Accounting → Bank accounts, pick the account the statement belongs to, and choose Import a statement (on some screens it sits under Manage account). The menus are Xero’s and occasionally move between releases, but the flow keeps its shape: pick a file, confirm, reconcile.

Which file to give it

Xero’s statement import accepts OFX and CSV. Prefer OFX: dates and amounts are unambiguous by specification and each transaction carries a stable id that helps Xero skip duplicates on overlapping imports. CSV works too, but Xero will ask you to map the columns by hand.

Getting a clean OFX from any statement

Drop your bank or M-Pesa statement — PDF, CSV, Excel, OFX, or QIF — into the PesaInsights converter and pick OFX. The output follows the OFX 2.1 specification and every export is round-trip verified. Conversion runs in your browser; only password-protected PDFs are unlocked server-side in memory, then discarded.

Statement import is not a bank feed

A bank feed pulls transactions automatically on Xero’s schedule; a statement import is a one-off file you control. Imports are the right tool when no feed exists for your bank or mobile-money provider, when a feed has gaps, or when you are backfilling history.

What to check after the import

Xero drops the imported lines into the account’s reconciliation screen. Before reconciling, compare the line count against the statement, confirm the first and last dates cover the period you exported, and spot-check the direction of a few transactions.

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