How to import bank transactions into Excel for a budget
A monthly budget is far easier when your real spending is already in a spreadsheet. Here's how to get there from a PDF statement — privately.
Step 1: Get your transactions as a spreadsheet
Open the LINGYANG converter, drop in your statement PDF, and export to Excel or CSV. It runs in your browser, so your spending history never leaves your device. You'll get columns for Date, Description, Amount and Balance.
Start here — turn your statement into a spreadsheet, free.
Open the converter →Step 2: Add a Category column
Next to your data, add a Category column (Groceries, Rent, Transport, Eating out, Subscriptions, Income, etc.). You can fill it manually, or speed it up: sort by Description and tag groups of similar merchants at once. A simple formula like =IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("starbucks",B2)),"Eating out","") can auto-tag common ones.
Step 3: Total by category
Two easy options:
- SUMIF:
=SUMIF(Category, "Groceries", Amount)gives your total for that category. - PivotTable: select your data → Insert → PivotTable → drag Category to Rows and Amount to Values. Instant spending breakdown.
Step 4: Build the monthly view
Add a Month helper column with =TEXT(A2,"yyyy-mm"), then pivot Category against Month to see how each category changes over time. That's a working budget you can keep updating each month — just convert the new statement and paste the rows in.
A note on privacy
Budgeting means handling your most detailed financial data. Because LINGYANG converts on your device, none of it is uploaded — see how that works. For accounting tools instead of a DIY budget, see importing to QuickBooks/Xero.