Common CSV Formatting Errors and Fixes
Most conversion problems begin in the source file. Use this troubleshooting guide to separate issues LedgerHarbor can flag from cleanup that belongs in your spreadsheet editor.
Header and row problems
| Problem | What it looks like | Practical fix |
|---|---|---|
| Missing headers | First row is data or columns are unnamed. | Add one clear header row before loading. |
| Extra title rows | Account name or report date appears above headers. | Remove the title and summary lines. |
| Blank rows | Empty lines interrupt transactions. | Remove them or confirm they are harmless separators. |
| Duplicate rows | The same date, text, and amount appears twice. | Compare against the source before removing anything. |
Delimiter and value problems
A semicolon or tab delimiter can make an entire row appear as one field. Currency symbols, thousands separators, and parentheses can also change how a value is read. For example, 07/12/2026,"Office, Inc.",($24.00) contains quoted multiline-safe text and a parenthesized negative value; check the parsed preview rather than editing by guesswork.
Date and text problems
Malformed dates may be incomplete, ambiguous, or mixed between formats. Multiline descriptions need valid CSV quoting so a line break is not mistaken for a new transaction. LedgerHarbor can flag dates and amounts that do not parse as expected, but it cannot decide which interpretation you intended.
What LedgerHarbor can validate
- Recognizable dates.
- Numeric non-zero amounts.
- Rows included in preview.
- Mapping conflicts.
- Rows marked for review.
What requires manual cleanup
Use your spreadsheet editor for repairing broken quoting, choosing between ambiguous date formats, deciding whether duplicates are real, and removing report-specific title sections. Preserve the source before cleanup.
Limitations and review guidance
Validation is a review aid, not a guarantee that every CSV meaning or external import rule has been captured. The converter processes the selected file locally in the browser, but you remain responsible for confirming the cleaned values and exported IIF.
Continue with LedgerHarbor
Open the working converterPrepare a bank CSVColumn mapping guideIIF review checklist