American Express statement to Xero: download, convert and import

Xero can take American Express data three ways: a bank feed (going forward), a file download for recent activity, and PDF statements converted to CSV for older months. Catch-up and clean-up work usually needs the last two.

1. Recent activity: the American Express download

On americanexpress.com, open Statements & Activity, filter the period and use the download icon. The formats listed there (such as CSV, Excel or Quicken) vary by card and change over time, so use what your account offers. Xero's statement import accepts OFX/QFX, QIF and CSV files, so pick a Quicken (QFX/OFX) option if it is offered, or CSV otherwise. The date range on offer is shown in the download dialog and is usually shorter than the statement archive.

2. Older months: PDF statements

Under Statements & Activity → Statements (or Statements & documents), download each billing-period PDF. Save one PDF per statement period and name it by account and period (for example 4821_2025-03.pdf) so a missing month is obvious.

3. Shape the CSV for Xero

• Xero's bank statement CSV needs at least Date and Amount, plus a payee or description. Download Xero's own template from the import screen and match its columns.
• Use one signed Amount column: money into the account positive, money out negative.
• Keep one date format throughout the file, and choose the matching format in Xero's import step.
• Delete summary rows (totals, balance lines, rewards tables). They are not transactions.

American Express-specific things to watch

• Amex is a credit card: charges increase the balance. In Xero, set the account up as a credit card account, then book charges as money out (negative) and payments and credits as money in (positive). Check the sign of a few known purchases in the preview before you import.
• Billing periods don't follow calendar months. Tie out and reconcile to the statement closing date, not month-end.
• Cards with additional card members list each member's charges in separate sections. Merge them into one file for the account and sort by date.
• Interest, fees and statement credits often sit in their own sections near the end of the PDF. Make sure they are in the file.

4. Tie out before you import

1. For each statement: opening balance + all amounts = closing balance.
2. Chain the periods: each closing balance must equal the next opening balance.
3. If a month doesn't tie, find the gap now. It is much harder to find after the lines are reconciled in Xero.

5. Import into Xero

1. In Xero go to Accounting → Bank accounts, open the account's menu and choose Import a statement.
2. Upload the file, map the columns and check the preview.
3. If a bank feed is already connected, import only dates before the feed started, or you will get duplicate statement lines.
4. Reconcile the imported lines, then compare Xero's statement balance with the PDF's closing balance.

Troubleshooting: see Xero bank statement import errors. For QuickBooks instead, see American Express to QuickBooks. More on signs and billing cycles: credit card statement PDF to CSV.

Bank menus change; labels here were accurate to our knowledge in Oct 2026, so check your bank's help pages if something differs.