Import Company Card Transactions From a Spreadsheet

If your bank isn’t supported by a direct connection, you can still import company card transactions into Expensify using a CSV, TXT, XLS, or XLSX file. This lets you bring your own card (BYOC) and manually upload company card transactions when a direct bank connection is unavailable.

If your bank does support a direct connection, you can connect your account to automatically import transactions. Learn how to set up a direct company card feed connection.

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Who can import company card transactions from a spreadsheet

Only Workspace Admins can import transactions for company cards.

Company cards must be enabled in the workspace before you can import transactions. If you don’t see Company cards, enable it under More features > Company cards.

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How to import company card transactions from a spreadsheet

1. In the navigation tabs (on the left on web, on the bottom on mobile), go to the Workspaces and select your workspace.
2. Click Company cards.
3. Click Add cards.
   • If you already have a company card feed set up, click the feed name to see Add cards.
4. Choose Import transactions from file.
5. Choose the CSV, TXT, XLS, or XLSX file you want to upload.
6. Enter a name for the card feed.
7. Review the field mappings, which Expensify fills in from your file’s column headers, and set any that are still Ignore. You must map either a Card number or a Card name, along with Date, Merchant, Amount, and Currency.
8. Map Unique ID to a column that holds a unique reference for each transaction, if your file has one.
9. Assign cards to users based on the transactions in the file.
10. Click Import.

You must map at least one card-identity column — a Card number or a Card name — so each transaction can be grouped under a card.

Expensify reads your file’s column headers to fill in the mappings for you, so check them before you continue and correct anything it didn’t identify. Learn how Expensify fills in company card field mappings.

Note: Download the CSV template for an example of the recommended column structure and formatting for company card transaction imports.

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How Expensify fills in company card field mappings

When you upload a file, Expensify pre-selects the field mappings for you so you have less to set by hand:

1. It reads the header row of the file you just uploaded and matches each header to a field. A header of Transaction Date maps to Date, Vendor maps to Merchant, Posted Amount maps to Amount, and so on.
2. For any field the headers didn’t identify, it falls back to the column positions you mapped the last time you uploaded a file to this feed.
3. Any column it can’t identify is left as Ignore for you to set.

Because headers are matched first, the mappings stay correct even when your new file orders its columns differently than the last one. Expensify also never pre-selects the same field on two columns, so you won’t see the “Oops! You’ve mapped a single field to multiple columns” error on a file it filled in for you.

Keep these limits in mind:

• Matching reads the first row of each column, so it only helps when your file has a header row. If your file starts straight into transaction data, nothing matches a field name and Expensify falls back to the saved column positions.
• Unique ID is never filled in for you, even when a header names it. Map it yourself on every upload.
• Header matching is a best guess, not a guarantee. A file whose headers don’t resemble the field names leaves more columns on Ignore, so always review every mapping before you click Import.

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How to use Unique ID to prevent duplicate transactions

Unique ID is an optional column mapping that tells Expensify how to recognize a transaction it has already imported. Map it to a column in your file that holds a unique reference for each transaction, such as the bank’s own transaction ID or reference number.

When you map Unique ID and later upload a file that repeats some of the same rows, Expensify skips the rows it has already imported and only adds the new ones. This lets you upload overlapping files — for example, a full month-to-date export each week — without creating duplicate expenses.

If you don’t map Unique ID, Expensify treats every row in the file as a new transaction. Re-uploading the same file creates a duplicate expense for each row.

For Unique ID to work, the values in that column must be unique within the file and stay the same for the same transaction across uploads. If the column repeats the same value on different transactions, Expensify treats them as the same transaction and skips the later ones.

Each Unique ID value must also be more than 5 characters long. A value of 5 characters or fewer is too short to reliably identify a transaction, so Expensify ignores it and imports the row again every time you re-upload the file. If your file numbers transactions with short values such as 1, 2, and 3, map Unique ID to a longer reference column instead.

You must map Unique ID yourself on every import. Unlike the other field mappings, it is never filled in for you.

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What happens after you import company card transactions from a spreadsheet

• Imported transactions appear in the assigned cardholder’s account.
• The cardholder can edit, categorize, and submit these expenses on a report.
• A Workspace Admin can upload additional files to update the assigned cards with new transactions.

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How to upload additional transactions to an existing card feed

1. Go to Workspaces > Company cards.
2. Select the name of the card feed you want to update.
3. Click Settings.
4. Choose Import spreadsheet.
5. Choose the CSV, TXT, XLS, or XLSX file you want to upload.
6. Review and confirm the field mappings, and map Unique ID again if your file has a unique reference column.
7. Click Import.

Note: Field mappings auto-fill to save time — from your new file’s column headers first, then from the columns you mapped last time. Unique ID is the one exception: it is never restored, so map it again on every upload to keep Expensify from importing duplicate transactions. Learn how Expensify fills in company card field mappings.

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How to delete a company card CSV feed

1. Go to Workspaces > Company cards.
2. Select the name of the card feed you want to delete.
3. Click Settings.
4. Select Remove card feed.
5. Confirm deletion.

Note: This removes the card feed and any Deleted, Unreported, and Draft expenses. Outstanding, Approved and Paid expenses are not deleted. Learn more about expense and report statuses.

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FAQ

What should I do if my file upload fails or results in an error?

Ensure the file includes the required fields and matches the formatting guidelines. Use Expensify’s CSV template for reference.

What file formats are supported for company card imports?

You can upload CSV, TXT, XLS, and XLSX files when importing company card transactions.

What columns are required to import company card transactions?

Your file must include a way to identify each card so transactions can be matched to it — map either a Card number column or a Card name column. At least one is required, and you can map both. It should also include the following columns:

• Date
• Merchant
• Amount
• Currency (optional but recommended)

Unique ID is optional, but map it whenever your file has a unique reference for each transaction so re-uploading the file doesn’t create duplicates.

How does matching transactions by card name work?

Instead of a Card number, you can map a Card name column, and Expensify groups each transaction under the card identified by that name. After you upload the file, those cards appear as entries you can assign to users — the name doesn’t need to match a card you’ve already assigned. You only need one card-identity column, so map a Card number column instead if you’d rather identify cards by number.

What happens if I map the same field to two columns?

You’ll see an “Oops!” error telling you a single field is mapped to multiple columns, and you won’t be able to proceed until you set one of them back to Ignore. Expensify never pre-selects the same field twice, so this only happens on mappings you set yourself.

Will my field mappings still be right if my new file has different columns?

Yes, as long as your file has a header row. Expensify matches your new file’s headers to fields before it falls back to the column positions you used last time, so reordered, added, or removed columns no longer push the mappings onto the wrong columns. Headers that don’t resemble any field name are left as Ignore, so review the mappings before you click Import.

Why is a column I expected to be filled in showing Ignore?

Expensify couldn’t match that column’s header to one of its fields, so it left the column for you to set. This is normal for files with unusual header names, for files with no header row, and for the first upload to a brand-new feed when the headers don’t resemble the field names. Pick the correct field from the dropdown and continue.

Why am I seeing an “Oops!” error about empty values?

If you map a required field such as Date, Merchant, or Amount — or the Card number or Card name column you’re using to identify each card — to a column that contains one or more empty cells, you’ll see an “Oops!” error and won’t be able to continue. Review the column you mapped, fill in any missing values, and then try importing again.

Can I change field mappings after importing transactions?

Yes. When importing new transactions, Expensify suggests mappings from your file’s column headers and from your previous mappings, but you can change them as needed. Unique ID is the one mapping that is never suggested — set it again each time.

Why do I get duplicate expenses when I upload the same file again?

Expensify only recognizes a repeat transaction when you map Unique ID. If you upload a file with no Unique ID mapping, every row imports as a new transaction, so overlapping rows become duplicate expenses. Map Unique ID to the column that holds each transaction’s unique reference and re-import.

Why is Unique ID blank when I upload another file to the same feed?

Expensify deliberately doesn’t restore a saved Unique ID mapping. The saved mapping can’t be told apart from an automatically generated one, so restoring it could point Unique ID at the wrong column of your new file and cause valid transactions to be skipped. Map it by hand on each upload.

What happens to rows with a blank Unique ID?

Expensify imports them. A row with an empty Unique ID cell gets a generated ID instead, so it always imports and won’t be matched against a later upload.

Is there a minimum length for Unique ID?

Yes. A Unique ID value must be more than 5 characters long. Expensify ignores any value of 5 characters or fewer because it’s too short to reliably identify a transaction, so those rows create duplicates on a re-upload even though Unique ID is mapped. Map Unique ID to a column with longer references, such as the bank’s own transaction ID.

Do imported company card transactions sync across web and mobile?

Yes. Changes made to CSV feeds are reflected across both platforms and also sync with Expensify Classic.