Convert Excel to QIF for Quicken & GnuCash
Turn Excel transaction data into QIF — the format Quicken, GnuCash, MYOB and Moneydance all read, with your memos and reference numbers intact.
XLSX and XLS supported. Auto-detects columns. Free online — no signup.
How It Works
Upload Your Excel File
XLSX or XLS with transaction data. Date, amount, and description columns auto-detected.
Converted to QIF
Columns mapped to QIF field codes (D, T, P, N, M). Account type header added.
Download QIF
Import via File > Import > QIF in Quicken, or File > Import in GnuCash.
QIF or QFX — Which Do You Need?
QIF (This Tool)
- Memos and reference numbers
- Bank, credit card and investment registers
- Quicken for Windows: any account type
- GnuCash, MYOB, Moneydance, MS Money
QFX / OFX
- Dates, amounts and payees
- FITID-based duplicate detection
- The only route on Quicken for Mac
- Use Excel to OFX instead
Quicken for Windows imports QIF into any account type (Deluxe or above on 2005–2017; Starter and Essentials never). Quicken for Mac 2015+ only reads QIF when creating a new file, never into an existing account — use QFX there.
How Your Excel Columns Map to QIF
Transaction date
Transaction amount
Payee / description
Bank, CCard or Invst header
Additional notes
Check or reference number
What is Excel?
Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet (XLSX/XLS)
Rows and columns of transaction data. Quicken can't import Excel directly — it needs QIF, QFX, or OFX.
What is QIF?
Quicken Interchange Format
Text-based format with single-letter field codes — D for date, T for amount, P for payee, N for reference, M for memo. Read by Quicken, GnuCash, MYOB, Moneydance and most legacy finance tools.
Why This Tool
Auto Column Detection
Date, amount, and description columns detected automatically — no manual mapping.
Your Categories Kept
A Category column in your sheet is written into QIF's L field exactly as you typed it — never guessed, so a bank export with no such column stays uncategorised.
Memos & Reference Numbers
Memo and reference columns map to QIF's M and N fields. All detail carried through.
Debit/Credit Support
Single amount column or separate debit/credit columns both handled correctly.
Investment Rows
Buys, sells and dividends are written as !Type:Invst entries with the action, security, quantity and price.
XLS + XLSX
Both modern (.xlsx) and legacy (.xls) Excel formats supported.
When to Use This
Quicken Import
Quicken for Windows imports QIF into any account type. Convert the workbook and import via File > File Import > QIF File.
GnuCash Import
GnuCash accepts QIF natively. Convert your Excel data and import via File > Import > QIF.
Legacy Data Migration
Moving data from Microsoft Money or old spreadsheets into Quicken or GnuCash? QIF is the universal bridge.
Excel-to-QIF Issues & Fixes
Quicken says "QIF import not available for this account type"
You are on Quicken Starter or Essentials, which never import QIF, or on Quicken 2005–2017 below the Deluxe edition. Quicken for Windows 2018+ and Quicken Classic import QIF into any account type. On Quicken for Mac, QIF is only read when creating a new file — use QFX or OFX instead.
Dates swapped — month and day reversed
QIF dates must match Quicken's locale. US Quicken expects MM/DD/YYYY. Verify your spreadsheet's date format before converting.
Quicken creates a new account instead of importing into existing
The account name in the QIF must match your existing Quicken account exactly. If they differ, Quicken creates a new one.
Transactions imported with no category assigned
This converter does not assign categories. A bank statement records money in and out of one account and names no category per row, so the QIF carries dates, amounts, payees, references and memos only. Categorise inside Quicken after importing — its renaming and memorised-payee rules will do it in bulk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use QIF or QFX for Quicken?
On Quicken for Windows, either — QIF imports into any account type on 2018+ and Quicken Classic, and on 2005–2017 from the Deluxe edition upward. Starter and Essentials never import QIF. On Quicken for Mac, use QFX: Mac versions since 2015 only read a QIF when creating a new file, never into an account you already have.
Does my Category column come through?
Yes, if your spreadsheet has one. A column headed Category — or Class, Head, Type of Expense — is written into QIF's L field exactly as you typed it, colon hierarchies like Auto:Fuel included, and Quicken and GnuCash both read it as a real category. It is never guessed: a bank's own export has no category column, so that file comes out uncategorised rather than with something we invented. QFX and OFX have no category field at all, which is the main reason to choose QIF.
Do I need specific column names?
No. Date, amount, and description columns are auto-detected regardless of header naming.
Does it handle separate Debit and Credit columns?
Yes. Separate columns are detected and combined into correctly signed QIF amounts.
Which software accepts QIF?
Quicken for Windows (edition limits above), GnuCash, MYOB AccountRight, Moneydance, Money Manager Ex, HomeBank, Microsoft Money and various open-source finance tools. MYOB is worth a note: it takes OFX and QIF but not CSV, PDF or Excel, so QIF is the route in.
Can I include reference numbers and memos?
Yes. If your Excel has reference/check number or memo columns, they map to QIF's N and M fields respectively.
Big Red Consulting charges for their Excel-to-QIF add-in. Is this free?
Yes. No trial limits, no Excel add-in to install, no desktop software. Fully free in your browser.
Is my data secure?
Encrypted via TLS, processed in memory, never stored. Your file is deleted immediately after conversion.
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