How to import bills into QuickBooks Online from a CSV file
Build a CSV with one row per bill line, repeat the bill number, supplier and dates on every row of the same bill, then upload it from Settings, Import data, Bills and map each column. As of general knowledge, Intuit offers the bill import on Essentials, Plus and Advanced and recommends about 100 bills at a time. Check each point on your own import page.
General information for bookkeepers, not accounting, tax or legal advice. Rules and software screens differ by country and change over time.
This guide reflects general knowledge of Intuit's published help for the bill import. Intuit changes plans, screens and limits, so confirm each point in your own company before a real import.
What must exist before you upload
The import creates bills. It does not create the accounts, suppliers or settings a bill points at, so set these up first.
- Accounts. Every line needs the exact name of an account already in your chart of accounts. Intuit's help says line accounts must exist before the import.
- Suppliers. Names should match your supplier list exactly. The upload screen can offer to add suppliers it does not find, and a spelling difference then becomes a second supplier.
- Custom transaction numbers. To keep the supplier's invoice number as the bill number, Intuit's help says to switch on custom transaction numbers in Account and settings, under Sales.
- Multicurrency, if any bill is in a foreign currency. Intuit's help says a vendor's currency is set when the vendor is created, so settle it before you import.
Importing bills, step by step
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Find the bill import
Open Settings, choose Import data, then Bills. If Bills is missing, your plan or region may not offer it, and the bills have to be keyed by hand.
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Build the file
One row per bill line. Repeat the bill number, supplier, bill date and due date on every row of a bill, spelled identically, so the rows group into one bill. Write amounts as plain numbers and save as a comma-separated CSV.
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Upload and map the columns
QuickBooks shows your column headings beside its own fields. Map each one, so a different spelling of a heading still imports.
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Choose the date format
Pick the format your file uses during mapping. 03/04/2026 is 4 March or 3 April depending on the choice, and the wrong one files the bill in the wrong month.
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Read the summary
Fix any mapping issues QuickBooks flags, then check the import summary when it finishes.
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Start with two or three bills
Open each imported bill and compare its total with the paper. When they agree, import the rest in batches of about 100 bills or fewer.
The columns to map
| Column | What to put in it | Common failure |
|---|---|---|
| Bill no. (required) | The supplier's invoice number, identical on every row of the bill. | A spreadsheet drops leading zeros, or a stray space splits the bill. |
| Supplier (required) | The name exactly as it appears in your supplier list. | A near-match creates a second supplier. |
| Bill date (required) | The invoice date, in one format throughout. | Day and month swapped. |
| Due date (required) | The printed due date, or the invoice date plus the terms. | Blank, or earlier than the bill date. |
| Account (required) | The exact name of an existing account. | A name mismatch, or an inactive account. |
| Line amount (required) | The line total as a plain number. | Currency symbols or thousands separators. |
| Line tax code (required if sales tax is on) | A code mapped during the import. Intuit's help says you can choose exclusive or inclusive tax. | Left blank, or a tax amount that disagrees with the paper. |
| Terms, memo, location (optional) | Extra detail. Optional columns vary, so compare with the sample file in Intuit's help. | A term that is not in your terms list. |
Rules and limits to check
Confirm these on the current help page, because Intuit changes them.
- Batch size. Intuit recommends no more than about 100 bills at one time. The page this guide drew on gives no hard figure for rows or file size.
- One line at least, and a total of zero or more. Every bill needs a line item.
- No discounts or credit memos. Intuit's help says they are not supported. Enter them by hand.
- No item details. Lines post to accounts, not to products and services.
- No attachments. A CSV carries data only, so attach each invoice PDF afterwards.
What goes wrong
The same bill twice
Importing a file twice, or importing bills someone already keyed, creates duplicates. Search the bill numbers first. See duplicate invoice detection.
Suppliers multiply
Acme Ltd and ACME Limited are different names to an import. Copy supplier names from your list, not from the invoice.
Bills land in the wrong month
A date format that does not match the file swaps day and month. The bill looks fine until the payables aging report is a month out.
A spreadsheet rewrites the file
Opening and re-saving a CSV can drop leading zeros and reformat dates. Keep an untouched copy, and check totals against the paper, as in invoice data entry errors.
How BillToCSV helps
BillToCSV reads a supplier invoice PDF or photo and writes this file in QuickBooks Online column order, one row per line, after checking quantity × unit price, the lines against the subtotal, and subtotal plus tax against the total. Account stays blank unless you type one, and it never connects to your QuickBooks company. Try the QuickBooks converter on a real bill. Free: 1 file per day, up to 10 pages, no account. Pricing covers bigger stacks.
Questions people ask
Can you import bills into QuickBooks Online from a CSV?
Yes, where the plan offers it. As of general knowledge, Intuit's help describes the bill import for Essentials, Plus and Advanced, found under Settings, Import data, Bills. If you do not see Bills there, check your plan and region before you build a file.
Which columns does the bill import require?
Intuit's help lists bill number, supplier, bill date, due date, account, line amount and, when sales tax is on, a line tax code. Start from the sample file on Intuit's help page and compare the headings with your file.
How many bills can I import at once?
Intuit's help recommends no more than about 100 bills at one time. It is a recommendation, not a stated cap, so split big stacks and check the first batch before sending the rest.
Will QuickBooks keep my invoice numbers as bill numbers?
Intuit's help says to switch on custom transaction numbers (Account and settings, then Sales) so the numbers in your file are kept. Import a test bill and check the number before you send the rest.
What date format should the file use?
Any one format, as long as you choose the matching format during column mapping. Use four-digit years, never mix formats in one file, and remember that 03/04/2026 reads two ways.
Why does the import say a supplier or account was not found?
The name in the file does not match a record exactly. Check spelling, punctuation and inactive accounts, then add the missing record first or tick the option to add new suppliers during the upload.