Convert Commonwealth Bank Statements to OFX

Upload your Commonwealth Bank PDF statement, the converter extracts each transaction's date, description, debit, credit, and balance into a structured OFX file. Download the .ofx file and import it directly into accounting software like Xero, MYOB, MoneyWorks, or personal finance applications that support the Open Financial Exchange format.

OFX is a standardised XML-based format designed for moving financial data between institutions and software. Unlike spreadsheets, OFX files carry transaction metadata that accounting applications recognise automatically—transaction type, posting date, unique IDs—so your software can match transactions to existing records, detect duplicates, and present them in its native reconciliation interface without manual column mapping.

How do I convert a Commonwealth Bank statement to OFX?

1. Download your Commonwealth Bank statement as a PDF from NetBank or the CommBank app (Accounts → Statement History → Download).
2. Upload the PDF to the converter at the top of this page.
3. The tool parses each transaction row, extracting date, description, debit, credit, and running balance.
4. Download the generated .ofx file.
5. Import the file into your accounting software using its bank statement import or bank feed function.

The process takes under a minute for statements up to 80 pages. You can convert multiple statement periods in sequence and import them as separate files or merge them in your accounting software.

What transaction data gets extracted?

Commonwealth Bank statements list each transaction with a date, description, debit amount, credit amount, and balance after the transaction. The converter captures all five fields and maps them to OFX elements:

• Date: the transaction posting date in DD/MM/YYYY format, converted to the OFX DTPOSTED field (YYYYMMDD format internally).
• Description: the narration line (merchant name, transfer reference, direct debit originator), placed in the OFX MEMO and NAME fields so it appears in your software's transaction list.
• Debit: outgoing amounts in AUD, stored as negative TRNAMT values in OFX.
• Credit: incoming amounts in AUD, stored as positive TRNAMT values.
• Balance: the running balance after each transaction, recorded in the OFX BALAMT field to help software verify the import matches the statement's closing balance.

Multi-page statements are processed as a single dataset, so a 60-page statement covering three months produces one OFX file with all transactions in chronological order.

Importing OFX files into Australian accounting software

OFX files slot directly into the bank feed or statement import workflows of most Australian accounting applications. In Xero, go to Accounting → Bank Accounts, click the account, then Import a Statement and upload the .ofx file. Xero displays the transactions in the Reconcile tab where you can create or match them to existing invoices, bills, or spend money entries. The OFX structure means Xero can auto-match many transactions based on amount, date, and payee name.

MYOB AccountRight and MYOB Essentials both accept OFX imports under Banking → Bank Feeds or Banking → Reconcile Accounts. MYOB uses the transaction ID embedded in OFX to prevent duplicate imports if you upload overlapping statement periods. MoneyWorks Gold and MoneyWorks Datacentre support OFX import via File → Import → Bank Statement (OFX), mapping the transactions to your nominated bank account and presenting them for reconciliation.

Personal finance tools like MoneyBrilliant, PocketSmith, and Frollo also accept OFX uploads. These apps use the FITID (financial institution transaction ID) the converter generates to identify unique transactions, so re-uploading the same statement won't create duplicates. If your software supports both OFX and CSV, prefer OFX for automated matching and duplicate detection; use CSV only when you need to manipulate the data in Excel first.

One OFX limitation: the format doesn't include statement metadata like account name or BSB. When you import, your software will prompt you to select which account the transactions belong to. Match it to the correct Commonwealth Bank account code in your chart of accounts—the converter can't auto-assign this because OFX structure predates multi-account tagging standards.

Does it work with scanned Commonwealth Bank statements?

Yes. If your PDF is a scanned image or photograph (common for mailed paper statements or statements downloaded as image-based PDFs), the converter applies OCR to recognise the printed text. It then parses the transaction table the same way it handles digital PDFs. OCR accuracy for Commonwealth Bank's statement format is high because the layout is consistent: fixed column positions for date, description, debit, credit, and balance.

After extraction, the converter sums the debits and credits and compares the calculated closing balance to the printed closing balance on the statement. If they match within one cent (accounting for rounding), the data passes validation. If the totals diverge, the tool flags the discrepancy so you can review the OFX file before importing. For best results, scan statements at 300dpi or higher and ensure the page edges are visible.

Data privacy and file deletion

Your PDF is processed in memory and deleted immediately after the OFX file is generated. Files are not stored on disk, shared with third parties, or used to train machine learning models. The conversion runs server-side, so your statement data never persists beyond the few seconds needed for parsing and export.

Comparison: manual retyping vs PDF export vs converter

Worked example: OFX output

A Commonwealth Bank statement shows these transactions for a business account:

The converter produces an OFX file where each row becomes a STMTTRN entry. The EFTPOS transaction is stored with TRNTYPE=DEBIT, DTPOSTED=20250203, TRNAMT=-87.40, and MEMO="EFTPOS WW METRO 5214 SYDNEY". The direct credit is TRNTYPE=CREDIT, TRNAMT=3250.00. When you import this .ofx file into Xero, the transactions appear on the Reconcile screen with the date, payee (parsed from the description), and amount pre-filled, ready to match against invoice #2091 or create a new spend money transaction for the Woolworths purchase.

Why OFX instead of Excel or CSV?

Use OFX when your workflow involves importing into accounting software that supports it. The format's built-in transaction IDs and standardised fields mean less manual data entry and fewer duplicate imports. If you need to analyse trends in Excel, perform custom calculations, or share raw data with a client who doesn't use accounting software, convert to Excel or convert to CSV instead. For direct integration with Xero's reconciliation interface, the Xero converter produces a compatible format. OFX sits between these: it's more structured than a spreadsheet but compatible with a wider range of applications than proprietary formats.

Many Australian businesses use OFX as an intermediary when switching accounting systems—export historical Commonwealth Bank transactions as OFX from the old system, then import the same files into the new one. The standardised schema minimises data loss during migration.

Other Commonwealth Bank conversion options

Commonwealth Bank serves millions of personal and business customers across Australia, and accountants frequently need statements in various formats for different workflows. Beyond OFX, you can convert Commonwealth Bank statements to QuickBooks format for AccountEdge or MYOB Desktop, or process statements from other Australian banks using the same tool. All converters on this site handle scanned PDFs and validate extracted totals against the printed closing balance.