Converting a bank statement, step by step

Converting a statement is a short loop: add the file, wait a moment, then look at what BankWriter tells you about the result. This page covers each part of that loop, including the two outcomes you will see and what to do when a PDF refuses to convert at all.

How do I add my files?

The main window is one large drop zone reading Drop PDF statement(s) here. There are two ways to use it:

• Drag and drop. Drag one or more PDFs from File Explorer onto the window.
• Click to browse. Click the drop zone to open a file picker and choose your statements there.

Both accept several files at once. Each file you add appears as a chip in the window, so you can see exactly what is queued before anything starts. If you added the wrong file, remove it and add the right one. When you drop more than one statement, BankWriter works through them in order — see Batch processing: many statements at once.

How long does a conversion take?

BankWriter shows a progress panel while it reads. In a batch it names the file it is on, so you always know where you are in the queue.

How long a statement takes depends on the file. A short statement with selectable text is usually a few seconds. Long statements take proportionally longer, and scanned or photographed pages take longest of all, because BankWriter has to read the page as an image. That is expected, not a fault — Scanned and photographed statements explains what to expect and how to get the best result from paper.

Leave the window alone while it works. When the statement is ready, the review screen opens by itself.

Outcome one: Reconciled

Reconciled is the good result. It means the lines BankWriter pulled out agree with the totals printed on the statement itself. Nothing was missed, nothing was misread, and the arithmetic holds from the opening balance to the closing balance.

You still get the review screen, because it is your file and your responsibility. Most of the time a Reconciled statement needs nothing more than a glance at the summary strip before you export.

Outcome two: Needs review

Needs review means BankWriter could not verify every line against the statement's own printed totals, so it is asking for your eyes. The rows involved are highlighted, and the summary strip shows how far off the totals are.

This is the honest outcome, not the broken one. A tool that never flagged anything would simply be exporting wrong numbers quietly. BankWriter tells you where to look instead.

What to do:

1. Start with the highlighted rows. They are where the doubt is.
2. Compare a suspect row against the original page without leaving the app — the review screen can show you that exact spot in the PDF.
3. Correct anything that is wrong by clicking the cell and typing. The totals recompute as you go.
4. Export when you are satisfied. If the totals still do not agree and you know why, the button reads Export Anyway so you can proceed deliberately.

The review screen: check and edit lines covers editing and checking rows in detail.

When a PDF will not convert at all

A small number of files cannot be read. The usual causes are easy to check:

• It is not a statement PDF. A screenshot pasted into Word, an email printed to PDF, or a summary page with no line detail has nothing to convert. Ask your bank for the statement PDF itself.
• It is password-protected. Open it in your PDF reader, remove the password, save a copy, and convert the copy.
• It is a poor scan. Faint, skewed or heavily cropped pages are hard going. Re-scan straight, uncropped pages if you can, and try Re-scan with detailed scan when BankWriter offers it.

Getting help from BankWriter support lists exactly what to include so we can answer on the first reply.