Prepare a Stripe CSV for QuickBooks import

Before converting Stripe transactions for QuickBooks, you need the right source CSV.

Stripe lets you choose the date range and columns included in a Payments export. BalanceFlow's built-in Stripe templates expect a particular set of fields, so it's worth checking the export settings before downloading the file - especially if you've customized Stripe exports before.

Stripe confirms that Payment exports can be filtered and that the columns included in the CSV can be customized. Stripe Support

1. Open Payments in Stripe

Open the Payments section of your Stripe Dashboard.

Use Stripe's filters if you only want to import a particular period or subset of payments. Stripe allows Payments exports to be filtered by date range, payment method, payment status, and other payment attributes. Stripe Support

For regular bookkeeping, choosing a clear period - such as one calendar month - also makes the resulting import easier to review and reconcile.

[SCREENSHOT: Stripe Dashboard Payments page immediately before opening Export. Show the selected date range or filters and the Export button.]

2. Open the CSV export

Click Export.

Stripe will open the export settings where you can choose which transactions and columns should be included in the CSV. Stripe Support

This step matters because Stripe allows its exports to be customized. A CSV downloaded from one account - or after changing the export settings - doesn't necessarily have exactly the same columns as another export.

[SCREENSHOT: Stripe Payments Export dialog immediately after clicking Export. Show the date range and Columns settings clearly.]

3. Include the fields BalanceFlow needs

For BalanceFlow's built-in Stripe to QuickBooks templates, include these fields in the export:

id
Created date (UTC)
Amount
Amount Refunded
Currency
Captured
Converted Amount
Converted Amount Refunded
Converted Currency
Decline Reason
Description
Fee
Refunded date (UTC)
Statement Descriptor
Status
Seller Message
Taxes On Fee
Card ID
Customer ID
Customer Description
Customer Email
Invoice ID
Transfer

Some of these fields aren't directly present in the final QuickBooks CSV. They are part of the source format expected by the built-in templates or provide information used during the transformation.

Stripe's export dialog allows you to choose custom columns, so check the selection before downloading the file. Stripe Support

[SCREENSHOT: Stripe Payments Export dialog with Custom columns selected and the complete set of fields required by BalanceFlow visible/selected. If the list doesn't fit on one screen, use two screenshots covering the complete selection.]

4. Don't remove the converted amount fields

In particular, keep these fields:

Converted Amount
Converted Amount Refunded
Converted Currency

even if you normally accept payments in only one currency.

BalanceFlow's built-in templates prefer Stripe's converted amount when it is available and fall back to the original Amount or Amount Refunded when it isn't.

This lets the same template work when Stripe provides a settlement-currency value without requiring you to prepare a different CSV for those transactions.

The fee is then handled alongside values expressed in the appropriate currency for the conversion.

For the exact transformations, see the Stripe to QuickBooks Net template or Stripe to QuickBooks Split Fee template.

5. Download the CSV

Once the date range and columns are correct, export the file as CSV.

Don't edit or rearrange the file before uploading it to BalanceFlow unless you have a reason to do so. The built-in templates are designed to work with the expected Stripe export structure.

If you do need to work with a modified export, BalanceFlow can match input columns by their header names instead of their positions.

Matching by position or by header

When you create the conversion in BalanceFlow, you'll see two options for Match input columns.

By position

This is the default.

BalanceFlow matches each column according to its position in the CSV. Use it when you've exported the expected fields from Stripe in the expected order.

By header

BalanceFlow finds columns using their header names instead.

Use this when all the required Stripe fields are present but their order in the CSV is different.

Header matching is particularly useful if you've previously changed your Stripe export configuration.

[SCREENSHOT: BalanceFlow Create Conversion page with a Stripe template selected and the Match input columns control visible. Show both By position and By header options.]

Choose the BalanceFlow template

Once you have the Stripe CSV, you can choose how you want the transactions prepared for QuickBooks.

The Stripe to QuickBooks Net template keeps each Stripe transaction as a single output row.

The Stripe to QuickBooks Split Fee template creates separate accounting rows for the transaction and Stripe processing fee.

If you're not sure which approach fits your workflow, see How to split Stripe fees for QuickBooks import.

From Stripe export to QuickBooks

Once the export is configured correctly, you don't need to prepare the CSV manually.

Upload it to BalanceFlow, choose the appropriate template, preview the result, and run the conversion.

The resulting CSV can then be used for the QuickBooks import.

For the complete process from beginning to end, see How to import Stripe transactions to QuickBooks.