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Import Your Chart of Accounts

Import your Chart of Accounts into Digits using a CSV file.

When to Use a CSV Import

If your books were previously managed outside of Digits — for example, in Xero, Puzzle, or a custom spreadsheet — you can manually import your Chart of Accounts (COA) using a CSV file.

A CSV import brings in your categories only (your chart of accounts). It does not import transactions or opening balances.

You can add opening balances later by importing or manually creating journal entries in the Ledger.

How to Upload a Chart of Accounts via CSV

You can upload your chart of accounts (categories) by CSV either when you first sign up, or when you add another business later.

1

New to Digits or Adding Another Business?

Option 1: You’re New to Digits

  1. Go to digits.com/join/business and enter your email to create your account.

  2. Follow the prompts until you’re asked how you want to set up your accounting categories.

  3. Choose Get started fresh or Migrate from another platform (anything except QuickBooks, since QBO brings its own chart of accounts).

  4. On the Choose your accounting categories screen, select Manual Upload and click Next.

  5. Complete your company profile and click Next.

  6. Click Download Template.

Option 2: You’re Adding a Second Business

  1. From your Digits dashboard, click your business name in the top-left.

  2. Click + Add Business.

  3. Follow the same steps as above:

    • Choose Start Fresh or Migrate from another platform (not QuickBooks).

    • On Choose your accounting categories, select Manual Upload and click Next.

    • Complete your company profile and click Next, then Download Template.

2

Fill Out and Upload Your CSV

In the downloaded template, fill in these fields for each category:

  • Category Name

  • Category Number (optional, only if you use one)

  • Category Type (Income, Expense, Asset, etc.)

Then:

  1. Save your completed CSV.

  2. Back in Digits, click Upload CSV.

  3. Review the preview screen.

  4. If everything looks correct, click Submit to import your chart of accounts.

Filling Out the Template CSV

Category Name

The account or category name.

Any text. This field can’t be blank. Avoid using commas or extra spaces. ✅ Example: Prepayments

Category Number

An optional account number.

Use your firm’s standard numbering system (if applicable). ✅ Example: 11110

Parent Name

Indicates if a category should be nested under another in the Category Manager (your chart of accounts). • Use only for subcategories. • Leave blank for top-level categories like Assets, Liabilities, or Revenue.

This field is optional, but if used, keep in mind: • First-time uploads: The parent must appear in Column 1 (Category Name). Placement in the file doesn’t matter. • Use the exact name of the parent as listed in Column 1. • If the parent already exists in Digits, don’t include it again — doing so may trigger a duplicate name error. ✅ Example:

Type

The category’s financial type.

Must match one of the following exactly: Bank, Credit Card, Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenue, Cost of Revenue, Operating Expenses, Other Income, or Other Expenses. ✅ Example: Assets

Status

Active or inactive.

Optional — defaults to Active if left blank. ✅ Example: Active

Description

Optional short description.

Helps your team understand the purpose of the category. ✅ Example: Monthly rent and utilities

Tips:

  • Expand Row 2 in the template for built-in instructions.

  • Remove all blank lines before uploading.

  • Ensure Category Type matches one of Digits’ accepted types: Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenue, Cost of Revenue, Operating Expenses, Other Income, or Other Expenses.

Review and Adjust Categories After Import

Once your import is complete:

  1. From your Dashboard, go to Accounting → Category Manager.

  2. Review all categories for accuracy and completeness.

  3. Merge, rename, or deactivate categories to match how you want to see your books.

  4. Add subcategories for better organization and reporting.

For more details, see: Category Manager (Chart of Accounts)

Already Set Up in Digits? Bulk Import Later

The steps above are for importing your chart of accounts during initial setup.

If your business is already set up in Digits and you want to:

  • Upload new categories in bulk, or

  • Restructure and update existing categories, use Bulk Importing Categories directly from Category Manager instead.

See: Bulk Importing Categories

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use the Digits CSV template?

Yes. All uploads must follow the official Digits CSV template to ensure proper formatting and field recognition.

How should I handle parent and child categories?

  • Ensure parent categories are added as a separate row in the CSV file or already exist in your chart of accounts in Digits (i.e., if this is not a first-time category upload) and are correctly named.

  • Ensure to leave this field blank if the parent is one of the following top-level categories: Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenue, Cost of Revenue, Operating Expenses, Other Income, Other Expenses

What formatting rules should I follow?

  • Keep the header row intact — do not rename or delete it.

  • Expand Row 2 in the template for built-in field instructions.

  • Remove any blank lines at the end of your file before uploading.

  • Save the file in .csv format before uploading.

Need help? Contact support at [email protected]