# Import Your Chart of Accounts *** ### When to Use a CSV Import If your client’s books were previously managed outside of Digits, for example, in Xero, Puzzle, or a custom spreadsheet, you can import their **Chart of Accounts (COA)** manually using a CSV file. {% hint style="danger" %} The CSV import adds your **Chart of Accounts only**. It does not import transactions or opening balances. You can add opening balances later by **importing** or **manually creating journal entries** in the **Ledger**. {% endhint %} *** If you’re uploading a CSV manually, follow these steps: 1. Click your firm name in the top left corner to open the dropdown. 2. Click, **+ Add Client.** 3. Choose **Start Fresh** or **Migrate from another platform** (e.g., Xero, Puzzle). 4. Select Manual Upload, click **Next**. 5. Complete the company profile and click **Next**. 6. Click **Download Template**.
5. Fill in the following fields for each category: * Category Name * Category Number * Category Type (Income, Expense, Asset, etc.) 6. Save your completed CSV. 7. Click **Upload CSV** to bring it back into Digits. 8. Review the preview screen. 9. If everything looks good, click **Submit** to import. *** ### Filling Out the Template CSV
ColumnWhat to EnterTips & Examples
Category NameThe account or category name.Any text. This field can’t be blank. Avoid using commas or extra spaces.
✅ Example: Prepayments
Category NumberAn optional account number.Use your firm’s standard numbering system (if applicable).
✅ Example: 11110
Parent NameIndicates 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:
TypeThe 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
StatusActive or inactive.Optional — defaults to Active if left blank.
✅ Example: Active
DescriptionOptional short description.Helps your team understand the purpose of the category.
✅ Example: Monthly rent and utilities
*** {% hint style="info" %} **Tips:** * If your firm uses a standardized COA, save it as a **master CSV**. You can reuse it for future clients to maintain consistency and speed up setup. * 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.* {% endhint %} *** ### Review and Adjust Categories Once your import is complete: 1. From your client’s **Dashboard**, go to **Accounting → Category Manager**. 2. Review all categories for accuracy and completeness. 3. **Merge, rename, or deactivate** categories to align with your firm’s standard structure. 4. Add **subcategories** for improved organization and reporting. For more details, see: [Category Manager (Chart of Accounts) ](https://help.digits.com/firms-agentic-general-ledger/category-manager) *** ### My Client is Already Set Up — How Do I Bulk Import Categories? The steps above apply when importing a Chart of Accounts during initial client setup. If you need to upload or modify categories later — for example, to restructure an existing client’s accounts — use **Bulk Importing Categories** from the Category Manager instead. See: [Bulk Importing Categories](https://help.digits.com/firms-agentic-general-ledger/category-manager) *** ### 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.
*** {% columns %} {% column width="66.66666666666666%" valign="middle" %} Got a question or feedback? Our team is all ears—come say hello! {% endcolumn %} {% column width="33.33333333333334%" valign="middle" %}

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Can I apply the same Chart of Accounts to multiple clients at once? Not all at once. Right now, you can’t push one Chart of Accounts to every client in a single step. The easiest workaround is to use the same COA CSV file for each client. Import that CSV into each client’s Category Manager. Once your template is set up, repeating the import is quick.
Is the AI-generated Chart of Accounts GAAP compliant? Digits’ auto-generated COA is GAAP-aligned in structure, but GAAP compliance depends on how entries are recorded (depreciation, accruals, adjusting entries).\ If you have a preferred GAAP template (by industry/firm standard), you can import your own COA via CSV.
*** {% columns %} {% column width="66.66666666666666%" valign="middle" %} Got a question or feedback? Our team is all ears—come say hello! {% endcolumn %} {% column width="33.33333333333334%" valign="middle" %}

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