Convert CSV to CAMT.053 — Step by Step

What is CAMT.053?

CAMT.053 is a bank statement format based on the international ISO 20022 standard. It is an XML file that contains structured transaction data, including detailed information about counterparties, references and payment characteristics. CAMT.053 stands for "Cash Management — Bank to Customer Statement" and is the successor to the older MT940 format.

CAMT.053 files typically have the extension .xml and follow a strict XML schema with namespaces such as urn:iso:std:iso:20022:tech:xsd:camt.053.001.02.

Advantages of CAMT.053 over MT940

CAMT.053 offers several advantages over the older MT940 format:

Property	CAMT.053	MT940
File format	XML (structured, validatable)	Plain text (fixed field codes)
Description length	Unlimited	Max. 65 characters per line
Counterparty data	Structured (name, IBAN, BIC separate)	Unstructured (all in a single text field)
Standard	ISO 20022 (international, future-proof)	SWIFT (being phased out)
References	Multiple reference types (EndToEndId, InstructionId)	Limited reference options
Future-proofness	Yes — the new standard	No — will eventually be replaced

Why convert CSV to CAMT.053?

CSV files cannot be directly imported into most accounting packages. CAMT.053 is the recommended format if your software supports it. Reasons to choose CAMT.053:

• Richer data — CAMT.053 supports longer descriptions and structured counterparty data, which improves automatic matching in your accounting software.
• Future-proof — Dutch banks are transitioning from MT940 to CAMT.053. By using CAMT.053 now, you are prepared.
• Better software support — Exact Online, Visma eAccounting and Twinfield increasingly prefer CAMT.053.
• XML validation — CAMT.053 files can be validated against the XML schema, which prevents errors.

Common CSV sources

Source	Typical columns	Notes
Dutch banks (ING, ABN AMRO, Rabobank)	Date, Name/Description, Account, Counterparty account, Amount, Transaction type	Comma as decimal separator, semicolon-delimited
PayPal	Date, Name, Gross, Fee, Net, Transaction ID	Period as decimal separator, comma-delimited, multiple currencies possible
Stripe	Created (UTC), Amount, Fee, Description, Customer Email	Amounts in cents, UTC timezone
Mollie	Date, Amount, Status, Description, Reference	Payouts may be grouped
ERP systems	Varies per system	Often with internal reference numbers and general ledger accounts

Convert CSV to CAMT.053 with StatementBridge

With StatementBridge you convert any CSV file to CAMT.053 in five simple steps:

1. Upload your CSV file — go to StatementBridge and upload your CSV file. StatementBridge automatically detects the delimiter (comma, semicolon, tab).
2. Check the preview — verify that the columns are correctly recognised and that the data looks correct.
3. Map the columns — assign the columns to the correct fields:

   StatementBridge field	Description	Required
   Date	Transaction date (DD-MM-YYYY, YYYY-MM-DD, etc.)	Yes
   Amount	Transaction amount (positive/negative or separate debit/credit columns)	Yes
   Description	Payment description or reference	Yes
   Counterparty name	Name of the sender/recipient — stored as structured data in CAMT.053	No
   Counterparty account	IBAN of the counterparty — stored separately in CAMT.053	No

4. Enter account details — enter the IBAN of the bank account for which the statement applies. Choose the currency (default EUR).
5. Export as CAMT.053 — click Convert and download the CAMT.053 XML file. The file is ready to import into your accounting software.

CAMT.053 and structured counterparty data

A key advantage of CAMT.053 is that counterparty data is stored in a structured manner. If your CSV file contains columns for the name and IBAN of the counterparty, these are stored separately in the CAMT.053 file within the XML structure:

• Name: stored in <Nm> (structured, separate from the description)
• IBAN: stored in <IBAN> (separate field, not in the description text)
• Description: full text without length restriction in <AddtlNtryInf>

This makes automatic matching in your accounting software more reliable, because the software can directly identify the counterparty without having to parse text.

Tips for column mapping

• Date: StatementBridge recognises most date formats automatically. Check in the preview whether dates are correctly interpreted.
• Amount: if your CSV has separate columns for debit and credit, you can assign both. StatementBridge combines them automatically.
• Description: you can combine multiple columns into a single description. CAMT.053 supports longer descriptions than MT940, so you do not need to truncate.
• Counterparty: fill in the name and IBAN of the counterparty where possible — CAMT.053 stores these in a structured way, which improves matching.

Common problems and solutions

Problem	Cause	Solution
Dates are incorrectly interpreted	Confusion between DD/MM/YYYY and MM/DD/YYYY	Check the preview and set the correct date format. Tip: use a file where the day > 12 to verify the format
Amounts are wrong (debit/credit reversed)	CSV uses positive amounts for expenses	Use the "Reverse amounts" option in StatementBridge
Decimal separator not recognised	CSV uses comma as decimal separator, but delimiter is also comma	StatementBridge detects this automatically. Check the preview
Special characters not displayed correctly	Wrong character encoding of the CSV file	Save the CSV file as UTF-8. StatementBridge also supports Latin-1 and Windows-1252
"Bank account not found" during import	The IBAN in the CAMT.053 file does not match your accounting software	Add the bank account in your accounting software with the correct IBAN
CAMT.053 version not supported	Your accounting software expects a specific CAMT.053 version	StatementBridge generates version 002 by default. Contact us if your software expects a different version

Compatible accounting software

The CAMT.053 file generated by StatementBridge is compatible with all common Dutch accounting packages that support ISO 20022:

• Exact Online — import via Boekhouding > Bank en kas > Afschriften > Import
• Visma eAccounting — import via Kas- en banktransacties > Lees bankbestand in (preference: CAMT.053)
• Twinfield — import via Kas/Bank > Afschriften importeren
• AFAS — import via Financieel > Bankafschriften
• Yuki — upload via the Postbus or by email
• SnelStart — import via Bank > Importeren
• Moneybird — import via Bankzaken > Transacties importeren
• e-Boekhouden — supports MT940; use CAMT.053 only if explicitly supported

Convert CSV to CAMT.053

With StatementBridge you convert any CSV file to a valid CAMT.053 XML file in just a few clicks. Benefit from richer transaction data, longer descriptions and structured counterparty data — ready to import into your accounting software.