MT940 Converter: convert bank statements to any format

What is an MT940 file?

MT940 is the SWIFT standard (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) for electronic bank statements. It is a text-based format that has been used worldwide by banks since the 1980s to deliver account statements digitally.

An MT940 file contains structured fields with tags such as :20: (transaction reference), :60F: (opening balance), :61: (transaction line), and :86: (transaction details). Dutch banks such as ING, ABN AMRO, and Rabobank use this format, although more and more banks are switching to the newer CAMT.053 format.

Why convert MT940?

Not all accounting software accepts MT940 files. Some packages expect CAMT.053 (ISO 20022), while others prefer a CSV or Excel import. Additionally, the MT940 implementation can vary slightly between banks, meaning a file from bank A is not always correctly read by software optimized for bank B.

Common reasons to convert MT940:

• Your accounting software only supports CAMT.053
• You want to analyze transactions in Excel or Google Sheets
• The MT940 import in your software produces errors
• You need to merge files from multiple banks into one format
• Your accountant uses a different accounting package

How does the MT940 converter work?

1. Upload your .sta, .940, .mt940, or .txt file
2. StatementBridge automatically recognizes the MT940 structure and parses all transactions
3. Review the recognized transactions, account number, and balances
4. Choose the desired output format
5. Download the converted file

Supported conversions

MT940 file structure: key fields

An MT940 file consists of a series of numbered tags. Each field has a specific meaning according to the SWIFT standard. Below you will find the most important tags that StatementBridge processes:

Tag	Name	Description
:20:	Transaction Reference	Unique reference number of the statement
:25:	Account Number	IBAN or account number of the account holder
:28C:	Statement Number	Sequence number of the bank statement
:60F:	Opening Balance	Balance at the start of the period (Credit/Debit, date, currency, amount)
:61:	Transaction Line	Individual transaction with date, amount, and reference
:86:	Transaction Details	Description, counterparty, IBAN, and other information
:62F:	Closing Balance	Balance at the end of the period

Differences between banks

Although MT940 is an international standard, each bank implements the format slightly differently. This can lead to import problems if your software is optimised for a different bank. Common differences include:

• ING: Uses structured :86: tags with /NAME/, /REMI/, and /IBAN/ subfields. File extension is usually .sta.
• ABN AMRO: Delivers MT940 with a SWIFT message envelope ({1:...}{2:...}{4:...}). Descriptions in :86: contain a three-digit transaction type code at the start (e.g. 166).
• Rabobank: Often uses .940 as extension. Sometimes has non-standard field order in the :61: tag. Descriptions are mostly unstructured.
• Triodos Bank: Delivers relatively standard MT940, but with limited detail in descriptions.

StatementBridge automatically recognises the variant and correctly processes all of the above banks. You don't need to configure anything.

Compatible accounting software

StatementBridge generates files that are compatible with popular accounting packages such as Exact Online, Twinfield, AFAS, Visma, SnelStart, e-Boekhouden, Yuki, Unit4, AccountView, and more.