The usual causes
- Dates in the wrong format. ACS expects MM/DD/YYYY. Formats like 2026-11-02, 2-Nov-26 or 13/45/2026 will not be read.
- Amounts with symbols. Remove dollar signs and thousands commas, use two decimals, and keep charges as positive numbers. ACS works out debit or credit from the Amount field when you choose that option.
- Missing Transaction ID. Every row needs a numbered Transaction ID. Lines that belong to one entry share the same ID.
- Account codes that do not match. Codes in your file must match the codes in your ACS chart of accounts exactly, including any leading zeros.
- A double offset. If the import is set to Offset all entries to a single account, do not also add an offset row to your file, or every charge is offset twice.
- Debits and credits that do not balance. Entries need to balance unless they offset to a single account.
- Header row settings. If your file has a header row, make sure the import is set to expect one.
What happens to rows with errors
ACS only imports transactions that have no errors. Anything with a problem has to be fixed and imported again, or entered by hand in the transaction screen. Before importing, use the preview in ACS (the View Import Data tab in OnDemand) to look at the values. In ACS Realm, you can click the ellipsis on a row and choose Edit, though for many errors it is quicker to fix your file and upload it again.
Catch these before you import
ACS File Converter checks your file as you map it. It converts common date and amount formats to what ACS expects, requires a Transaction ID, date, account and amount on every row, and shows any value it cannot read next to the field it belongs to, so you can fix it before you export. It cannot check your account codes against your ACS chart of accounts, so ACS will still flag any that do not match.
Common questions
Why does ACS reject my CSV when I import it?
The most common causes are dates not written MM/DD/YYYY, amounts with dollar signs or commas, a missing Transaction ID, account codes that do not match your ACS chart of accounts, and an extra offset row when the import is already set to offset to a single account.
Does ACS import part of a file if some rows have errors?
ACS only imports transactions that have no errors. Anything with a problem has to be fixed and imported again, or entered by hand.
What date format should I use?
MM/DD/YYYY, for example 11/02/2026.
How should amounts be written?
As plain numbers with two decimals, with no dollar signs or thousands commas, and charges as positive numbers.
Fix your file before you import
Upload your file, match your columns and download a CSV laid out for the import. Free, no account needed.