Why does QuickBooks say my IIF transaction is not in balance?

The TRNS line and its SPL lines must add up to zero: a payment of -54.99 from the bank needs a split of 54.99 to an expense account. A rounding difference of a cent, or a split typed with the wrong sign, is enough to stop it.

Why did my IIF import create new accounts?

QuickBooks Desktop adds any account an IIF file names that it does not already have, rather than rejecting the file, so a name spelt differently from the one in your chart of accounts becomes a new account. Check the account list the checker shows against your chart of accounts before importing.

What date format does an IIF file need?

US QuickBooks Desktop reads IIF dates month first, as MM/DD/YYYY. A day-first date such as 15/07/2026 is not a valid month-first date, and one like 03/07/2026 imports into the wrong month.

Can I edit an IIF file in Excel?

You can, but save it as tab-delimited text and check the result here. Excel can add quotes, reformat dates, and insert thousands separators into amounts, all of which break the file.

Does it work for lists as well as transactions?

Account rows are checked for valid types, and other list rows, such as customers and vendors, are counted. The detailed checks are for transactions, where most import problems are.

No. It is read and checked in your browser.

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What it checks

The same rules Bankflow's own IIF export is written to.

Balanced transactions

Each transaction is a TRNS line, its SPL lines, and ENDTRNS, and their amounts must add up to zero. A block that does not is refused, and the checker says by how much it is out.

Blocks that close

A transaction with no ENDTRNS runs into the next one. SPL lines outside a transaction, and rows with no ! header above them, are pointed out with their line numbers.

Columns that stay put

IIF is tab-separated with no quoting, so a tab inside a name or memo shifts every later value one column along. A row with more columns than its header is flagged.

Dates and amounts

Dates must read month first, as US QuickBooks Desktop expects, and amounts must be plain numbers with no currency symbols or thousands separators.

Misspelt accounts

QuickBooks creates any account an IIF file names that it does not have. Account names one or two characters apart from another in the file are flagged, since the import would succeed into the wrong account.

Account types

Accounts declared with !ACCNT rows must use IIF's own type codes, such as BANK, CCARD, EXP, and INC. Every account the file posts to is listed so you can compare it with your chart of accounts.

Questions

Why does QuickBooks say my IIF transaction is not in balance?: The TRNS line and its SPL lines must add up to zero: a payment of -54.99 from the bank needs a split of 54.99 to an expense account. A rounding difference of a cent, or a split typed with the wrong sign, is enough to stop it.
Why did my IIF import create new accounts?: QuickBooks Desktop adds any account an IIF file names that it does not already have, rather than rejecting the file, so a name spelt differently from the one in your chart of accounts becomes a new account. Check the account list the checker shows against your chart of accounts before importing.
What date format does an IIF file need?: US QuickBooks Desktop reads IIF dates month first, as MM/DD/YYYY. A day-first date such as 15/07/2026 is not a valid month-first date, and one like 03/07/2026 imports into the wrong month.
Can I edit an IIF file in Excel?: You can, but save it as tab-delimited text and check the result here. Excel can add quotes, reformat dates, and insert thousands separators into amounts, all of which break the file.
Does it work for lists as well as transactions?: Account rows are checked for valid types, and other list rows, such as customers and vendors, are counted. The detailed checks are for transactions, where most import problems are.
Is my file uploaded?: No. It is read and checked in your browser.

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