What if my statement does not show a running balance?

Running balance validation is strongest when a balance column is present. If the statement does not include a balance column, validation is more limited and more rows may be flagged for review.

Accuracy & Validation

Q: Does validation happen before credits are deducted?

Yes. Credits are only deducted when an XLSX is successfully generated. If conversion fails, credits are not deducted.

Q: What does needs_review mean?

It means the row required inference or looks unusual. The value may still be correct, but it is flagged so you can review it quickly.

Q: Why can a conversion PASS but still have Issues?

Because the overall balance chain can reconcile while one or more rows are still ambiguous, unusual, or inferred. Those rows are marked for review.

Q: What causes a FAIL most often?

Common causes include password-protected PDFs, missing pages, inconsistent table structure, and low-quality scanned statements.

Extraction is only half the job. Every conversion is validated with running-balance checks before you download, so errors are caught up front.

Balance-chain validation catches wrong signs and missing rows
Clear PASS/FAIL status with an Issues tab for review
Rows requiring inference marked needs_review

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Credits required • Failed conversions don't deduct credits

Validation Issues

PASS

What validation catches:

Wrong debit/credit signs
Missing or extra rows
Misplaced fees
Layout parsing errors

Balance validation PASS/FAIL status Issues flagged needs_review markers

Why validation matters for bank statement conversion

Most PDF converters focus on making a table that looks right. Bank statements are different because the data must reconcile.

Generic converters often produce spreadsheets with subtle errors that only surface during reconciliation. Validation catches these before you rely on the data.

Common failure modes we catch:

Credits interpreted as debits (or the reverse)
Missing transaction lines due to layout breaks
Fees merged into the wrong row
Non-transaction lines that look like transactions

Validation Result

PASS

Opening balance matches header

Balance chain intact (47 transactions)

Closing balance matches footer

The Validation Checks We Run

Four layers of verification ensure your Excel output is accurate

Running balance integrity

What it checks: For each row, the balance equals the prior balance plus the transaction amount.

What it catches: Wrong sign, missing rows, extra rows, shifted columns.

Example: A debit showing as +R500 instead of -R500

Opening & closing balance

What it checks: Starting and ending balances match the computed result from transactions.

What it catches: Missing pages, omitted rows, partial extraction.

Example: Statement shows closing of R10,000 but computed is R9,850

Non-effective row detection

What it checks: Rows where balance does not change, or patterns look unusual.

What it catches: Informational lines, declined attempts, display-only rows.

Example: "Payment declined" appearing as a transaction

Inference flagging

What it checks: When a sign or mapping must be inferred, the row is marked needs_review.

What it catches: Ambiguous layouts and edge cases that deserve attention.

Example: Amount placed in merged cell with no column header

Understanding Your Validation Status

Every conversion produces one of three outcomes

PASS

All checks aligned

Balance chain checks reconcile within expected rules. The workbook is ready to use.

What to do: Use the workbook as-is. Optionally spot-check a few rows.

Check: Validation tab

PASS with Issues

Core checks pass, rows flagged

The overall balance chain reconciles, but one or more rows are marked needs_review.

What to do: Review flagged rows, especially fees and multi-line descriptions.

Check: Issues tab

FAIL

Checks did not reconcile

One or more validation checks failed. The Issues tab shows exactly what went wrong.

What to do: Open the Issues tab and work through the flagged rows.

Check: Issues tab → Transactions

See What You Get

The workbook includes dedicated tabs for validation and issue tracking

Validation tab showing balance-chain verification with PASS/FAIL results

Click to enlarge

Accuracy at a Glance

Validation Tab

PASS/FAIL outcome, check results, and integrity statistics at a glance.

Issues Tab

Rows needing review listed with reasons. Jump straight to what needs attention.

Real screenshots. These are from actual conversions, not mockups.

Try It With Your Statement

Typical Issues and How We Handle Them

Common extraction challenges and how validation catches them

Wrong debit or credit sign

What happens: A statement has separate columns or inconsistent sign conventions, leading to a debit showing as positive.

How we catch it: The running balance fails to reconcile if the sign is wrong.

Where to look: The row is flagged in the Issues tab with the reason "sign_mismatch" or similar.

Multi-line descriptions that shift columns

What happens: A long description wraps to multiple lines and misaligns with the amount column on the next row.

How we catch it: Balance chain check fails, or the row is marked needs_review due to layout inference.

Where to look: The workbook shows the consolidated description and the Transactions tab flags the row.

Fees shown on separate lines or grouped

What happens: Fees appear as separate line items or are embedded into transaction blocks inconsistently.

How we catch it: Balance deltas and consistency checks highlight mismatches between expected and actual balances.

Where to look: Fee-related rows are tagged needs_review in the Issues tab so you can confirm quickly.

Non-effective rows (balance unchanged)

What happens: Declined attempts, notifications, or informational rows appear in the transaction list but don't affect the balance.

How we catch it: The balance is unchanged after the row, so it's marked as non-effective.

Where to look: Flagged in Issues tab with reason "non_effective" so you can ignore or remove it.

Review a Conversion in Under 2 Minutes

A simple workflow to verify your Excel output

Check Validation Tab

Open the Validation tab and look for PASS or FAIL status.

Review Issues (if any)

If PASS with Issues, filter Transactions for needs_review = true.

Fix Flagged Rows

If FAIL, open Issues tab and work through each flagged row.

Spot-Check Balances

Compare opening/closing balances with your statement header.

What Improves Accuracy

Best practices for the cleanest conversion results

Use original PDF exports

Download directly from online banking. Digital text beats scans.

Avoid screenshots

Screenshots saved as PDF lose text structure entirely.

Include all pages

Missing pages often cause FAIL. Check page count before uploading.

Clear scans at 300 DPI

If scanning, use straight pages with good contrast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does validation happen before credits are deducted?

What does needs_review mean?

Why can a conversion PASS but still have Issues?

What if my statement doesn't show a running balance?

What causes a FAIL most often?

Related Resources

Ready to See Validation in Action?

Upload a bank statement and get a validated Excel workbook with PASS/FAIL status and issue flagging.

Convert a statement View pricing

Credits required • Failed conversions don't deduct credits