Tidy date and amount columns in a CSV
Mixed formats break sorting and sums: 01/05/2026 next to 2026.1.5, or $1,234.56 next to (12.50). The tool can rewrite these into one consistent style, but only in the columns where it makes sense.
Your file is never uploaded. The PDF is read in your browser and makes no network requests while it works.
Open the Merge & clean CSV tool
Steps
- Load one or more CSV files.
- Under Dates, pick month first or day first so slashed dates are read the way your file intends.
- Under Amounts, choose Tidy (1,234.56) for dot decimals or Tidy (1.234,56) for comma decimals.
- Check the summary for the number of values that could not be read.
- Download, then spot-check a few cleaned cells against the originals.
Good to know
Which columns are touched
Date cleaning applies only to columns whose header contains a date word. Amount cleaning applies only to headers that look like amount, debit, credit, balance or total. A reference number column is left exactly as it was.
What the cleaning does
Dates become YYYY-MM-DD. Two-digit years such as 01/05/26 are read as 20xx. In amounts, currency symbols and thousands separators are removed, and (12.50) or 12.50- become -12.50.
Nothing is forced
A value the tool cannot read is left unchanged and added to a count, so you can find and fix it yourself rather than getting a wrong guess.
Questions
Is cleaning on by default?
No. Both Dates and Amounts start at Leave as is, so you choose what changes.
What about years like 99?
They are read as 2099, so fix very old dates by hand before or after merging.
Starting from bank statement PDFs? RowSmith converts text-based PDF statements to CSV or Excel in your browser.
This guide was written with AI assistance and reviewed against the tool's behaviour. Always review your output before using it.