How do I know whether 04/05 means April 5 or 4 May?

Use the bank’s region, statement period, surrounding rows and an unambiguous date above twelve. Do not decide from one value alone.

Should I convert all dates to ISO format?

ISO-style dates reduce ambiguity in working data, but only after the source convention is confirmed and the receiving system’s required format is known.

What is the safest way to apply this guide?

Start with an authorised, unlocked digital statement and a small representative period. Confirm the source layout, preserve the original file, review the resulting rows against the PDF and complete use the statement period as context, find an unambiguous day above twelve, preserve original date text, test chronological sorting before relying on the output.

Can this bank statement workflow be completely automatic?

Automation can reduce initial data entry, but it cannot remove source and review risk. 04/05 can be interpreted differently by region, and spreadsheet auto-formatting may change it without warning. Keep a human review step for important financial use.

Which records should be retained after using this workflow?

Retain the original statement, a reviewed master export, correction or mapping notes, control totals and the destination-specific file under your authorised retention policy. These records explain how the source became Excel, CSV, QBO or an accounting import with explicit date requirements.

Handle Bank Statement Date Formats Correctly

Handle bank statement date formats without day-month reversals. Confirm source conventions, preserve original dates and test destination imports.