Importng & Exporting

Importing and exporting data is extremely simple, to the point where This could have been included under Basic Usage, but there are some details worth going over than simple examples.

Exporting

To export your data, you would do something as simple as this:

rcheckbook export -o transactions.bcheck

This will export your transactions into a bcheck file in the directory where you called this from, which you can then use to transafer data to the iOS version of the original application.

All exports are determined by the file extension, with the default being a TSV file.

Other supported formats include:

  • QIF
  • Excel (xlsx)
  • ODS

No other formats beyond those five are supported.

Importing

To import your data, you would do something like this:

rcheckbook import -i transactions.bcheck

This will import the specified file from the directory you're calling this from into the database.

Once you run the command, you will see something like the following:

import example

Like exporting, imports are performed based upon file extension, but will not read anything if it is not one of the file supported formats.

QIF

While this program does support QIF imports, it does not support everything.

When you try to import data, it will only load in transactions from under the Bank type.

This was done to keep things simple.

Please note that unless you are importing only fresh and unique data, such as initial migration to this program, it is not recommended to import from QIF files.

The reason for this is that the QIF format features no information that can be used to update any existing data, so duplicates may be possible.

TSV

Aside from bcheck, which has been documented at the link provided above, this is other format that has been supported the longest, and is the basis for which the last two formats were based around.

Like bcheck, as well as the last two formats, this contains enough data that will allow the program to update existing transactions.

A TSV file is expected to be formatted as follows:

Column 1
The identifier
Column 2

The date the transaction took place

This must be in YYYY-MM-DD format.

Column 3
The check number
Column 4

If the transaction has been reconciled.

While this can be true or false in a bcheck file, This field is expected to have either N or Y.

If a Y is not found, it is considered unreconciled.

Column 5
The Category
Column 6
The Vendor/payee
Column 7
The memo
Column 8
The amount deposited.
Column 9
The amount spent.

With the exception of a balance field, this is the exact same structure how the program will display the registry.

also, the TSV does not have any column headings.

XLSX & ODS

as stated above, these have the same exact structure as the TSV file.

However, there are two key differences between these formats and TSVs, which are as follows:

  1. The first row is assumed to be the heading row, as the exported versions do contain column headings, with the exception of the first column.

  2. A balance column is included.

With the exception of the first item, these are read the in the exact same way as the TSV.

Also, while Excel and ODS can support multiple sheets in a file, this program will only read the first sheet.

Other Things of Note

If there are trouble parsing any of the five supported formats, there will be no records to import.