How to Handle Multi-Page Bank Statements

Multi-page bank statements add complexity to conversion. Page breaks, repeated headers, and split transactions require special handling.

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Multi-Page Statement Challenges

1. Repeated Headers

Each page typically restarts with:

Date        Description              Amount    Balance

After conversion, these appear as data rows mixed with transactions.

2. Page Break Splits

A transaction might split across pages:

Page 1 (bottom):

01/15  AMAZON MKTPLACE PMTS

Page 2 (top):

       ORDER #123-456-789         -$47.99  $1,452.01

The transaction is incomplete on both pages.

3. Running Balance Restarts

Some statements show:

Page 1: Balance continues to end Page 2: Balance shown, then continues

If page 2's opening balance doesn't match page 1's closing, there's a problem.

4. Footer/Header Content

Pages include:

• Page numbers
• Statement dates
• Account information
• Legal disclaimers

This content can appear in converted data.

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How Good Converters Handle This

Intelligent Page Processing

Quality converters:

1. Identify transaction tables on each page
2. Skip headers on pages 2+
3. Merge split transactions across page breaks
4. Remove footers and non-transaction content
5. Validate continuity of running balance

What to Look For

When choosing a converter for multi-page statements:

• ✅ Processes entire document as one
• ✅ Removes duplicate headers automatically
• ✅ Handles page-break transactions
• ✅ Maintains row order across pages
• ❌ Processes each page separately
• ❌ Requires manual page merging

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Manual Multi-Page Processing

If your converter doesn't handle multi-page well:

Step 1: Convert Each Page

Process pages individually to get raw data.

Step 2: Combine Results

Paste all pages into one worksheet, in order.

Step 3: Remove Duplicate Headers

Filter or delete rows matching header pattern:

• Look for "Date" in column A
• Delete all rows except the first header

Step 4: Fix Split Transactions

Find transactions split across page boundaries:

1. Look for rows with missing amounts (first half)
2. Look for rows with missing dates (second half)
3. Merge these rows manually

Step 5: Verify Continuity

Check that:

• Transaction count is correct
• Running balances flow correctly
• Totals match statement summary

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Handling Common Issues

Issue: Extra Header Rows

Symptom: Multiple rows with "Date", "Description", "Amount"

Solution:

=IF(A2="Date","DELETE",A2)

Then filter and delete "DELETE" rows.

Issue: Split Transaction - Part 1

Symptom: Row with date and partial description, no amount

Example:

01/15  AMAZON MKTPLACE PMTS  [blank]  [blank]

Solution: Find the matching part 2 and merge.

Issue: Split Transaction - Part 2

Symptom: Row with description continuation and amount, no date

Example:

[blank]  ORDER #123-456-789  -$47.99  $1,452.01

Solution: Append to previous row, fill date.

Issue: Missing Transactions at Page Break

Symptom: Transaction count is low, running balance jumps

Solution:

1. Check original PDF at page breaks
2. Manually add missing transactions
3. Verify running balance corrects

Issue: Page Numbers in Data

Symptom: Rows like "Page 2 of 5" appear

Solution: Filter out rows containing "Page" in description.

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Processing Very Long Statements

For statements with 10+ pages:

Batch Processing

1. Process 5 pages at a time
2. Verify each batch
3. Combine verified batches
4. Final verification

Focus on Boundaries

Most errors occur at page breaks. After conversion:

1. Identify last transaction on each page
2. Check continuity to first transaction on next page
3. Fix any breaks

Use Running Balance

The running balance is your verification tool:

Transaction 50: Balance $5,000.00
Transaction 51: Balance $4,850.00  ← Should be $5,000 - amount

If balances don't flow, something's missing or wrong.

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Excel Tips for Multi-Page Data

Remove Blank Rows

=IF(A2="","DELETE","KEEP")

Filter for "DELETE" and remove.

Identify Header Rows

=IF(OR(A2="Date",B2="Description"),"HEADER","DATA")

Find Split Transactions

Missing dates:

=IF(A2="","POSSIBLE SPLIT PART 2","")

Missing amounts:

=IF(AND(A2<>"",D2=""),"POSSIBLE SPLIT PART 1","")

Verify Running Balance

=IF(E2=E1+D2,"OK","CHECK")

(Assuming column D is amount, E is balance)

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Prevention: Get Better Source Files

Request Single-Transaction Files

Some banks offer:

• Transaction export (CSV/OFX)
• Data download separate from statement
• API access

Download Instead of Print

If client scans printed statements, ask for:

• Original PDF from online banking
• Higher quality source

Check Page Count Before Processing

Know what you're working with:

• 1-2 pages: Usually straightforward
• 3-5 pages: Check page breaks carefully
• 6+ pages: Consider batch processing

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Summary

Multi-page bank statements require attention to page breaks, repeated headers, and split transactions. Use converters that process entire documents intelligently. When processing manually, remove duplicate headers, merge split transactions, and verify running balance continuity. The running balance is your best tool for confirming all transactions are captured correctly.