Step 1
In Actual Budget, open the account register, use the three-dot menu and export its transactions. Include complete transactions and splits. Use the account CSV, not the ZIP backup from Settings or raw API/CLI JSON.
Step 2
Clover recognizes the account-export headings Account, Date, Payee, Notes, Category, Amount, Split_Amount and Cleared. Category_Group is retained when present. If your export uses different headings or split markers, use Clover's template instead.
Step 3
Keep the original row order and every split parent and child. Clover checks the numbered parts against the parent total and imports only the individual parts. Starting Balance entries are skipped. Check your account balances separately after importing.
Step 4
Actual's account CSV does not include currency. Add Currency with each account's original three-letter code, or choose a Clover account with that currency. Keep the CSV amounts as exported in ordinary currency units. Raw API/CLI JSON uses a different amount convention and is not supported by this source adapter.
Step 5
The CSV does not reliably identify transfers. Add Type with Transfer In or Transfer Out for every transfer leg, including transfers with a category. Positive amounts must be incoming and negative amounts outgoing. For uncategorized purchases or income, add Expense or Income in Type. Clover asks you to clarify blank-category rows instead of guessing. Use YYYY-MM-DD dates or add Date Format with DMY or MDY when needed.
Step 6
In Clover, select the Profile that should receive the history. Open Add Transaction, select Upload and choose your transaction file.
Step 7
Check the new transactions and account assignments before uploading another date range.
Common questions
What happens to split notes, refunds and cleared status?
Parent and child notes are kept together, and a child without a payee inherits the parent payee. Each part keeps its own category and signed direction, including refunds. Raw source cells, cleared status, parent total and split membership remain in the import evidence. Not cleared is not the same as a failed or pending purchase, so those entries are retained. Clover's confirmation state is separate from Actual's cleared/reconciled state.
What if a split is incomplete or its total does not match?
Clover rejects the recognized table before saving transactions and identifies the source row. Export the entire split in its original order and try again. If you need only selected parts, map them into Clover's template as independent transactions and omit the parent total. Budgets, schedules, rules, bank connections and full backups do not migrate through this transaction CSV.
What moves into Clover?
Recognized transaction tables preserve dates, amounts, original currencies, account names, notes, categories and available labels. Category groups become a readable path such as Food / Lunch. Split components remain separate rows. Budgets, recurring schedules, attachments, goals, opening balances and the other app's settings do not automatically migrate with a transaction export.
What if Clover cannot recognize my export?
Export layouts vary by app version and language. Copy the transaction data into Clover's migration template, retaining its headings. Use YYYY-MM-DD dates and an explicit Income, Expense, Transfer In or Transfer Out type. Include each account's original Currency, such as PHP or IDR. Do not substitute a converted home-currency amount for the original amount. Remove all example rows before uploading.
Can I upload overlapping history?
Clover checks repeat imports against previously imported rows in the same Profile and account. Stable transaction IDs are preferred; without IDs, identical occurrences are compared. Edits made inside Clover do not change the saved source identity when the original export evidence is available. Renamed or reassigned accounts, changes to the source export itself, and different export layouts can prevent a match. Start with a short date range and inspect it before importing the rest. Matches do not overwrite confirmed transactions. Connected-bank matches use the existing bank overlap checks, which may require review when evidence is ambiguous.
How do I check the result?
Compare the transaction count and income, expense and transfer totals for the same accounts, currencies and dates in both apps. Pending, void and summary rows are skipped. Excluded entries stay excluded when the export supplies that flag. A transaction export may omit starting balances, so matching transaction totals does not guarantee matching account balances. Keep the original export until you have checked the result.
Sources and verification
Institution menus and availability can change. Check the official instructions if your app looks different. Clover is independent of these institutions.
Actual Budget account export instructions ↗