Importing from Splitwise

Written By Bradley Bernard

Last updated 4 months ago

SplitMyExpenses supports importing your expense history directly from Splitwise. This guide walks you through the process and helps troubleshoot common issues.

How to Export from Splitwise

  1. Log in to Splitwise on the web (not the mobile app)

  2. Go to your group or account settings

  3. Click Export or Download Data

  4. Download the CSV file

Note: Splitwise exports may vary based on your account region and settings. The file should contain columns for date, description, amount, and participant shares.

How to Import into SplitMyExpenses

  1. Go to Expenses Uploads in the menu

  2. Click Create New Upload

  3. Select Splitwise Import as the import type

  4. Upload your CSV file

  5. Map columns if prompted

  6. Review and confirm the import

Handling Date Formats

SplitMyExpenses supports three date formats during import:

  • DD/MM/YYYY (e.g., 25/12/2024)

  • MM/DD/YYYY (e.g., 12/25/2024)

  • YYYY/MM/DD (e.g., 2024/12/25)

How to Set Your Date Format

During the import configuration step, you'll select which format your Splitwise export uses. The system will parse dates according to your selection.

Tip: Check the first few dates in your CSV file to identify the format. If you see "12/25/2024" and December is the month, your file uses MM/DD/YYYY format.

Common Date Issues

"Invalid date format"

This error usually means:

  1. You selected the wrong format during configuration

  2. The dates in your file are inconsistent

  3. Some dates use dashes instead of slashes

To fix: Open your CSV in a spreadsheet app, verify the date format is consistent throughout, and ensure dates use slashes (/) as separators.

What Gets Imported

  • Date - When the expense occurred

  • Description - The expense title

  • Amount - The total expense amount

  • Participant shares - Who paid and who owes what

What Doesn't Get Imported

  • Categories - Not currently supported; expenses import without categories

  • Notes/Comments - Any notes attached to expenses in Splitwise

  • Receipts/Attachments - Images are not transferred

  • Payments - Settlement payments may need to be re-added manually

Note: After importing, you may need to manually add categories and verify that amounts and splits look correct.

Tips for a Clean Import

  1. Export one group at a time from Splitwise for cleaner imports

  2. Check the first row of your CSV to ensure it contains column headers

  3. Verify amounts after import—currency conversions may affect totals

  4. Create a new group in SplitMyExpenses before importing, then select it as the destination

After Importing

Once your import is complete:

  1. Review the imported expenses for accuracy

  2. Add categories if needed

  3. Invite group members to claim their spots

  4. Add any missing payments or adjustments

Troubleshooting

Q: The import hangs or doesn't complete Try reducing the file size by splitting it into smaller chunks (100-200 expenses per file).

Q: Amounts look wrong after import Check if currency was converted. Splitwise may export in your local currency while SplitMyExpenses expects the group's currency.

Q: Some expenses are missing Very old expenses or expenses with unusual characters in the description might be skipped. Check the import results for any errors.

Q: Can I undo an import? There's no bulk undo. You would need to delete imported expenses individually or delete the group and start fresh.

Related Articles