How to use this template
- Download the CSV. Samples are marked [EXAMPLE] / EXAMPLE- so they never look like live PayPal transactions.
- Log buyer payments as positive Income on the PayPal account. Log the PayPal fee as its own negative Expense.
- Log refunds and chargebacks as negative Expense on the date PayPal reversed the money.
- When you withdraw to a bank, use Type Transfer: negative on PayPal, positive on the bank account if you track both.
- Put the PayPal transaction id or invoice number in Reference after you remove the examples.
- Keep goods, services, and friends-and-family receipts in Category so you can filter later.
Example rows
Fictional PayPal-style activity only. Order numbers and EXAMPLE- references are samples, not live payments.
| Sample | Date | Description | Amount | Currency | Category | Type | Account | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example | 2026-06-02 | [EXAMPLE] Payment from J. Rivera — order 8831 | 85.00 | USD | Sales | Income | PayPal | EXAMPLE-PP-8831 |
| Example | 2026-06-02 | [EXAMPLE] PayPal fee — order 8831 | -2.77 | USD | Fees | Expense | PayPal | EXAMPLE-PPFEE-8831 |
| Example | 2026-06-04 | [EXAMPLE] Payment from K. Chen — invoice 77 | 420.00 | USD | Sales | Income | PayPal | EXAMPLE-PP-INV77 |
| Example | 2026-06-04 | [EXAMPLE] PayPal fee — invoice 77 | -12.48 | USD | Fees | Expense | PayPal | EXAMPLE-PPFEE-INV77 |
| Example | 2026-06-06 | [EXAMPLE] Withdrawal to Checking *4821 | -489.75 | USD | Withdrawal | Transfer | PayPal | EXAMPLE-PP-WD-0606 |
| Example | 2026-06-06 | [EXAMPLE] PayPal withdrawal received | 489.75 | USD | Withdrawal | Transfer | Checking *4821 | EXAMPLE-PP-WD-0606-BANK |
| Example | 2026-06-08 | [EXAMPLE] Refund — order 8831 | -85.00 | USD | Refunds | Expense | PayPal | EXAMPLE-PP-RET-8831 |
| Example | 2026-06-10 | [EXAMPLE] Payment from M. Okonkwo — workshop | 150.00 | USD | Services | Income | PayPal | EXAMPLE-PP-WS-0610 |
The downloaded file contains only the eight data columns. The Sample label is shown here so example rows stay obvious on the page.
Usage guidance
- PayPal’s own CSV uses many columns. Map Gross, Fee, and Net into this template rather than importing every PayPal field.
- Never record only the net deposit. Fees disappear from reports if they are not their own rows.
- Currency conversions on PayPal should keep the currency code that actually posted, not a silently converted home amount.
- If you only have a PDF activity statement, convert it, then paste values into this layout.
- Import into BudgetPilot when you want PayPal sales next to bank and card activity in one workspace.
Convert a statement, then import
Starting from a PDF or a bank-specific export? Use the bank statement converter to get a CSV, map it onto these columns, then create a free BudgetPilot account to import the file into a workspace.
Other CSV templates
- Bank statement CSV template — A simple, BudgetPilot-ready layout for reconstructing a checking or savings statement when your bank export is messy, incomplete, or locked in PDF.
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- Stripe transaction CSV template — A compact ledger that mirrors how money moves through Stripe: gross charges, processing fees, refunds, and payouts to your bank — each on its own row.