Abstract: An improved method of importing a bank file from a financial institution's computer to an application program without user intervention. A local program obtains a bank file from the financial institution's server. A second file based on the bank file is created by the server associated with the financial institution. The local program writes the second file to the disk of the local storage medium and then invokes a "Shell.sub.-- Execute" API from the operating system. The application program automatically, without user intervention, transfers the file directly from the local storage medium into the application program. The local program may be a web browser. The bank file that is displayed to the user via the web site may include a button on the user's screen that is a link on the bank's server that points to the file. If the user selects the button associated with the link, the web browser automatically invokes the "Shell.sub.