Xero

Xero is an online accounting software suite that utilizes a modern cloud network to fully accommodate the complete range of accounting needs. The app allows you to coordinate and manage all financial processes within an easy to use platform, accessible from all internet-enabled devices.

The software is geared towards small to medium-sized businesses looking to increase their accounting efficiency while at the same time adding a little fun to the process. The app also serves as a remote collaboration and advisory platform for accounting professionals, eliminating the need for client visits and unnecessary paperwork.

The user-friendly dashboard transforms the resource draining and time-consuming tasks of transaction monitoring, bill paying, invoice issuing, purchase order creation and expenses management - to name a few - into enjoyable activities that support accountants in their daily tasks and free-up business owners to get more out of their limited time. Xero also provides payroll management for users, customers or businesses in the US and Australia.

What is Xero?

Xero’s main purpose is to transform the accounting processes into a more efficient and enjoyable experience for small business owners and their accountants. The app succeeds in doing this by allowing all team members concerned in financial operations to connect to the company’s financial database via their desktop computers, laptops and mobile devices. This enables all stakeholders and the company accountant to track, collaborate on, and complete accounting tasks from home or on the go.

The benefits of using Xero to manage your accounting activity are evident in the enhanced accessibility of financial data, the collaboration opportunities, the transparent pricing and processes, and the unburdening of time and human resources.

Using Xero, small businesses who previously relied on spreadsheets, messy paperwork and dispersed files to manage their balance sheets, can rest in the knowledge that their financial data is more accurate and up-to-date than ever.

Xero Main Features

Bank Reconciliation

All financial transactions are automatically imported into the Xero database and linked to the corresponding accounting transactions. All the user has to do in order to confirm that the match is correct, is to press the “OK” button and the transaction will be reconciled in the system. Users who need to import feeds from more bank accounts, credit cards and PayPal accounts, will be happy to know that Xero can do this in a few minutes.

Xero also lets you reconcile more complex transactions, such as split payments, by defining your own custom rules. Furthermore, this feature includes fast cash coding, providing the ability to import and automatically reconcile pre-coded bank statements. This is the perfect tool for reconciling large numbers of transactions and for importing data from other systems.

Dashboard

The Xero dashboard is where business owners can get a complete picture of their key accounts, income and expense reports, upcoming bills and pending invoices. This feature provides a valuable overview that gives users a clear understand of all their company’s financial activities in a glance. Moreover, certain accounts can be watch-listed and monitored in greater detail by enabling notifications.

The layout of the dashboard makes it easy to use and navigate, while the intuitive graphs provide a visual understanding of key data that helps users compare account activity in a more tangible way. The dashboard not only displays data, it also allows you to perform tasks such as adding accounts, bills and issuing invoices by clicking on the corresponding buttons.

Invoicing

Xero’s invoicing system forms an important part of the accounting suite letting you generate and customize professionally branded invoices. The customization options include the addition of your company’s logo, foreign currency conversion, and the ability to save different templates to be used for separate clients.

The online invoicing system can issue invoices for payments that come from PayPal accounts, bank transfers or credit cards, with no country-related exceptions. One of the key features of Xero’s invoicing tool is the notification system that alerts you when your invoice has been opened by the recipient, eliminating any confusion over “lost invoices”.

If the payee is based in a foreign country and using a different currency, Xero will undertake the task of automatically converting the invoice into the currency used by the client. This means that you never have to worry about calculating exchange rates. Xero covers over 160 currencies and automatically updates exchange rates every hour.

Add-On Marketplace

There are many activities related to running a small business outside of bookkeeping and accounting, however most of these activities are interlinked in some way. Many small businesses already use a number of other systems such as CRMs, inventory management tools, time trackers, receipt scanners and so forth. Importing all this data from multiple apps to Xero can seem like a daunting task, however this is made hassle-free through the some 500 plus add-ons offered on the Xero Marketplace.

The marketplace provides easy navigation and search options that let users find what they are looking for fast. Add-ons are listed across 15 horizontal categories and 11 industry verticals. The Xero Marketplace is your one-stop source for all integration needs, with seamless integration offered between Xero and any app you sign-up for on the marketplace.

Automatic Updates

For a system that holds strictly private information in the cloud, it is of the utmost importance to remain secure and impenetrable by hackers and other malevolent attackers. Xero developers are perfectly aware of this potential security threat and for this reason provide a dedicated security team whose job it is to keep your data safe on a daily basis.

As users go about their daily business, the Xero team are busy providing constant improvements to their service, adding small adjustments and new features on a constant basis. New features are added every 3-6 weeks to ensure that the efficiency of the app and your user experience are always at the most optimal level.

Xero Integrations

Integrations is an area that Xero has covered one hundred percent. As a business owner running multiple apps, having the ability to have your apps speak to each other is fundamental. For this reason, the Xero Marketplace is a stroke of genius.

The Marketplace offers an ever growing list of more than 500 add-ons categorized by the business needs they serve. Some of the most popular of these add-ons include: Bill.com, Constant Contact, Square, Squarespace, Zen Payroll, Stitch Labs, Kabbage, and BodeTree.

Further popular add-ons include: Harvest, Batchbook CRM, Vend, Evernote, PayPal, Xpenditure, Expensify, Unleashed, WorkflowMax, Spotlight, Magento, Podio, Eventbrite, Infusionsoft, and Receipt Bank.

Xero Pricing

Xero’s pricing plans differ according to region. Prospective users should consult the official pricing page of the corresponding Xero website for their location. In general, Xero is offered through 3 different plans. The most basic is the “Starter” plan that costs $9 per month and is limited to five invoices, five bills and 20 bank transactions.

The next plan is the “Standard” package that costs $30 per month and offers an unlimited number of invoices, bills and transactions.The “Premium” plan, costing $70 per month in total, supports multi-currency transactions and is thereby aimed at businesses that have multi-national clients and collaborators. A 30-day free trial of the “Starter” pack is available.

Xero Bottom Line

• Carry out and collaborate on all accounting and bookkeeping tasks from any internet-enabled device
• Integrate with your existing applications through the Xero Marketplace - offering over 500 add-ons.
• Generate insightful financial reports and view all financial activity through a KPI dashboard
• Easy to use, intuitive interface with clear navigation
• Mobile application for accounting and collaboration on the go