As if Xero isn’t great enough, these extra hints and tips can help to make the Xero processes even smoother!
Inbuilt Calculator
Within transactions, such as invoices, you can enter a basic arithmetic operation into the fields Quantity, Unit Price and Discount. Xero then calculates the result when you press enter:
You can also use the inbuilt calculator in the debit and credit fields in manual journals:
Favourite a Report
In the ‘Accounting’ menu, select ‘Reports’. If your preferred report isn’t listed, click ‘More Reports’ to expand a section. Click the empty star next to the report you want to add to the ‘Accounting’ menu; alternatively click a filled-in star to remove a favourite from the ‘Accounting’ menu.
Reconciliation Adjustment
In the event of a slight under or over payment when reconciling the bank account, you can make a minor adjustment so the amounts match. The following process posts a reconciliation adjustment account transaction to the system rounding account.
On the bank reconciliation screen, next to the bank statement line that doesn’t quite match, click ‘Find & Match’. Find the transaction entered in Xero, then select the checkbox next to the transaction that you want to match with the bank statement line. Click ‘adjustments’ then select ‘minor adjustment’. Enter the adjustment details and click ‘Reconcile’.
Add accounts from transactions
You can add Chart of Account codes whilst entering invoices or bills, by selecting the first entry in the drop-down box labelled ‘Add a new account’:
Find voided items
To find all voided invoices, bills and credit notes, go to the Business menu, then select either Invoices or Bills to pay as appropriate and select the All tab. Click on the Status column header twice to get a reverse alphabetical list by status which will show ‘Voided’ at the top of the list.
Repeating invoice
If you have regular bills to pay or send regular invoices to customers – use Xero’s repeating invoices or bills. Set up a template and Xero will automatically create an invoice or bill for you according to the frequency you specify and drop it on the Draft tab (if you need to vary the amount or something else each time) or the Awaiting Payment tab (if the it is the same every time).
Expense claim codes
If there are only a few accounts you want displayed when coding expense claim receipts, limit that number by going to the Accounting menu, selecting Chart of accounts and editing the accounts that you do not want to display by clearing the ‘Show in Expense’ claims option on each account.
Customise report layout
Change the default layout of some reports by choosing your own groupings for accounts or move accounts to be displayed on a different part of the report using a ‘Custom layout’. The layout can be applied to other organisations you have in Xero or set as the default for all users of an organisation.
Date entry shortcuts
| Shortcut | Shortcut key(s) | Date fields | Due date fields | Examples |
| Today’s date | Tab t | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Tomorrow’s date | tom | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Day in the next week | next [day] | ✔ | ✔ | If today is Monday, using shortcut: next fri enters the date of the next Friday |
| Next week (7 days from today) | next w | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Next month (today’s date, next month) | next m | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Next year (today’s date, next year) | next y | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Any month after today’s date (today’s date, for that month) | next [month] | ✔ | ✔ | If today is 20 October 2012, using shortcut: next sepenters 20 September 2013 |
| Date in current month | [number] | ✔ | ✔ | Enter 21 for 21st of current month |
| Date in a month | [number]/[month] [number]-[month] [month]/[number] [month]-[number] | ✔ | ✔ | Enter 1/oct or oct/1 for 1 October Enter 1-oct or oct-1 for 1 October Enter 3/12 for Mar 12** |
| First of any month in any year | [month]/[year] [month]-[year] | ✔ | ✔ | Enter July/2012 or July-2012 for 1 July 2012 |
| A date next month | *[number] | – | ✔ | If today is 20 October 2012, using shortcut: *12 enters 12 November 2012 |
| Days after today’s date Days after the invoice or bill date | +[number] +[number]d | ✔ | ✔ | In the date field, enter +2 or +2d for 2 days after today’s date In the due date field, enter +2or +2d for 2 days after the invoice or bill date |
| Weeks after today’s date Weeks after the invoice or bill date | +[number]w | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Months after today’s date Months after the invoice or bill date | +[number]m | ✔ | ✔ | In the date field, enter +1mfor 1 month after today’s date In the due date field, enter +1m for 1 month after the invoice or bill date |
| Years after today’s date Years after the invoice or bill date | +[number]y | ✔ | ✔ |