Xero bills, ready to import

What goes into the Xero file

When you prepare the accountant package with the Xero (bills import) profile, Billfetch adds a xero folder containing bills.csv, laid out for Xero’s Import bills template:

• One bill per expense record for the period, with the supplier as the contact, the invoice number and date, a description, the amount and the currency.
• Your account code for the record’s category, taken from your mapping (see below).
• A Xero tax rate where the record’s tax label has a Xero UK equivalent. Where it doesn’t, the field is left empty and the folder’s README says so; nothing is guessed.
• Amounts including tax. When you import, choose that amounts are tax inclusive.

The folder has its own README.txt, explaining the format, where to import it in Xero and which categories have no account code yet.

Sales from your marketplaces and shops aren’t turned into Xero invoices. They stay in the package’s ledger.csv and summary.csv, where gross sales, fees, refunds and net income are split out for your accountant.

Everything else in the package

The Xero folder sits alongside the standard contents of every package:

• summary.csv — category totals by month in your base currency.
• ledger.csv — every record with its date, source, supplier, category, original amount, exchange rate and document file name.
• missing.csv — payments without an invoice, invoices without a payment and other open items.
• manifest.csv and documents/ — the original invoices and receipts, exactly as they arrived, linked to their records.

So your accountant can import the bills into Xero and still trace any figure back to its document.

Set up your account codes (once)

Billfetch doesn’t impose a chart of accounts. You use the codes from your Xero organisation:

1. Open Settings, choose Businesses and pick the business.
2. Open the Accounting software tab and go to Accounting software mapping.
3. Choose Xero and enter the account code for each Billfetch category. Your accountant can tell you which codes to use.
4. Select Save mapping.

Prepare the package

1. Choose the period at the top of the page, for example last month.
2. Open Closing and, under Accountant package, choose the Xero (bills import) profile.
3. Select Prepare package, then Download zip when it’s ready.

Send the ZIP to your accountant, or invite them to Billfetch so every package is waiting for them.

What it doesn’t do

• It doesn’t sign in to Xero or send anything to Xero itself. If you’d like bills sent directly, Billfetch does that for FreeAgent and QuickBooks Online.
• It doesn’t import anything from Xero or reconcile your Xero bank feed.
• It doesn’t submit VAT returns or anything else to HMRC.

Frequently asked questions

Does Billfetch connect directly to Xero?

No. Billfetch works with Xero through an import file in the accountant package. There's no sign-in to Xero and nothing is written to your Xero organisation without you importing it.

Which plans include the Xero file?

The accountant package, including the Xero, QuickBooks and FreeAgent import files, is part of every plan. See the pricing page for what else each plan includes.

Do I have to enter account codes?

It's best to. Without a code, a category is still exported, but its bills have an empty account code to fill in during import. The Closing page tells you how many categories are missing one.

Are the original receipts attached in Xero?

Xero's bill import doesn't carry attachments. The documents are in the package's documents folder, and the manifest links each file to its record, supplier, date and amount.

Xero is a trademark of Xero Limited. Billfetch is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Xero.