Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know so you can use Xero like a pro.

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About Xero
Getting Started
Accountants and Bookkeepers
Data and Security
Account Settings

Your questions answered

About Xero

Xero is beautiful accounting software that lets you automate day-to-day bookkeeping tasks, so you have more time to focus on things that matter to you. With Xero you can import bank transactions and send invoice reminders, pay your staff with Xero Payroll and drive profitability with Xero Projects. You can also invite your accountant or bookkeeper into Xero to help you meet all your tax obligations.

Yes, Xero is a fully cloud-based system. You can access it from an internet enabled phone, tablet or desktop/laptop computer, and multiple users can work on it simultaneously.

The cloud is a secure platform to make data and software accessible online anytime, anywhere, from any device. Xero was built in the cloud – for the cloud. This is unlike many accounting systems that were built for desktop and later adapted to be in the cloud. With Xero, all you need is an internet connection to access financial data. Xero automatically releases upgrades, so when you access the product you’re always using the most up-to-date version. There’s no business downtime or costs associated with upgrades.

No. Being 'in the cloud' requires an internet connection.

Yes – very. Our beautiful software is designed to be user-friendly even if you do not have an accounting background.

Yes. Xero is an HMRC-recognised VAT software provider. Our software makes it simple to keep digital records, create and submit your VAT returns online to HMRC – as well as to track and manage VAT. Find out more in our Making Tax Digital resource centre.

We take our responsibilities under GDPR seriously. You can read about Xero’s compliance with GDPR on our GDPR Centre.

Yes. With payment services like Stripe or GoCardless, customers can pay you directly. Include a ‘pay now’ button in your invoice to get paid even faster. Find out more here.

Yes. Xero has an ecosystem of over 800 apps, allowing data to flow seamlessly from Xero to third party apps – from payment platforms like Stripe and Paypal to CRM systems like Insightly. Xero’s app marketplace makes it easy to navigate the ecosystem and find the right apps for your business needs.

Getting started

Xero is compatible with these browsers:

Google Chrome
Microsoft Edge
Mozilla Firefox
Safari
Internet Explorer 11

Different versions of Xero have different minimum requirements from Mac iOS or Android. It’s optimum if you’re running the latest available operating system, but you can find out the minimum requirements for your Xero needs here.

Yes, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial of Xero here.

No you just need to provide your name, email address and a phone number.

We ask for a phone number so that we can get in touch with you directly to help you get started on Xero.

If you choose to continue using Xero after your trial, you will be asked to add your billing information, and will be billed monthly from that point. If you choose not to continue using Xero, you may delete your organisation in the 'My Xero' section when you login.

Yes. You can try features like Xero Payroll, Xero Expenses and Xero Projects. This lets you experience all of Xero's powerful features while ensuring you get comfortable with the product before you buy.

If your bank charges a fee to connect a bank feed to Xero, then you won’t be able to connect the bank feed while you are in your trial. Please see details of chargeable direct feeds here.

Yes. Do it yourself following our easy step-by-step guides in Xero Central, or use a data migration service such as Movemybooks.

With Xero you get free, unlimited support 24/7 from our customer support team. When you're looking for answers, start by searching in Xero Central. Then, if you still have questions, use the 'Get in touch' button at the bottom of any support article.

We provide online tools in Xero Central to get you started on Xero. You can also take advantage of the free, unlimited support 24/7 from our customer support team. If you need onsite support, we recommend working with advisors who are trained and ready to help you use Xero.

No, but our friendly and knowledgeable experts are on hand 24/7 to offer advice whenever you need a hand.

You don’t need an accountant to use Xero, however we recommend working with an accountant or bookkeeper as they can help your business succeed. If you don't have an advisor, take a look at our directory to find advisors who are trained and ready to help you use Xero.

We have pricing plans to suit most small businesses. Check out our pricing page for full details of our pricing plans.

When you sign up to Xero, you will be asked to accept our terms of use and privacy notice, available here. If you sign up for a free trial – or during a promotion – you will also be asked to accept our offer details. If you use Yodlee bank feeds in Xero, these Yodlee terms of use will also apply.

No.

No – we are up front about pricing, and provide details of our pricing plans and optional extras here.

Some banks charge fees for the provision of a bank feed – you can find more information on bank feeds here.

Xero Payroll is £5 (exc. VAT) per month for up to five people and then an extra £1 (exc. VAT) per month per additional person.

It’s easy to upgrade from a trial to a subscription with just a few clicks from within your Xero account. All your data will remain in place as well.

You can cancel your subscription or remove Xero Payroll, Expenses, Projects or CIS Contractor from your plan at any time by giving one month’s notice from within your Xero account. You’ll still need to pay all relevant subscription fees up to and including the day of termination.

You can also cancel a free trial at any time from within your Xero account. After you've cancelled your trial subscription you won't be able to access that organisation, so we recommend you export your data out of Xero first.

No, you can cancel your subscription at any time by giving one month’s notice.

All you need to provide are your billing and payment details.

No, your Xero subscription will be charged in advance on a monthly basis.

You'll receive your invoice at the end of your monthly billing period. Payment will be taken on the date shown on your invoice using the payment details entered when you purchased your subscription.

If you’ve incurred usage charges for Xero Payroll, Xero Projects or Xero Expenses – or you have a chargeable direct bank feed – these charges will be invoiced for the previous month.

We accept payment using Visa or Mastercard debit and credit cards, Maestro debit cards, or you can pay via direct debit.

Yes. To change your Xero pricing plan, simply select a new plan and add or remove extra features in My Xero. You can upgrade a pricing plan anytime but can only downgrade once you've been on a plan for 30 days.

You can add as many organisations as you like in your Xero account. Choose a pricing plan for each one, or set up a free 30 day trial.

If you add an organisation and sign up to a pricing plan, you'll become the subscriber for the organisation.

Xero offers a discount if you have subscriptions for more than one organisation – this discount is automatically applied to subscription fees if the organisations have the same subscriber email address.

Yes. As a registered non-profit charity, trust or society you’ll save 25% on your Xero subscription. The discounted rate is applied once you've purchased your subscription and we've confirmed your not-for-profit status. Find out more here.

Accountants and bookkeepers

If you are an accountant or bookkeeper in practice then you can become a recognised Xero Partner and receive the benefits of the Xero Partner programme. Fill in your details here.

The Xero partner programme is free and there are no ongoing costs. Complete the application here.

Fill in your details here, and one of our expert Xero team members will be in touch to help you get your practice started.

Xero partner benefits are designed to give you what you need to be successful – however you define success. The more points you earn, the higher your status level will rise and the more benefits you’ll pick up. Some of the benefits available to Xero partners include:

All partners

A free Xero subscription to run your practice that includes Xero Projects, Xero Payroll and Xero Expenses
Free Xero HQ access to manage staff and clients
Free conversion tools to move clients to Xero easily
Making Tax Digital resources and an account manager to help you become MTD compliant
Online learning to expand your Xero knowledge
Access to free Xero marketing material to promote your team and client events

Bronze status

A free listing in the Xero advisor directory to attract new clients or tell current clients more about you

Silver, gold, and platinum status

Free Xero Practice Manager to manage your work and time
Free Xero Workpapers to manage your workpapers online

As you move up the status levels, you’ll also receive higher discounts on Xero subscriptions that you can pass to your clients. Check out the full list of partner benefits.

Whether you’re signing up new clients to Xero, working out who to migrate when, or simply how to make that final move from one software to another – this resource centre will help you migrate clients to Xero efficiently and confidently.

Once you reach bronze status, your practice will be listed on our advisor directory and be visible to thousands of potential new clients.

Yes, as a Xero partner you will get a dedicated account manager.

As a Xero partner, you will have access to Xero Cashbook and Xero Ledger. These are simplified versions of Xero’s standard accounting software, available exclusively to accountants and bookkeepers as part of the Xero partner programme. Find out more here.

Xero advisor certification gives you the foundation skills to set up and convert clients to Xero. It also shows you how to use Xero’s core features so you can help clients save time and run their businesses better. Find out more here.

Attend events exclusively available to our partners. Including the biggest, most beautiful accounting conference of the year – Xerocon.

Whether you’re looking to boost your social presence or increase engagement with your clients, the Xero partner toolkit has the tools and resources you need as a Xero partner.

The Xero partner branding guidelines provide advice on choosing the size, clear space, and colour of Xero logos, badges and ribbons in advertisements and signage using Xero branding. Find out more here.

When you sign up to the Xero partner programme, you will be asked to accept our terms of use and privacy notice, available here. If you sign up to the Xero partner programme you will also be asked to accept the Xero partner agreement.

No. You can learn and grow for free with Xero. From written guides to video tutorials, you’ll find all the information you need to help you and your clients go digital with Xero.

Learn how to get the most out of Xero here.

Data and security

Xero is certified as compliant with ISO/IEC 27001:2013 which is globally recognized as the premier information security management system (ISMS) standard. Find out more about Xero’s commitment to security here.

We're committed to the security of your data and provide multiple layers of protection for the personal and financial information you trust to Xero. Find out more about Xero’s commitments to data protection and data security here and here. You can also find our privacy notice here.

Similar to many SaaS providers, we use a top-tier, third-party data hosting provider (Amazon Web Services) with servers located in the U.S. to host our online and mobile services. We put in place appropriate safeguards – in line with EU law – when personal data is hosted or processed outside of the European Economic Area. Find out more about Xero’s commitment to data protection here.

If you cancel your subscription, the data in that subscription will be archived and held in the Xero platform in accordance with our data retention policy. While archived, data held within the subscription cannot be accessed by anyone. If you prefer, you can request for the data to be deleted.

Once a subscription has been cancelled in Xero, you will still be able to get access to the data in the future for up to seven years (unless you request it to be deleted). This can be done by reactivating the relevant subscription.

If you cancel your subscription during a free trial, you won't be able to reactivate that subscription, so we recommend you export your data out of Xero first.

Yes, you can export your data from Xero at any time. You can find more information on that here.

With your permission we will send you marketing emails from time-to-time. These will primarily be informing you about upcoming events, new products and special offers that could benefit your practice. You can unsubscribe at any time by following the instructions in your latest marketing email.

When it comes to marketing communications, you can ask us not to send you these at any time – just follow the unsubscribe instructions contained in the marketing communication.

Account settings

You can reset your password via the ‘Forgot your password?' link on the login page, or by entering your sunscriber email address here.

Once you've reached the sales invoice or bill limits, any additional sales invoices or bills will save as drafts.

If you need to process more transactions than your subscription plan limits allow, you'll be offered a one-off extension of an additional 5 bills, 5 invoices, and 10 statement line reconciliations. The extensions can only be used once, and if they aren't offered it means that you've already used them.

You can also upgrade your subscription at any time.

Yes, you can set up Xero for multiple companies using a single Xero account (i.e under one administrative email address) – you will require a separate Xero subscription for each company.

Yes, any number of users can simultaneously access and work on Xero.

Once you've set up your business in Xero it's easy to invite a user. Simply select the ‘Staff’ tab in My Xero, then click Invite staff. If you need more instructions follow the steps in Xero Central.

No, you will need to access Xero via a web browser to do that. Simply log in to Xero and click on ‘Subscriptions and billings’ to upgrade your account.

We have a dedicated support team who can assist with this, please get in touch contact them via these steps.

Have a question that you can’t find the answer to? Contact us to request support.

Xero Central is the place to go when you're looking for help or support. You'll find 'how-to' steps, trouble-shooting articles, explanations of Xero features and practical tips, as well as discussions and advice shared by other users.

Try Xero for free