Xero Blog

In this blog post, Rachel Astall, Head of Global Partnerships – SMB Platforms at GoCardless, tells us how automating the process of collecting payments can help businesses thrive. Healthy cash flow is key to business success yet only 49% of UK small businesses are cash flow positive, according to Xero’s research.

The prime minister visited the governor-general this morning to dissolve the Parliament and set a federal election for May 18. The campaign will be a 35-day PR drive, and small businesses can expect to be frequently mentioned.

From 1 July this year, Single Touch Payroll (STP) will apply to all employers in Australia. First announced in 2015, STP is an Australian Tax Office reporting regime that requires employers to report salaries and wages, PAYG withholding tax, and superannuation to the ATO each time they pay their employees.

With an election predicted for May, the budget and the budget-in-reply speech act as an election platform for both the government and the opposition. In terms of small business, the government put forward a budget with consumer tax cuts, an expanded instant asset write-off, incentive for exporters and cash for businesses to take on an apprentice.

When the federal budget rolls around each year, few time-poor small business owners have the capacity to add `political analyst’ to their list of responsibilities. It’s well known that the average small business owner is also the company CEO, CFO, COO, and head of IT, human resources and sales.

As you may have heard, Inland Revenue will be offline from 3pm on Thursday 18th April until 8am Friday 26th April – a period that covers both Easter and ANZAC public holidays.  

With the Australian federal budget just around the corner on April 2, we asked several small businesses and their accountants and bookkeepers what they would like to see from policymakers. The answers varied but were consistent in theme: Create incentives and regulatory clarity so small businesses can grow.

Xero’s app marketplace has over 700 apps which help small businesses and their advisors reach their goals. Each month we celebrate an app partner who stands out for helping small businesses thrive.

It’s the final session of the Bricks and Clicks sprint weekend, and while the six retail businesses have nearly completed their course, there are still a few lessons to learn about connecting with customers and keeping them on board as they transition to the online world.