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XERO TRAINING

GUIDE

Accept an invite when you're a new Xero user

Follow these steps to accept an email invite you've received to access Xero for the first time:

1. Read the email and click on the link inside.

2. Click Accept Invite.

3. Click Create Login.

4. Create and confirm a password, read and check the Terms of Use box, then click Confirm.

Accept an invite when you're already a Xero user

If you already use Xero, you can access all your Xero organisations and your personal finances with the same login, even if you

have different user roles in each.

5. Read the invitation email and click on the link to go to Xero.

6. Click Accept Invite if you want to continue.

7. To use your existing Xero login, click Login now.

1. Check the email shown is the one you use to log in to Xero. Correct it if necessary.

2. Enter your password and click Login.

You can now access the organisation the invitation came from.

Your Xero Dashboard

The Dashboard is the main screen for each organisation in Xero and displays a snapshot of your organisation's financial

position based on transactions entered into Xero. Use the Dashboard to directly drill down into a transaction, or do common

tasks quickly like bank reconciliation or adding sales invoices or bills.

What can you see and do from the Dashboard?

Getting Started A Getting Started panel is displayed by default when you first start out with Xero and contains suggestions for

what to do to get going with Xero.

Once you're on your way with Xero you can hide the Getting Started panel (and show it again anytime you need

to). Hide it from the panel itself or from the Help menu.

Account Watchlist

The watchlist will

not display if you

have not chosen

any accounts to

display or your

user role doesn't

If you would like to keep an eye on the balance of key accounts in your Chart of Accounts (excluding bank

accounts), you can display them on the Account Watchlist. Choose (if your role allows) which accounts to

display by specifying this on the account in the Chart of Accounts.

allow it.

Click on:

The Go to Chart of Accounts link (as an alternative to using the main menu) to go to the Chart of

Accounts section.

An account name to view the overall summary for that account (i.e. all transactions) by way of the Account

Summary Report.

The current month figure to view just the transactions in this account for the current month by way of the

Account Transactions Report.

The YTD figure (year to date) to view just the transactions in this account for your current financial year by

way of the Account Summary Report.

My Xero

Login Name &

Logout

Switch

organisation

My Xero is available from every screen.

Switch organisations:

Choose another organisation you have access to in Xero (if any) showing up to 5 of the most recently

accessed organisations.

My Xero > Go to My Xero - takes you to My Xero where you can manage your organisations and the way Xero

bills you.

View the full list of organisations you have access to.

Use the demo organisation which is always available for your use regardless of how many organisations you

have.

Add a new organisation. Even if you currently have a user role that doesn't give you full access to Xero for

an organisation, you can add a new organisation that does have full access.

Manage the billing or remove organisations that you have set up (an Info link or Subscriptions & Billing tab

will display if you are allowed to do this).

Change your name as it displays in Xero (for all the organisations you log in to with the current email

address).

Change the password you use to log in to Xero.

Click on your name to change how it displays in Xero or your password, or Logout at any time to leave Xero.

Tips On the Dashboard and throughout Xero you will see tips next to graphs and links showing quick introductions

and summaries. If you don’t want or need this help, simply ‘Turn off Tips’ from the Help menu. You can show

tips again at any stage from any screen using ‘Turn on Tips’.

You can also get help from any screen in Xero by choosing ‘Show help for this page’ on the Help menu.

Notifications You might also see mail box notifications from Xero appearing on the top right-hand side of your screen from

time to time. Just click the envelope (or red alert button, if showing) to open your mail box:

You'll receive notifications for things such as changes we're making (or have made) to Xero.

Dashboard graphs

Bank Accounts

Your user role will

determine what

bank account

graphs or panels

you can see and

access, if at all.

Bank accounts

you've added to

Xero, and if

you've imported

bank statements

or set up bank

feeds will

determine what

bank feed and

reconciliation

messages, and

balances display.

The bank, PayPal and credit card accounts you have set up in Xero will display.

View the running balance for the last 7 days and other account balance and reconciliation information for each

account you have set up in Xero.

For any bank account view the:

Statement balance - this is the balance of all imported bank statements (either imported manually by you,

or automatically as part of Xero’s bank feeds process)

Balance in Xero - this is the balance of all transactions entered into this bank account in Xero.

You can click on the:

Go to Banking link to the right of the Bank Accounts header to go to the main Bank Accounts section (as an

alternative to using the main menu)

bank account name to access full details for this account including screens to enter and view transactions

and links for managing and reconciling the account

Manage Account button to access a menu of options for managing the account.

By default, bank accounts are in numerical order using the bank account number (i.e. account number on your

actual bank account, not Chart of Account code). You can change the order of your bank accounts and choose

which ones you'd like displayed on the Dashboard from the main Bank Accounts screen.

Coding in Xero - Bank Reconciliation

Your bank statement lines will have been automatically imported into Xero. Using the Bank reconciliation screen allows you to

code the transactions. In some cases Xero will offer you a suggestion (based on where you last coded an item), or it may ask if

you want to "apply a rule", or if you are unsure you can click on the "Discuss" tab of the particular transaction and type an

explanation for us to later code.

Use comments during reconciliation to help others code transactions

Add comments to help code transactions correctly

Use the Discuss tab to enter optional comments that you and others can use during the reconciliation process. You might use

this if you're unsure what a downloaded bank statement line relates to and you want to add a note for other users to see and

comment on.

When you enter or change a comment a Save button will display. When you save your comment, any other user who has

access to the bank reconciliation screen will see it, and the Discuss tab will display an asterisk (*) to alert you.

Entering a comment to a statement line is a separate exercise to reconciling it. You'll still need to find or add a new transaction

in Xero and to reconcile it.

Add comments to help your adviser code transactions

Add comments to your bank statement lines to make sure your accountant codes your transactions correctly. You'll need to be

as specific as possible about what the statement lines relate to in your business, and if they are for part payments.

The 3 pieces of information we will need are:

1. Who the payment was to or from

2. What the expenditure or income was

3. What it was used for

Create tab: create/code a transaction from scratch

If Xero doesn't create a suggestion, it will leave the statement line unmatched ready for you to create a transaction.

Simply add a contact name, account and description under the Create tab.

After you've completed all fields you can select OK and you’ve reconciled! This creates a transaction in your bank account in

Xero.

Create tab: create/code a transaction Xero has suggested

Xero will suggest a best guess transaction ready for you to code, based on a previously coded transaction with similar details.

Xero uses the payee, particulars and reference to determine similarity, then enters the name, account and description on the

Create tab from that previously reconciled transaction. The suggestion won’t always be right, and it’s easy to change it if it’s

not.

Accept suggestion and reconcile

If Xero's suggestion is right, and you don't need to change any details, select OK to accept the suggestion and reconcile it.

View or add more details to Xero's suggestion

If Xero's suggestion is right, but you want to add to or change some details, select the Add Details link.

Also use the Add Details button if you need to analyse your transaction into more than one account code.

The GST Return

The GST Return (and Provisional Tax Return) in Xero is essentially an online worksheet for the GST portion of Inland Revenue’s

GST and Provisional Tax Return form. It shows the amount of GST owing by or to your organisation for the GST period being

reported.

It is essential that you file your GST Return in Xero. Do this after you have generated it in Xero, copied the values onto Inland

Revenue's GST Return, and filed it with Inland Revenue. The GST Return in Xero is only a worksheet, so you shouldn't send

this form from Xero to Inland Revenue.

The GST Return is also accompanied by the GST Audit Report and the Adjustments report, shown on separate tabs. GST for

the period is calculated based on when and how you have entered transactions into Xero and can be tracked using the GST

Audit report.

General information about what is displayed for the GST Return

The GST Return, Provisional Tax Return, GST Audit Report and Adjustments Report are all linked for the period of the return

you're completing. Once you're done submitting your GST Return to the Inland Revenue, you can 'file' the GST and Provisional

Tax Return in Xero which will save all 3 reports together in Xero (on the Published tab in Report Centre) for your permanent

record and start up a new set of reports for the next GST period.

1. Getting to the GST Return in Xero

Get to the GST Return in Xero from:

the Reports drop-down menu (if it is among your Report Favourites)

the Reports landing screen, All Reports

2. Generate the GST Return

Xero displays the latest GST Return using your period and basis information from Financial Settings and displays the report for

the period immediately following the last Return you filed (or published) in Xero. You can run the report for a different period

by changing the dates in the 'From' and 'To' fields, then clicking the Update button.

Once you've entered the details of the report you want to run, click Update to generate the report afresh. The GST Return with

the details you have selected will display now.

3. View and check GST Return totals, Provisional Tax Return, GST Audit Report, Adjustments

GST Return totals

The GST Return will be automatically populated for you when you click Update:

The totals appearing for each box on the GST Return are calculated based on the GST you have charged and paid on

transactions during the period of the report using the tax rates you used on transactions.

Amounts coded directly to the GST account (7100) are not included unless:

they also have GST applied to the total

you used the GST on Imports tax rate (Box 13)

Transactions included in the period of the report are determined by the GST basis you've specified in Financial Settings -

'invoice' will use invoice or expense claim reporting date and 'payments' will use bank transaction or invoice and expense

claim payment dates.

To view all transactions for the period of the return and those used in the calculation of GST for the return, use the GST

Audit Report. After the return is filed in Xero the final totals and any amounts coded directly to the GST account will display

on the GST Reconciliation report. You can use either of these reports to track down all GST-related transactions.

You can't edit any figures on the GST Return except for those relating to adjustments for 'Sales and Income' or 'Purchases

and Expenses' from your calculation sheet.

Note that the editable adjustment boxes above boxes 9 or 13 are for those adjustments which you calculate on the IR372,

e.g. for business assets used privately, or once-a-year entertainment expenses. Please check with your financial adviser if

you are unsure of what to enter.

Any figures you enter above boxes 9 or 13 (adjustments) will automatically update the totals and amount to be paid or

refunded from Inland Revenue and will also update the amounts on the Provisional Tax Return that use these figures.

Any Xero-calculated adjustments will show on either the Sales and Income or Credit section of the GST Return on a

separate field labelled 'Adjustments'. The transactions which Xero bases your adjustment amount on will be shown on the

Adjustments tab.

If you need it, a GST adjustments calculation sheet is available on the Inland Revenue website which can help you work out

the adjustment amounts you might need to enter manually. If in doubt, check with your financial adviser or accountant.

Provisional Tax Return, GST Audit Report, Adjustments

Select the Provisional Tax Return tab to switch to the Provisional Tax Return that corresponds to this GST period or the GST

Audit Report tab to see all the transactions that make up the totals on the GST Return depending on the options chosen (i.e.

period and basis).

Select the Adjustments tab to view a report on any adjustments Xero has calculated on your GST Return.

4. Ask your financial adviser to review your GST Return

You may want to ask your accountant or financial adviser to review the GST Return before you file it in Xero (or print or export

it). This is not mandatory - it's up to you to decide if you'd like the Return reviewed. You need to have a user set up in Xero as

a Financial Adviser for this to work.

Use the link in the green 'steps' box at the top of the return to complete an email to your accountant or financial adviser

letting them know that they should log in to your organisation and review the Return.

The list of people available to send an email to will be the users for your organisation who have the Financial Adviser role.

If you send a request to have the Return reviewed, it will be saved as a draft in the list of Draft reports and you or your

financial adviser can access the Return from the Reports Draft tab or by going directly to the report itself in Report Centre.

Once the report has been reviewed, you or your financial adviser can file the return. This creates a record in Xero and

'refreshes' the return ready for the next GST period.

5. File with Inland Revenue: copy values from Xero onto Inland Revenue's GST Return

File your return with Inland Revenue by either:

copying the values from Xero to your GST Return and posting back to Inland Revenue, or

entering the values into Inland Revenue's online form.

6. Essential final step: file (publish) your GST Return in Xero

After you have filed your GST Return with Inland Revenue it is essential to file (publish) your GST Return in Xero each GST

period.

Filing your return in Xero will keep a record of your GST for the period in Xero and update the default date range on the

return and associated reports. This means that next time someone accesses the GST Return in your Xero organisation, the

date range will be for your next GST period.

Filing (publishing) your return also means that Xero can calculate any adjustments on subsequent returns. You will still be

able to generate future-dated returns, but Xero-calculated adjustments won't display on the return, and Xero won't be able

to generate an Adjustments Report for that period.

Filing (publishing) your return in Xero keeps a record of your GST for that period. Points to note: what you can and can't do

once your return is filed.

Steps for filing (publishing) your GST Return

1. Click the File Now... button.

2. If you have the Standard user role, a pop-up notice will remind you that filing your return in Xero is not the same as filing

your return with Inland Revenue. Click OK to continue.

Your report will now be published. Go to step 4.

Return is automatically saved if you change it

If you change the report dates or figures, or invite your Financial Adviser to view the report, your GST Return will be saved

automatically on the Reports Draft tab.

After your GST Return is filed in Xero

Once you've filed your return for the current period, the default date range on the GST Return and associated reports is

updated. When you go back to the GST Return screen, the new current period will show.

You can view your filed GST Returns in your list of published reports.

After you have filed (published) your return in Xero, Xero will be able to calculate any adjustments on your next GST

Return.

Amounts on your filed GST Return are used on the GST Reconciliation report, which you can use to identify any GST that

has occurred in a period after a return was filed.

You can't file a return twice for the same GST period, however if you need to make changes to the return (i.e. the filed

return is not correct), you will need to delete or archive the original filed return. You may then run the GST Return for that

period again and publish it afresh. (See steps below.)

Filing a return again (using a previously filed date range)

Once you have filed a GST Return, you can generate a draft version of the return for the same period again by choosing the

same date range.

If you need to make changes to the return (i.e. the filed return is not correct), you will need to delete or archive the original

filed return. You may then run the GST Return for that period again and publish it afresh.

1. Generate the GST Return for the period you want to review.

2. If a return has already been filed (published) for this period, an information box appears at the bottom of the form to tell

you so. Click on the link to view the filed return.

3. From here, review the return. If the details are incorrect (e.g. they don't match what you have filed with Inland Revenue),

you can then delete the return, if your role allows. (If your user role doesn't allow you to delete reports, you can archive it

instead, and/or ask someone in the Financial Adviser role to delete the incorrect GST Return for you.)

4. Once the existing GST Return has been archived or deleted, you will then be able to generate the GST Return for the

period again and file (publish) it afresh.