Quick Reference - Tips & Instructions

Accounts payable process

1. Invoice to pay comes in via email or post

2. Check the invoice

3. Enter the invoice in to Xero under (purchases)

4. Scan the invoice and attach to the transaction

5. Enter in the payment date if paid by automatic payment or approve if the invoice is to be paid at a later date

6. Once the invoice is paid via internet banking enter the payment

Attach an invoice in Xero that comes as an email not an attachment

Print the email as a PDF, save wherever applicable and then attach in Xero.

Become Xero Certified

Discuss the requirement for you to be trained in Xero with the General Manager first. 

If it is required log in to Xero. Click on 'Education & Tools' - 'My Training'. Click on the link to choose a course at Xero U. In here you can select your requirement and complete your training.

Change the name associated to an email (user) in Xero

1. Change setting to "logged in user" and save

2. DELETE the incorrect name entry completely

3. Re-enter client email with corrected name

4. Verify from client's email and ensure selected in Xero

Checking for errors

1. Once you have completed reconciling you should run a Reconciliation Report for each bank account to ensure there are no errors. Click on Manage/Reconciliation Report

2. If all transactions have been reconciled and entered correctly there will be no outstanding payments and no unreconciled statement lines. The below example shows that there is an outstanding payment that hasn’t been matched and also unreconciled bank statement lines. To view the items click on them and if necessary you can ‘remove and redo’

The example on the far right shows that this bank account has no errors and balances correctly.

Create an invoice

Firstly go to the Accounts Tab > Sales. Click New:

Enter in all of the details needed. In the 'To' field, you can type some of the word and it should come up automatically if they are entered as a contact and if you are entering a new name, that will automatically be added as a contact. The Reference field is optional. Enter a combination of letters and/or numbers as a reference if applicable. If you do enter a reference, it will display on your invoices along with the automated invoice number.

Enter a contact

1. To get to the Contacts screen, click on Contacts > All Contacts

2. It will then bring up a screen like the below photo. From here you will need to enter in any details you wish, keep in mind that you will need an email address for invoices to be emailed to and the contact names. Under the box of ‘Contact’, you need to enter in the company's legal name

Filing system in Xero

Xero has a filing system built in that allows you to save documents. Access the filing system by clicking on the folder icon.

To save a file to the filing system you can either click the +Upload File button and then choose the file from your computer, drag a file and drop it onto the middle of the window, or email a document to the email address showing in the window below.

You can then set up new folders or rename current folders.

Help a client arrange Strictly Savvy to have management access to their Xero account

Ask the client to set jo@strictlysavvy.co.nz up as a user in their Xero account. The permissions that they need to set are Advisor and they need to tick the box to allow manage user rights. 

The Office Manager will then accept this invitation on Jo's behalf and will add you as a user. Direct message the Office Manager to let her know to expect the invitation.

How to Code Interest Received and Withholding Tax

1. Click on Add details:

You will now see this screen:

2. In the From field change to BNZ

3. In the first line enter Interest, Qty as 1 and the Unit Price as the $ amount in the Description (see above).

4. Fill in the next line and enter the R/W Tax amount (see above) as a minus.

5. Check the total matches the statement amount and then click Save Transaction.

6. Scroll up slightly and click OK. The statement line is now reconciled.

Merging contacts

Sometime contacts can be misspelt or entered incorrectly during reconciling. If this happens you can merge contacts together. All transaction history will then be merged.

1. On the All, Customers or Suppliers tab on the main Contacts screen, select the check boxes of all contacts you want to merge into another contact. These are the contacts that will be archived at the end of the process

2. In the Merge Contacts box, find the contact you want to merge with by entering their name. This is the contact that will be retained after the merge

3. Choose Yes to archive the original contacts and have their transactions moved to the chosen contact

Overpayments

During bank reconciliation, if you find an overpayment (debit or credit) come through for payment on an invoice or bill, you can still reconcile the payment to the invoice or bill. 

1. Click on ‘Find and Match’

2. Check the box next to the invoice or bill you want to match the payment to in the usual way.

3. Create a new transaction by selecting New... and create a Spend Money or Receive Money.

4. From the 'Spent as' or 'Received as' drop-down, select Overpayment.

5. Enter in a description.

IMPORTANT: Change the name that appears in the ‘To’ field to the correct name. This will ensure that the overpayment is linked to the correct contact. Often the ‘To’ field defaults to the name that appears on the statement line.

6. Click Save Transaction. This will add the overpayment transaction to the bank account.

7. Then click Reconcile

Part payments

If your statement line is a part payment of an invoice, bill or expense claim payment, split it to apply the part payment during reconciliation.

Click Find & Match to find your invoice or bill. Then select the invoice or bill that you want to apply the partial payment to.

Use the Split link that appears next to the transaction to split the transaction and record a part payment. Xero enters the statement line amount in the Part payment field for you, if the invoice or bill is greater than the statement line. To reconcile the statement line, click the Split button, then Reconcile.

The split payment shows as a payment made on the account transaction. Any remaining amount due on the invoice or bill will remain displayed in the list.

Quotes

Quotes are made by sending a draft invoice.

1. Go to Accounts > Sales. Click New and then fill out all of the details. Make sure you choose the Branding Theme > Quote

IMPORTANT: When you have finished click Save (NOT APPROVE)

2. Once you have saved it, the Quote will now show in the Draft list. Click on the company name to open it

3. If you are happy to send the quote click Email. If you would like to view the Quote click Print PDF

4. After you have clicked either buttons the invoice will be marked as sent or you will be asked if you would like to make it as sent

5. Choose the Email Template Quote. Adjust the email wording if required and then send

Record the payment of a payables invoice

If an invoice is paid by automatic payment or the invoice has been paid you need to record the payment in that transaction.

Firstly the bill must be approved and in the Awaiting Payment list. If the invoice or bill is fully paid, its status will change to ‘Paid’ and it will move to the Paid tab.

To pay a bill go to Accounts > Purchases, then click on Awaiting Payment.

Click on your bill to open it, then scroll to the Make a payment section at the bottom of it.

Invoices or bills marked as paid will no longer display on Money Coming In (aged debtor) or Money Going Out graphs on the main Dashboard.

Invoices or bills that you have marked to pay on a future date will display on the Money Going Out graph.

Amount paid:

Enter the amount paid. The Amount Paid field defaults to the total amount due on the invoice or bill, taking into account any payments already made or credit notes attached to it. You can change this to another amount if a part payment was made. 

Date Paid:

The date on which you made or received the payment or part payment. If the Date Paid on an invoice or bill you are paying is in the future, it will display with the amount being paid on the Money Going Out graph (in green).

Paid From:

Choose the account from which you made the payment or have received the payment into.

If you're recording an internet banking payment, choose the bank account the money will be paid from. 

Send a customer a receipt from Xero

Enter in the payment on the invoice. And then it will show at the top of the page the open to send a receipt. Click on that, choose Standard branding, and then send. 

Shortcuts

• Hold down Ctrl and click on a link to open it in a new tab

• When entering the date you can enter by typing just 15 5 Tab or 15-5 Tab

• There is an inbuilt calculator in the Amount field when entering transactions

• Use the dropdown menus next to the Approve and Save buttons

• Find more shortcuts for Xero in the attached file below. 

Shortcuts in Xero

Xero certification manual

NZ Xero Certification Training Manual

Xero Demo account

We have a Xero Demo Account for you to use. Go to My Xero and then at the very bottom use the Demo Company link to go in. You can set up and change anything you like.

Xero network key - Strictly Savvy

N5OIVTG5QWTGBRHP7CY0YLWT3WFMGA