You are moving your books to Xero.
A clean Xero migration sets your business up for years of reliable reporting. Done badly, it leaves you reconciling ghosts and second guessing every figure. Here is how to make the switch without losing your history or your sanity.
Not sure this is your moment? Start here
What's happening
- You are leaving MYOB, QuickBooks, spreadsheets or a desktop ledger and want everything in Xero.
- You need your opening balances, customers, suppliers and transaction history to come across accurately.
- Bank feeds, payroll and any add-ons such as point of sale or job costing have to keep working from day one.
- You want the GST settings and chart of accounts right so your next BAS reconciles without surprises.
- Your team needs to know the new workflow, not just the new logo.
What to think about
- 01
Pick a clean cutover date
The end of a quarter, or better still the end of a financial year, gives you a tidy line in the sand. You lodge the final BAS on the old system, take closing balances, and start Xero with matching opening balances. A mid period switch is possible but doubles the reconciliation work.
- 02
Decide how much history to bring
Xero conversion tools and partners can carry across two or more years of transactions, but you rarely need everything. Often opening balances plus the current financial year is enough, with the old system archived for reference. Less data means fewer conversion errors to chase.
- 03
Rebuild the chart of accounts properly
A migration is the best chance to clean up account codes that have drifted over the years. We map old codes to a logical Xero chart so your profit and loss actually tells you something, and so GST and tax codes are set correctly against each account.
- 04
Reconnect feeds, payroll and add-ons
Bank feeds need setting up and verifying, single touch payroll has to be configured and authorised with the ATO, and any connected apps need re testing. We check the first pay run and the first reconciliation together before you rely on them.
- 05
Reconcile the opening position
Before you trust a single report, the opening trial balance in Xero should tie back to the closing figures from your old system, dollar for dollar. Bank balances, GST control accounts, payroll liabilities and loan accounts all get checked so nothing is carried in wrong.
- 06
Train the people who use it daily
Software only saves time if the team uses it the right way. A short, role based walkthrough covering invoicing, bank reconciliation and bill payment prevents the bad habits that quietly corrupt your data over the following months.
How we help you move
Bookkeeping
We handle the migration, set up bank feeds and the chart of accounts, and can keep your Xero file reconciled every month afterwards.
ExploreAccounting and taxation
We make sure GST settings, tax codes and opening balances are correct so your BAS and year end accounts reconcile cleanly.
ExploreCFO services
Once your data is reliable, we turn it into dashboards and reporting that show cash flow, margins and performance at a glance.
ExploreQuestions we hear most often.
Have a question that is not here? Call 07 3399 2300 or book a consultation and we will answer it directly.
Will I lose my transaction history when I move to Xero?
No. Conversion tools and partners can bring across multiple years of history, and your old system is archived as a permanent record. In practice we usually migrate opening balances plus the current year and keep the rest on file, which reduces the risk of conversion errors.
When is the best time to switch to Xero?
The end of the financial year on 30 June is ideal because you start with clean opening balances and a fresh GST and payroll year. The end of any BAS quarter is the next best option. We can migrate mid period too, but it takes more reconciliation work.
Do I need to tell the ATO when I change software?
You do not notify the ATO of the software itself, but single touch payroll must be reconfigured and reauthorised in Xero so your pay event lodgements continue without a gap. We set this up and confirm the first successful lodgement.
How long does a Xero migration take?
For most small businesses the data conversion runs in a few days, with setup, bank feeds and the first reconciliation completed over one to two weeks. Larger files or businesses with payroll, inventory and several add-ons take longer to test thoroughly.
Move to Xero once, and move properly.
We plan the cutover, migrate your data cleanly, reconcile the opening position and train your team, so you start with numbers you can actually trust. Book a consultation and we will map out your switch.