How long does it take to learn how to use xero?

4 Dec

Picking up a new piece of software always comes with a learning curve.

On day one, it can feel like trying to make sense of a foreign language. However, just like learning a new language, you can pick up the basics of Xero pretty quickly. You can then build on these foundations to get more proficient in the bits you use most often.

You don’t need to learn everything to use Xero well. Like many businesses, you’ll probably find you just need to master a few simple processes that you can use over and over. The hardest part is often figuring out what you need and where to start. That’s what this blog is about.

handy tools that make your business run smoother

Getting to grips with Xero isn’t just about learning the basics. It’s about discovering the features that make your everyday business tasks simpler and faster. Once you’ve found your footing, these built‑in tools can take a lot of the stress out of managing your finances, freeing you up to focus on running and growing your business.

Think of them as shortcuts to smoother workflows. Whether it’s keeping an eye on your cash flow, automating routine tasks or making sure payments don’t slip through the cracks, Xero has practical features designed to save you time and give you confidence.

Here are some of the most useful starting points to help you get organised and stay in control:

understanding your xero home screen

Your Xero Home Screen shows your key numbers at a glance. It’s where you can find a quick overview of your current bank balance, as well as what you’re owed, and the bills waiting to be paid.

Understanding your Xero Home Screen means you can quickly and easily monitor your cash flow, making sure you’re staying in the black, with money available to pay your suppliers.

You can even edit your dashboard to show only the parts that are most relevant to your business.

let xero manage your transactions

Manually inputting every transaction is a time-consuming, monotonous task. Connecting Xero to your bank account means it can automatically pull over every transaction without you needing to lift a finger.

Even more important here is getting bank rules & other automations set up, as these can save you loads of time in reconciling, as well as improve accuracy.

get paid on time with automated invoicing

Set up your invoice templates with your logo, branding and payment details.

Enable online payments through Stripe, Crezco or GoCardless and keep your payment terms short and clear.

You can also take the details of any business saved in your contacts to generate an instant invoice, ready to go the moment it’s needed. It can even calculate VAT due and send automatic payment reminders to your recurring customers.

keep track of what you’re spending

The Xero mobile app is great for helping you track your expenses. You can instantly attach photos of your receipts directly to the associated transaction, so you’re not lost in a pile of paperwork at the end of the month. You can also set up automatic email forwarding with evidence of online transactions, and categorise your outgoings so you can see exactly where your money is going each month.

how long does it really take to feel confident with xero

This depends on the complexity of your business and what you need Xero to do for you. On the whole, a few hours of focused learning can get you a long way. This is usually enough time for most people to get to grips with the basics of the software.

After that, it’s probably a case of learning on the job by trial and error. You’ll find out what you need to know when the need arises.

But what if you could jump-start the process?

What if you could cut straight to the chase and find out exactly what you needed to know without trawling the internet for answers?

That’s where Xero training can help.

progression accountancy offers expert xero training

With years of experience with Xero and countless happy clients under our belts, we’ve set businesses up on Xero with just about every set of circumstances. Our unrivalled expertise can help cut down the time you spend learning Xero, so that you can hit the ground running right away.

If you’re new to Xero, that might mean ensuring everything is set up correctly from day one. We’ll work alongside you so you can see exactly how things work and can repeat all the processes independently once we’ve gone. We’ll also help you avoid the common mistakes many businesses make in their initial setup and make sure everything works seamlessly with your existing systems.
And if you’ve had Xero for a while but still feel stuck, we can fix the errors causing you chaos and smooth out anything that’s not working quite right.

With our bespoke Xero training, you get expert advice on those bits that you can’t quite nail. It might be that parts of your processes could be automated, taking significant admin work out of your day-to-day.

need a hand getting to grips with xero?

Once you’re on track, Xero is pretty intuitive and easy to use. You can learn the basics in a few hours. The tricky part can be taking it beyond the tutorials you’ll find online, then personalising its functionality to work for your business.

At Progression Accountancy, we can help you get everything set up and give you the tools to keep things running on your own. We offer Xero training Power Hours and Day Visits to help you master your systems and get Xero working seamlessly for you. We’ll come in and work our magic, while showing you exactly how we’re doing it, so that you walk away with the confidence you need to keep things going without our help.

Ready to get started? Book your first session.