CONVERTING TO XERO - EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
Expert Support to enable you to seamlessly move your accounts to Xero (from either Sage or QuickBooks).
We are 100% Xero focused accountants & are based in Chesterfield. We cover all of the UK & can easily come to visit you.
MOVING TO XERO (FROM SAGE OR QUICKBOOKS)
Once you’ve decided to make the move to Xero, the most important thing to consider first is what will happen to all the historical accounting data that’s currently in your existing system.
Moving historical data is usually the better option, so everything’s in one place rather than fragmented across different systems. It makes running reports much easier, simplifies VAT return submissions and streamlines your year-end accounts preparation. You’ll also have full transactional detail for customer and supplier accounts, plus the ability to compare performance across different periods.
The quickest way of getting historical data moved over to Xero is to use Movemybooks. This is a generally straightforward process that you can set in motion. Just follow the on-screen steps, and off it goes. Movemybooks will extract your historical Sage or QuickBooks data, and will load it into a brand-new Xero account, usually within a day.
In some cases, it may be preferable to start in Xero with no historical data. With this option, you’ll need to enter your opening balances, outstanding sales, outstanding bills and (depending on the date when the conversion is taking place) year-to-date balances. You’ll also need to obtain a back-up or a copy of all historical data from your current system, as you may lose access to it once that subscription ends.
BEFORE DOING THE CONVERSION WITH MOVEMYBOOKS, DO THIS!
Before you begin the conversion process with Movemybooks, make sure your current system is in perfect condition. Check that your outstanding invoices and bills are correct, that all your bank accounts are reconciled properly and that you don’t have any incorrect data showing anywhere.
Look out for things like old 1p account balances or invoices showing as outstanding when they’ve actually been paid. These minor errors can cause bigger problems once they’re transferred to Xero, so it’s worth spending time cleaning up your data first.
AFTER CONVERSION, ENSURE YOU DO THIS!
Once Movemybooks completes the process, there are several critical post-conversion tasks to tackle. These steps make sure everything in Xero is mapped correctly and that the data appears where it needs to be.
This is also the time to set up Xero properly for your business. If you’re using other business apps, you’ll want to connect them to Xero and check they’re working correctly. Getting these integrations right from the start prevents data sync issues later.
The post-conversion setup is essential. It means you can start using Xero where you left off in your old system, without errors or confusion about where information lives.
WHEN SHOULD I MOVE MY ACCOUNTS TO XERO?
Really, you can move to Xero at any point you like. But it’s usually easier to choose a specific date that makes sense for your business. Many people choose their financial year-end or the end of a VAT quarter, as these provide natural cut-off points and help keep your data looking clean and organised.
AND WE CAN HELP WITH ALL OF THIS!
Starting the conversion process is one thing. Completing the post-conversion tasks and having a functioning Xero that works as you want it to is something else. Please get in touch here if you need our help.
Check out our Xero Training Services here: https://www.progressionaccountancy.co.uk/xero-training
If you're using other apps within your business (or you would like to start doing), get to know all the Xero Add Ons available here:
https://apps.xero.com/uk