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Xero package - any users out there?

Y5C6
  • 141 posts
  • # 96862

I have just been having a look on the Xero website for the first time and must admit that I like what I see, but would like to know if any other members in practice use it at all and how good it actually is?  As a bookkeeper, can you actually do the bookkeeping for all of your clients on Xero?  So far the only computerised package I have had experience with is Sage and that was for my computerised course but in all honesty I don't like it that much.  I am currently looking for a package where I will be able to do my own books on there, as well as those of my clients, it must be very user friendly but not cost the earth!  I have only just started my practice therefore cannot afford to spend lots of money on a computerised package, but would just like to know other peoples opinions and experiences.

Many thanks in advance...
kjmcculloch
  • 1159 posts
  • # 96865

Hi Jennifer,

After trialling a few cloud based accounting packages, I settled on Xero.  Of all the features, one of the best is their bank reconciliation.  It really cuts down on time and effort.  I am in the process of moving selected clients across.

Another service I use with Xero is receipt bank.  This means I can scan invoices and receipts, or get the client to take a photo on their phone and upload them to receipt bank.  They can then extract the information from receipts and invoices and push it through to Xero seamlessly.

I also allow some clients to add their own sales invoices to cut down on costs and time.

The good thing about Xero is that the bookkeeper or accountant gets their version free of charge, so I have moved my own accounts across and it doesn't cost a penny.  They also offer pretty good discounts.

Kris
Y5C6
  • 141 posts
  • # 96866

Hi Kris, thanks for your reply. Am I correct in thinking that, as a bookkeeper, you could potentially do all of your clients books on xero without your client needing to do anything if they don't want to, or does your client also need to have xero as well? I will be signing up a couple of clients over the next few days who don't want to do any of the accounting process themselves but want me to do everything then just pass all the year end stuff onto their accountants when their financial year comes around. Also, how easy is it to learn how to use?
kjmcculloch
  • 1159 posts
  • # 96867

The client can get free access if neded, but if they don't want to know they don't need to be given it.

Because Xero is cloud based there is nothing to download and install, and nothing to remember to update.

At the end of the year the accountant can be given access and make their adjustments live on the system, no sending journals about by email.

I think it's a great system, but for mass data entry it could be difficult if you wanted to do it manually.  I spoke to a software developer about creating a system to do mass data entry offline and then upload them in batches, but I've not followed it up.

Kris
Lady of Ledger
  • 491 posts
  • # 96873

Hi Jennifer

I tried Xero for a short while, but as a QuickBooks fan, although Xero is good, my opinion is that QuickBooks is better.

I'm not sure of the pricing structure with Xero, but with QuickBooks, if you sign up to the ProAdvisor scheme (£32 +VAT per month) you are given a desktop version of the Accountant software, which entitles you to have up to 99 businesses on the program, so this allows you to do your clients accounts throughout the year in the way that you're describing that you want to do.

In addition to this, you're given a retail copy of QuickBooks Pro Desktop version, which you can either give or sell to you clients (or ebay!)

In addition to this.......if you sign up to the Partner Program with your ProAdvisor membership, you're also given a free Online version, which you can use for your own business, then any client that signs up for the online version, you can access through your 'portal', so you don't have loads of different login details to remember.

QuickBooks are also offering a hell of an offer at the moment too, for ProAdvisors - any clients that you sign up to the online version, if they pay through you, you're charged £4.99 plus VAT for life, per customer (normal price is £29 plus VAT per month). You can charge your customer any price you like up to the £29 plus VAT - so you can either pass the whole discount onto them, or somewhere in between etc.

Hope this helps

Carol

  • Carol Saunders
    Lady of Ledger Book Keeping
    Telford, Shropshire



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Clare
  • Member PM.Dip
  • Practice Licence
  • 195 posts
  • # 96919

I have read this post at a really interesting time as I've just been trialling Xero today having heard Kris's recommendation yesterday 

So far I have tried it only on the free trial basis and am putting my own accounts into it. The TB entry was painless but I've still to set up the bank feed, however if it works as it claims to I think I'll be delighted with it. Once I'm happy that it's handling my accounts then I'll begin to move clients over on to it. 

At the moment I use Sage with most clients but the cost is slightly ridiculous so I want to move away from it. 

That is slightly out of my comfort zone as I've used Sage in various forms for over 20 years!!

I have to say that I used QuickBooks for one client and absolutely hated it. I just couldn't get on with any aspect of it, except perhaps billing. The VAT seemed to be a particular minefield and I found the support worse than useless when it was a technical bookkeeping question (about VAT for example) rather than a system question.

I know that there are various fans of different packages and we all have to select the one (or more) that suits us and our clients but that is my 2p worth.

As far as Xero goes, I like the interface (it's prettier than a lot of packages) and so far it seems very user friendly. 

I'm also trialling Capsule CRM which links into Xero as I need to sort out my CRM processes. I'll start another thread on that very topic...

Clare

  • Bruton Young Bookkeeping


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Y5C6
  • 141 posts
  • # 96929

Thank you to everyone for your feedback.  I have decided to give the free trial a go to see what I think... I have only been playing with it for about an hour or so, but have to say that so far it seems an awful lot friendlier than Sage, everything is really easy to find and I love the reports that are available.  I am going to continue with the trial using my own accounts as the input data to see what I think and then maybe look at signing up to it fully at the end of that.

I last used Sage on a full-time basis about 18 years ago, so obviously it has changed a lot since then and although I have completed the Level 2 Computerised Course, I am still finding it quite difficult to come to grips with.  I am currently making my way through the Level 3 Computerised course but find myself frequently getting frustrated with silly things such as having to click on a million buttons just to find a simple report.  Maybe I am just being a little impatient, but it is certainly not a system I will want to bring into my practice once the course is out of the way.
  • 153 posts
  • # 96942

You don't have to use Sage during your training, you could use one of the other softwares instead. We don't use Sage at all out of choice, occasionally I do use it when a client already has it set up, but usually when we suggest they switch to a different software they do and are very glad they did.

For me, Quickbooks is the best desktop software but I don't like their online version, I prefer Xero. We also use Clearbooks and Kashflow for some clients but I think Xero is better than them too, with better functionality beyond the basic data entry which helps with reconciliations, making adjustments etc.
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