Moving from Xero to Ledgr

Six exports, in this order

People first, then what you sell, then the trial balance, then what is still owed either way. The order matters: a balance brought forward needs the customer to exist first. In Ledgr, open Import from another system and choose Xero. Each file is checked and shown to you before anything is written.

1. 1

   Customers

   In Xero: Go to Contacts, then Customers. Click Export at the top. Save the CSV.

   Here: Import as Customers.

2. 2

   Suppliers

   In Xero: Contacts, then Suppliers. Click Export.

   Here: Import as Suppliers. The file looks exactly like the customers one — choosing Suppliers is how we know which it is.

3. 3

   Products and services

   In Xero: Business, then Products and services. Click Export.

   Here: Import as Products and services.

4. 4

   Trial balance

   In Xero: Accounting, then Reports, then Trial Balance. Set the date to the day before you start here. Export as CSV.

   Here: Your accountant posts it in the trial balance section, mapping each line to an account. Map the debtors and creditors lines to Opening balances — awaiting allocation, so the invoices and bills below are not counted twice.

5. 5

   Open customer invoices

   In Xero: Business, then Invoices. Open the Awaiting payment tab and click Export.

   Here: Import as Open invoices. One balance brought forward per customer.

6. 6

   Open supplier bills

   In Xero: Business, then Bills to pay. Open the Awaiting payment tab and click Export.

   Here: Import as Open bills. One bill each.

What to check afterwards

• •Open Customers in Ledgr and skim the list. Names and VAT numbers should match Xero.
• •Compare the aged receivables in Ledgr with Xero's Aged Receivables report on the same date. The totals should agree to the cent. Do the same for creditors.
• •Run the trial balance in Ledgr. The balances you brought in sit under "Opening balances — awaiting allocation" until your accountant allocates them. Once the debtors and creditors lines are mapped to it, that account should be close to nil.
• •Raise your first invoice. If the customer is there and the numbering carries on from where you left off, you are done.

If a total does not agree, the usual reason is a document raised in Xero after the export was taken. Export again and bring it in again — Ledgr recognises what is already here and adds only what is new.

What comes across

Five things. Together they mean the first invoice you raise in Ledgr goes to a customer who already exists, and the first statement you send says exactly what is owed.

• Customers and suppliers

  Names, references, VAT numbers, email, phone and postal address.

• Products and services

  Code, name, description and selling price. Prices come in exactly as exported — check whether they include VAT.

• Open customer invoices

  Everything still unpaid on the day you move, as one balance brought forward per customer. Part-paid invoices come in at what is still owed.

• Open supplier bills

  Everything you still owe on the day you move, one bill each, so you can pay them from here.

• Trial balance

  Your closing balances, posted as opening balances on the day before you start.

What stays behind

We would rather tell you now than have you find out on a Monday.

• •Transaction history. The old system's postings, VAT treatment and category choices stay where they are, as the record of what happened before. You look history up there.
• •Paid invoices and paid bills. They were recognised and taxed in the old system. Bringing them in again would count the sales and the VAT twice.
• •Bank transactions. Your bank's own statement is the better witness. Import it from the bank's file and every line is matched from there.
• •Stock on hand. Items come across; the quantity on the shelf does not. Take a count on the day and enter it once.