Software and migrations
Xero setup and migration
Xero runs across mainland trading companies and free zone entities in DMCC, JAFZA, RAKEZ and IFZA alike. Finbryn configures a new Xero file or moves an existing one across, with VAT settings, multi-currency and historical balances tied out before the old system is switched off.
Migration checklist
Illustrative client · August 2026
AED
- Old file backed up with full historyDone
- Chart of accounts mapped line by lineDone
- Opening balances agreed to the old fileDone
- Bank feeds connected and testedIn progress
- First month closed in the new softwareNext
Illustrative. An example of the document, not a client's figures.
Why Xero fits a UAE trading structure
A company trading in AED, USD and a supplier currency at once needs multi-currency handled properly rather than left to post as noise in the profit and loss. Xero's tracking categories also map well onto a free zone entity that reports separately from a mainland affiliate, which is common once a group holds licences in more than one jurisdiction across Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Ras Al Khaimah.
What setup and migration cover
We build the chart of accounts and tracking categories around the reports directors actually read, connect bank and payment feeds with rules tuned to how the business trades, and import historical data with balances tied out to the prior system. VAT gets mapped to the 5% standard rate and the AED 375,000 mandatory registration threshold, with a separate check for whether the company also needs to register once it crosses that line.
Where Qualifying Free Zone status matters
A free zone company that meets the Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions is taxed at 0% on its Qualifying Income, so the chart of accounts needs to separate qualifying from non-qualifying income cleanly from day one. Getting that structure wrong in the software is what usually surfaces as a corporate tax problem a year later, not a software problem at all.
What you get at handoff
A Xero file in the company's own subscription, a short written memo on what moved and why, and a reconciled starting point that connects directly into ongoing bookkeeping once the migration is signed off.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Xero setup and migration
Can Xero handle a mainland company and a free zone entity reporting separately?
Yes, tracking categories or separate organisations can keep the two clean, depending on whether the entities file one consolidated set of management reports or two.
Do you set up multi-currency in Xero for companies invoicing in AED and USD?
Yes, including base currency selection and reconciling the exchange gains and losses that multi-currency invoicing creates.
How does Qualifying Free Zone Person status affect the Xero setup?
We separate qualifying and non-qualifying income at the chart of accounts level, since a free zone company taxed at 0% on Qualifying Income needs that line drawn clearly rather than assumed at year end.
Do you handle multi-currency setup in Xero?
Yes, including base currency selection, exchange rate settings and reconciling revaluation gains and losses.
How long does a Xero migration take?
Most single-entity migrations complete in two to three weeks once we have access and a clean starting balance date.
How is xero setup and migration priced?
Pricing for xero setup and migration depends on your transaction volume, the software you use, and how much cleanup is needed before ongoing work starts. Current ranges are published on the pricing page, and your exact fee is confirmed in writing before anything begins.
What software works with xero setup and migration?
Xero setup and migration runs inside Xero or QuickBooks Online, whichever you already use. If you are not yet set up in either, we can configure a file in your name so you keep ownership of it once the engagement is under way.
Related services
- Software and migrationsQuickBooks setup, cleanup and migrationA new QuickBooks Online file built to fit the business, or an existing file cleaned up and reconciled, plus migration from spreadsheets or another platform without losing history.
- BookkeepingMonthly bookkeepingOngoing monthly bookkeeping: transactions sorted into categories, accounts reconciled and month-end reports delivered in the software you already use.
Industries
- Ecommerce (Amazon and Shopify)Bookkeeping for online sellers on Amazon, Shopify, Etsy and their own storefronts, built around clean payout and sales tax data.
- Agencies and consultanciesBookkeeping for marketing agencies, design studios and consulting firms billing clients on retainers and project fees.
- HospitalityBookkeeping for hotels, short-term rentals and hospitality operators reconciling booking platform payouts and occupancy-driven revenue.
Next step
Talk to the team that would run your books
A short call covers your setup, your software and what a first month would look like. You get a written scope and price after it.