Software and migrations
Xero setup and migration
Xero is the platform most Australian small businesses default to, and a file set up without the right GST tax codes causes problems every BAS quarter. Finbryn builds a new Xero file or migrates an existing one from MYOB or QuickBooks, with bank feeds, GST coding and superannuation postings configured for how the business actually runs.
Migration checklist
Illustrative client · August 2026
AUD
- 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.
Xero as the default, not the exception
Where a US business usually defaults to QuickBooks, an Australian business usually defaults to Xero. That means most of the setup work we do here is a first-time build rather than a migration away from something else, though moves from MYOB or QuickBooks Online are common too, usually driven by a bookkeeper change or a business outgrowing a simpler file.
What setup and migration cover
We configure the chart of accounts and tracking categories around how the business reports internally, connect bank and card feeds, and set every relevant line to the correct GST tax code (taxable, GST-free or input-taxed) rather than leaving it to default settings. Where a migration is moving data out of MYOB or QuickBooks Online, we import history and tie opening balances back to the prior system's final reports, so the cutover date is not treated as a clean slate.
Superannuation and payroll postings
Most Xero setups in Australia run payroll through Xero itself or through Employment Hero connected into Xero, and superannuation has to post correctly from the first pay run. The compulsory super rate sits at 12% of qualifying earnings, and from 1 July 2026 employers pay it alongside wages under Payday Super, so we configure super accrual and payment accounts to sit alongside every pay run rather than getting reconciled separately at quarter end.
Financial year and BAS timing
Australia's income year runs 1 July to 30 June, and the chart of accounts, reporting periods and GST settings are all built around that rhythm rather than a calendar year. Once the file is live, it feeds directly into monthly bookkeeping and the quarterly BAS working papers a registered agent lodges on your behalf; we do not lodge the BAS ourselves.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Xero setup and migration
Is Xero the standard platform for Australian small business?
It is the most common choice, particularly for businesses with a bookkeeper or adviser already working in it, though MYOB and QuickBooks Online both have a real presence too.
Can you migrate from MYOB to Xero?
Yes, including chart of accounts mapping, GST tax code mapping and historical transactions, reconciled against your last MYOB reports before the old file is retired.
Will superannuation post correctly from the first pay run?
Yes. We configure super accrual and payment accounts against the current 12% super rate and the Payday Super wage-aligned payment timing before the first affected pay run.
Do I need a new Xero subscription or can you use my existing one?
Either. We can build inside a subscription you already hold or set up a new one in your own name; you own the login either way.
What happens to our old file once we move to Xero?
The prior platform's file stays intact and accessible under your own login for as long as you keep that subscription active, purely as a historical record; nothing is deleted as part of the move.
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.
- 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.