Software and migrations
Xero setup and migration
Finbryn configures a Xero file for an EU business from day one, or moves an existing file into Xero from QuickBooks, Sage or Exact, carrying the chart of accounts, bank feeds and history across cleanly. Multi-currency is set up for businesses trading across more than one EU currency zone, with a written handover memo on every change.
Migration checklist
Illustrative client · August 2026
EUR
- 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 is the default across most of the EU
Ireland, the Netherlands and a large share of continental European SMEs already run on Xero, which makes it the platform most new EU engagements start from rather than move to. Even so, a Xero file inherited from a previous bookkeeper or built by a founder in a hurry rarely matches the reporting a growing business needs once a second entity, currency or country enters the picture.
What we configure
- Chart of accounts and tracking categories aligned to how the business reports by entity, country or product line
- Bank and payment feeds connected across every account the business banks with, with matching rules configured
- VAT rates and tax rules set so standard, reduced and zero-rated supplies post correctly by member state
- Multi-currency turned on for businesses invoicing outside the euro, with exchange-rate settings and revaluation reconciled monthly
- Contacts, open invoices and bills reviewed and cleaned during the move rather than carried over untouched
Moving into Xero without losing the trail
A migration from Sage, Exact, SAP Business One or a spreadsheet starts with a working session to fix the opening balance date, then a parallel import so the full transaction history, and not a rolled-up summary total, lands inside Xero. Every balance is tied to the prior system before the old file is retired, and we keep a copy of it until the new one is fully reconciled.
Timeline and handover
Most single-entity EU migrations complete in two to three weeks once access and a clean starting balance date are agreed. A written handover memo covers what changed and why, and a named pod continues on the account afterwards rather than disappearing once the migration closes.
Filing stays separate from setup
We configure the VAT rates and tracking categories a return needs. Submitting that VAT return, or the OSS or IOSS declaration it feeds, sits with your own registration or a credentialed local partner, since Xero's settings prepare the numbers but do not replace the registration a filing requires.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Xero setup and migration
Is Xero a good fit for a business trading in more than one EU country?
Yes. Tracking categories and multi-currency settings let one Xero file report by entity, country or product line, which is why it is the platform most EU accountants already default to.
How long does moving into Xero from Sage or Exact take?
Most single-entity migrations complete in two to three weeks once we have access and an agreed opening balance date.
Do you configure OSS and IOSS settings inside Xero?
We configure the VAT rates and tracking categories those schemes need. Submitting the OSS or IOSS declaration itself sits with your own registration or a credentialed local partner.
Will we lose our contacts and open invoices during the move?
No. Contacts, open invoices and bills are reviewed and cleaned during the migration, then carried across with their original detail rather than as a lump total.
Can historical attachments, like scanned receipts, come across in the move?
Where the source platform supports export, yes; some older systems do not retain attachments in an exportable format, in which case we flag what will and will not transfer before the migration starts. We confirm exactly what will transfer before the migration plan is finalised with you.
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
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.