There comes a time when you need to upgrade your current phone to a new one.
When upgrading phones, our focus is mainly on ensuring your precious photos are kept (or backed up elsewhere) and working out how to keep the contact details so you don’t have to add them back manually in your new phone.
For Xero users, there is one more thing to do before you ditch the old phone: disabling the Authenticator app properly for it to be set up on your new phone.
In recent years many desktop accounting systems started chasing after “the cloud” by establishing their online presence. Some are moving their software to the server/online environment, while the others completely revamped the look and functionality of their software to compete with other online software.
Cloud Accounting is the new, easy and efficient way for you to take control of your business paperwork and have more time to increase your profits or spend with your family. What will you do with the time you save?
In early September 2018 two of us went to XeroCon in Brisbane to learn about the new tips and tricks of using Xero to make it a better experience to our Xero clients. During the 3 intensive but fun days, we learned new ways to do things to improve business in general, such as ways to reduce the number of days for an invoice to be paid, new ways of using the Xero mobile app and more…
A summary of a handful of the new features that will be implemented are:
Complete revamp of Xero mobile app
– you will soon be able to view reports such as Profit & Loss account on your mobile app. Currently you need to log on to the desktop version of Xero to run the reports and see how the business goes. With the improved Xero mobile app business owners can see how well their businesses perform on the go.
– revamp of the invoicing module – Xero is moving towards a “code free accounting” meaning that Xero will take care of where the transaction be coded to so you don’t have to worry about it, making it easier and faster for you to prepare and email invoices out to customers – and get paid faster too with their new payment services (see below)!
– (iOS app users) ability to attach files directly from cloud storage and ability to use AirPrint – huge improvement for those who would like to attach photos to invoices and print out invoices to non-Xero clients.
Updates to Xero Business
– Email to bills – for those who keep track of bills on Xero, you have the option to email the PDF bills to Xero where it will create a draft bill to be approved. Xero is improving on this by using machine learning to extract information out of the bills and pre-fill them onto the bills – so you don’t have to!
– new API to allow all banks to integrate with Xero – we expect this will mean a simpler process in setting up bank feeds on Xero with any bank account.
– automatic bank rules reconciliation – a great time saver for those who set bank rules to help reconcile their transactions – instead of clicking OK on each transaction, soon you will be able to reconcile it all in just one single click!
– ability to preview invoice on both desktop and mobile version prior to sending them out
– Xero has partnered with Go Cardless to provide payment services through their invoices – this is similar to current payment services like Stripe and Paypal.
Most of you may have received this news earlier last week: Xero has recently announced adjustments to their Subscription plans for Standard and Premium plan users, effective 28 September 2018.
As Xero rolls out more features on reporting, payroll and mobile apps, the prices of the Premium plans will increase starting from 28 September 2018.
This means that in your September and October invoices you will see an adjustment made to your monthly subscription fee.
Starting from 28 September 2018, Xero Standard subscription users will notice that they will be able to have up to two active payroll employees on the Standard $50 plan, as compared to one active payroll employee currently.
It is therefore a good opportunity to review your subscription plans to see if you can update your subscription plans depending on your business needs. If you need assistance in choosing the correct subscription plan, or to update your subscription plans, please contact us.
More information can be found on this blog post.
Find out what payments and lodgements are due in April and May 2018 for you and your business!
If you are required to pay PAYG Instalments quarterly, you should either have received a paper form, or have access to the form online via your MyGov account. Your due date for payment of Instalment is 28 April 2018.
You should have received a paper form by now, or have access to the form online via the Portal.
The due date for lodging and paying BAS is 28 April 2018, unless you are lodging through an agent like ourselves, then you enjoy an extension for lodgment and payment by 26 May 2018.
If you are required to report GST or PAYG Withholding on a monthly basis, your April Activity Statement will be due by the 21st May 2018.
For businesses that have employees, please ensure that you make your super guarantee contributions before 28 April 2018. Previously you would lodge the contributions via the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH). From 26 February 2018 onwards the Clearing House is accessed via the ATO’s online services (Business Portal). If you need a hand with setting up a Business Portal, or would like us to handle this whole lodgement process on your behalf, please contact us.
Businesses that have access to Xero’s Auto Super need to ensure their payment is authorised a few business days before the due day, for the payment to be debited in time.
The FBT year has ended 31 March 2018. For those who require a return lodgement, your FBT Return is due by 21 May 2018. Please contact us for instructions on the lodgement of the return.
Need more information? Contact Us
