Import from Xero

This help note explains the steps to migrating or converting your data from Xero to Saasu. For simplicity Saasu always recommends migrating from other systems at a changeover date rather than bringing in all your old data. If, however, you want to create a Saasu file that has everything in one place and allows you to forget your old system then you can bring in a lot of your historical transactions also.

Prior Preparation

  1. Make sure your old accounts are reconciled and up to date
  2. Get a Trial Balance from Xero (as at your changeover date). In Xero go to Accounting > Reports > under the heading – Accounting > Trial Balance.

Import Chart of Accounts

  1. In Xero go to Accounting > Chart of Accounts and click the Export button (please make sure that exported CSV file does not have any special character like *, “ ” etc. within the column headings).
  2. Go into your Saasu file and navigate to View > Import or Export. Click Accounts in the Import other Data section.
  3. Select Xero from the first drop down.
  4. Click Choose File and browse for the Spreadsheet (CSV) file you wish to upload.
  5. Click the Import button.

When you complete importing the Chart of Accounts check that the Saasu list has every account you need by ticking it off against the Xero Trial balance report list of accounts.

Note: Saasu converts Xero account types on import.

  • Fixed Asset > Asset
  • Current Liability > Liability
  • Historical > Equity
  • Revenue > Income
  • Rounding is not imported.
  • Tracking is not imported.

Import Customers and Suppliers

  1. In Xero go to Contacts > All Accounts and click the Export button
  2. Open this file in a spreadsheet program and rearrange the columns to match Saasu’s format (including changing the header names). Learn more about Saasu’s Contact CSV format.
  3. Go into your Saasu file and navigate to View > Import or Export. Click Contacts in the Import other Data section.
  4. Select Spreadsheet (CSV) from the first drop down.
  5. Click Choose File and browse for the Spreadsheet (CSV) file you wish to upload.
  6. Click the Import button.

We always recommend doing a test import of 3-4 contacts prior to importing a large list. Also, we recommend importing a maximum of 500 contacts at a time.

Duplicates handling

If you are importing a CSV that has a contact that already exists in your Saasu file, we will either ‘Skip’ importing that contact or ‘Overwrite’ that contact based on your selection.

Skip- if we find any matches on the below criteria, we will stop importing that contact.

Overwrite- if we find any matches on the below criteria, we will import the contact and overwrite the existing contact with any details in the import. Note, this will remove any details for a field if the import has a blank field!

De-duplication rules

The system will check for duplicate contacts based on the following fields:

  • Contact ID
  • First Name & Last Name & Email
  • First Name & Last Name & Organisation

Inventory Items

Note: Before this step, refer to Importing Items for hints on how to fill in some of the fields.

  1. In Xero go to Business > Product and services > select Export CSV
  2. Add the first 3 or 4 items from your Xero CSV to Saasu manually via Items > Items > Add.
  3. Once these items have been added select Export and save the template to your computer.
  4. The items you had added will assist in understanding how the remaining items need to be entered into your spreadsheet.
  5. Enter the remaining Inventory Items from your Xero CSV into the relevant columns on the Saasu exported CSV.
  6. We recommend to first import only a few additional Items to ensure you are happy with the process. In Saasu select Items > Items > Import.
  7. Once happy, continue adding your remaining items and import the spreadsheet once complete.

Note that:

  • Within ‘Description‘ column do not use commas in the description
  • The columns On Hand, On Order, Committed, Current Value cannot be updated using spreadsheets (See Item Opening Balances or create purchases)
  • Xero CSV file gets exported with the ledger codes for your income and expense accounts instead of account names. Please make sure you add the name of the account along with the Category (Asset/Income/Expense/Liability) for income and expense accounts within the Saasu CSV file as per Saasu required format ie “Asset: Inventory” or “Income: Sales”.

Open Transactions

Both sale and purchase invoices can be imported via spreadsheet or if you only have a few transactions you can key them in (just as they were keyed into your old system). Please note that we suggest to import only open (unpaid) transactions. We do not recommend bringing in historical paid transactions prior to your changeover date. This is because data from multiple financial years can be tricky to line up between systems, as well as the inability to mark invoices as ‘paid’ during importing. In case you do want to import historical paid transactions, we suggest you contact our Accounting Partners to assist you with this.

  1. In Xero go to Business > Invoices > Awaiting Payment and select Export (You will need to repeat this for your Purchases also (Business > Bills to Pay))
  2. Create a dummy Sale (or Purchase depending on which you are working on) in Saasu by selecting Sales > Add. Once you have created and saved the Sale or Purchase select Export: Summary and Details (CSV) and save this template to your computer.
  3. Copy your transaction details from your Xero export to the Saasu export, following the style set by your dummy transaction.
  4. Begin with importing just three or four transactions first by selecting View > Import or Export > Sales or Purchases. Once you have selected what it is you are importing you will need to map your information from your spreadsheet to the relevant fields within Saasu.
  5. Once you are happy with your mapping, save the mapping as something you will remember to be able to use next time so you do not have to set this up again.
  6. Check the 3 or 4 transactions you have imported to ensure you are happy.
  7. If happy with these transactions continue to fill out your spreadsheet with all of your open transactions from Xero and import these the same way.

Opening Balances

  1. Enter opening balances for Accounts via View > Accounts > Opening Balances. NOTE: Don’t enter Accounts payable or accounts receivable balances if you imported or enter any unpaid Sales or Purchases from the old software in the previous step. Add manually any unreconciled items where payments have not yet appeared in your bank statement or credit cards as at the changeover date (you will need this to tick off during bank reconciliation later.
  2. Enter opening balances for Inventory via Items > Items > Opening Balances

Cross check your old reports to Saasu

Run the Trial Balance report in Saasu as at your changeover date and compare it to your old software Trial balances. Allowing for some account names differences, all the account balances should line up.