Versatility is one of the many advantages of using Xero – and that’s an invaluable advantage to have when you’re running a business.  Especially during these uncertain times.
From bookkeeping to HR, it’s easy to link your data up with add-on apps of your choice. This way, you can feel more in control of your business, with minimal effort.

But with such a wide variety of add-ons available, it can be hard to know where to start. We’ve listed our eight top picks for software, all of which connect seamlessly with Xero.

Selling online or in person: Shopify 

With online sales accounting for 20% of total retailing in December 2018, the benefit of selling online was clear. 

When 2020 statistics are released it will be startling to see how much this has accelerated with the pandemic effect.  What is for sure is that e-commerce sites have seen exponential growth. At a time when bricks and mortar outlets have struggled so much.

Many of our clients seeing great business success are those who have embraced the online possibilities.  A good number are using Shopify and linking it to Xero.

Selling through Amazon, Etsy and other routes to market, it’s all the more important to have a good accountant to help you keep control of your business finances.

Shopify is an easy platform to do this on, and it also includes point of sale if you’re selling in person.

You can import all of your orders from Shopify into Xero, export them as invoices, and create reports and summaries to help monitor your business.

Paperless bookkeeping: Receipt Bank 

Going paperless doesn’t just remove the hassle of keeping track of various receipts, bills and invoices – it also saves you hours of time spent doing the books.

Using Receipt Bank is a great way to streamline this. All you need to do is take a quick picture of your receipt, and the app will convert it automatically into data, which feeds directly into Xero.

Credit control: Chaser  

If you’re regularly spending hours chasing unpaid invoices, or are looking for ways to improve your cashflow, Chaser is a must-have app.

It keeps on top of your outstanding payments by sending out pre-scheduled reminder emails to customers. You can select the day and the time these are sent out, and adjust them for different customers.

At the same time, Chaser’s customisable templates mean you can include your own words and branding, for a more personal touch.

Travel and expenses: Expensify

For anyone who dreads calculating and reporting their expenses, Expensify can help.

Like Receipt Bank, it automatically extracts data from a photo of your receipt and integrates it with Xero.

Unlike Receipt Bank, though, it’s more focused on travel and expenses than on sales and purchases. It includes mileage tracking using an inbuilt GPS and can even help organise your travel itinerary.

It can also be connected with your credit card feed, and will merge each transaction from your card with the right receipt.

Forecasting: Futrli 

For any successful business, it’s important to maintain a focus not only on what’s going on right now, but on your vision and strategy for the future.

Futrli simplifies the forecasting and reporting processes, using your Xero data to produce detailed, real-time dashboards.

Its scenario modelling feature also means you can easily explore the outcomes of potential decisions.

Employee management: Deputy 

Deputy is a user-friendly app for HR and employee management, allowing you to manage rotas and timesheets, set tasks for your staff, and manage performance.

By connecting it with Xero, you can calculate overtime, penalty rates, and salary costing. Plus, it saves time by integrating with payroll.

Point of sale and inventory: Vend  

Vend is an efficient way to modernise your retail business. It’s an online point of sale and inventory management system that links up with Xero.

This can be used from your Mac, PC or iPad, so you’re not restricted to the shop counter. It also includes reporting and insights to help you make informed decisions about your business.

Appointments: Timely  

If you’re running a salon or spa, a user-friendly appointments system is key to the smooth operation of your business.

Timely can help you do this, with features including appointment scheduling, marketing, client communications, online booking and reports.

Want to know more?

We’re happy to advise on Xero-compatible software to suit your needs, and to discuss how you can save time and achieve your business goals.

Find out more about using Xero and add-on applications with our real-time accounting service, or contact us to talk about your business.