Global Product Release Update – February 2019

Check out the latest updates for small businesses and advisors, plus a peek at what’s coming soon. Xero changes and release updates can be found in Xero Central or keep an eye on the feature timeline for a summary of some of our bigger releases.

Recently released  

• Hubdoc now available in NZ
• New improved way to connect direct bank feeds
• Manage your bills from anywhere on mobile
• Xero Projects – show time entry details on project invoices
• My Cases in Xero Central
• New Invoicing added functionality
• Automated Report code mapping
• Manage VAT with MTD – UK
• View MTD VAT Insights on your Xero Dashboard – UK
• Custom Cover Letter – AU
• More visibility and control with BAS – AU
• Xero HQ Ask query response on mobile
• New contacts screen on mobile
• View Advisory Directory performance
• Projects – Customer Credit Notes

Payroll update

• Gusto integration – US

Coming soon

• STP Update – AU
• Payday filing – NZ
• Uber for Business with Xero Connect – AU/NZ
• Reporte Templates – NZ

Released

Hubdoc now available in NZ

Hubdoc helps small businesses and advisors streamline administrative tasks. Using cloud computing and Machine Learning, Hubdoc automatically collects financial documents and data from hundreds of banks, utilities, telecom providers and suppliers, seamlessly syncing it to Xero for reconciliation and audit-proofing. In New Zealand, Hubdoc currently has over 150 connections, including Vodafone, Mercury Energy, and major banks. Hubdoc is also available in Australia with over 250 connections, North America with over 800, and United Kingdom with over 197. Learn more or join a webinar.

New improved way to connect direct bank feeds

Xero has made it easier to connect direct bank feeds that require paper application forms, giving small businesses and advisors time back to do beautiful business. By automating the manual steps involved and removing points of friction, we have created a simpler, faster, and secure process for you to connect bank feeds to Xero.

Manage your bills from anywhere on mobile

Small businesses are able to add and edit bills on Android and iOS. Entering bills into Xero leaves smbs with a more complete picture of your upcoming costs, making decisions relating to cash flow much easier. Learn more

Xero Projects – show time entry details on project invoices

Small businesses and advisors can show time entry details on invoices. This means that your customers have complete transparency into the work performed, by whom, time spend and total cost, to better understand projects. Try it next time you create an invoice in Xero Projects!

My Cases in Xero Central

My cases in Xero Central is the new secure and more beautiful way to contact Xero support via Xero Central. In Xero Central small businesses and advisors can view their cases raised, see their status, the expected response time, and add additional information at anytime. This new way of managing cases keeps sensitive information safe and secure. Learn more

New Invoicing added functionality

Following the release of New Invoicing in Australia, New Zealand, United States, and Singapore, small businesses have added functionality including entering a full invoice with just keyboard shortcuts, line breaks in the description field, and date shortcuts similar to the classic invoice shortcuts. Small businesses and advisors can easily toggle back to classic invoicing at any time.

Automated Report code mapping

When new chart of account codes are added to Xero, the report code will now be predicted based on machine learning. The report code will still remain in the review tab so users can check and approve these.

Manage VAT with MTD – UK

Making Tax Digital with Xero is easy. Small businesses and advisors who must comply with HMRC’s new VAT rules from April 2019 can now submit their returns directly from Xero. You will have greater control and visibility of your VAT, with the assurance of being compliant, and connected in real-time to HMRC.

View MTD VAT Insights on your Dashboard – UK

To keep ahead of MTD VAT items that need your attention, add a panel to your dashboard. Enable the panel through the Accounting dropdown > VAT Return. You’ll see up-to-date information gathered from HMRC, including the most recent MTD VAT return and payments that are due or overdue. An update link on the panel will alert you to new information from HMRC, which can be processed in real time on the dashboard.

Custom Cover Letter – AU

Advisors have the ability to customise cover letters to their clients, using Microsoft Word to insert, edit or delete fields and static text, then upload the template to relevant tax forms.  Learn more

More visibility and control with BAS – AU

Small businesses and advisors can quickly and easily make adjustments to GST fields 1A and 1B in Activity Statements, and include reasons for adjustment, all without affecting the ledger. A new history section provides visibility on the adjustments made along with notes, and the improved reporting allows users to see “Transaction by BAS field” split out by G1, 1A, 1B making it even easier to audit.

Xero HQ Ask query response on mobile

Xero HQ Ask is a simple way for advisors to engage their clients and get the information they need quickly and accurately. Small businesses can now respond and upload attachments to their Advisers directly from their mobile devices (phones, tablets) or continue to use their computer.

New Contact Screen on Mobile

Understanding customers and/or suppliers is critical to small business success, and these new features on mobile focus on these contacts. All from one screen you can quickly call, email, get street directions or view contact information in one tap. You can also add notes and review contact history. View invoice activity* to see the number of unpaid invoices, total amount owing and average days to pay. We’ve expanded that feature beyond viewing attachments to now include adding files to quotes, the same way as in invoices.

*only visible to Advisor, Standard, Invoice Only (Approve & Pay), Invoice Only (Sales) or Read-Only user roles

View your Advisor Directory performance

Advisors can easily see how their Advisor Directory listing is performing with a new tile on the Practice Overview screen within HQ. Monthly statistics on search appearances, listing views, referrals, and conversation rate are available. A practice’s performance stats can be compared against their own averages, or similar practices in their region. To optimise listings or for advisors who don’t have a listing, learn more.

Projects – Customer Credit Notes

Small businesses can now allow refunds and credits from customers to be credited back to Projects. An “Assign to Project” link is simply added to the Invoice credit note screen where the user can select which project each line in the credit note is assigned to. It’ll appear as a credit in the overall project financials, and as a customer credit note line item in the project details report.

Payroll Update

Gusto integration – US

The latest integration between Xero and Gusto focuses on increased flexibility. Enhanced features include single sign-on using Xero credentials and accessing Gusto dashboards directly from Xero’s navigation. Every time payroll is run in Gusto, a bill is created in Xero containing all the payroll transaction details – providing a continuously up-to-date view of cash flow. Advisors will receive Gusto pay run alerts in Xero HQ, allowing for real-time visibility on upcoming client tasks. Learn more

Coming soon

STP required for all Australian small businesses  – AU Payroll

Current legislation requires even the smallest of employers to electronically file each pay run with the tax office using Single Touch Payroll, starting July 1. Xero have two standalone solutions that will ensure micro-employers (those with up to four employees) about to fall under the new STP rules remain compliant. In addition employers of any size on a Xero plan with Payroll enabled can now opt in to STP.

Payday filing – NZ Payroll

Xero has worked closely with Inland Revenue to design a simple payday filing solution that we think our customers will love. Once set up, payday filing will happen automatically every time a pay run is completed in Xero Payroll. Set up will require a one-off connection between Xero and IR from the week commencing 18 March 2019. Once this connection is established, payday filing will start automatically for any pay runs from 1 April 2019.

Uber for Business with Xero Connect – AU/NZ

Uber for Business provides businesses with affordable rides for employees with a central dashboard that keeps track of Uber trips and fares. Xero Connect automates the flow of external invoices into Xero, saving small businesses time, eliminating manual data entry, and increasing the accuracy of their invoices. Learn more

Report Template updates – NZ

A new management report template will be available to all NZ practices. This includes a new Cash flow summary, and a breakdown of the GST movements.  Other reports in this release are rental schedules, Minutes and Resolutions, as well as a number of new rental and agri report codes.

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Source: Xero Blog