Xero can import bills from a CSV file, which beats typing each one into Bills to pay. The hard part is producing that CSV from a pile of PDFs. AlFasil does it for you. (AlFasil is compatible with Xero; it isn’t affiliated with Xero.)
Export in a Xero bills layout
In AlFasil, select your documents, click Export, and choose Xero bills import (beta). Set:
- Default account code — the expense account bills should go to, e.g. your purchases account.
- Default tax type — the name of the tax rate in your Xero organisation, e.g. your standard-rated purchases rate.
Each line item becomes a row, repeating the contact name, invoice number and dates, which is how Xero expects multi-line bills.
Before your first import
Xero’s import template can vary by region and changes over time. The first time, download Xero’s own bills template (in Xero: Business → Bills to pay → Import) and compare its column headers with AlFasil’s file. If anything differs, use My own columns in AlFasil to match it exactly — AlFasil remembers the layout.
After importing
Bills arrive in Xero as drafts. Check them against the originals for a few cycles until you trust the setup, then approve in bulk.