Bills
Entering bills into Xero isn’t just ticking off a to-do, it’s how you take control of your business. Each bill you enter gives you visibility, accuracy, and control over your cash flow.
Skip it, and you risk surprises, missed payments, or skewed profit numbers. Once a bill is in Xero, it’s more than a record, it’s a tool. It shows you where money is going, helps you plan ahead, and gives you the insight to make smarter business decisions. Bills aren’t just admin; they’re the foundation for running your business with confidence. Turn that pile of paperwork into actionable, useful data and watch your business flow.
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Cash Flow Planning – By entering bills as soon as you receive them, you can see what’s coming up and plan ahead for payments.
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Bills record expenses in the right period, so your profit and loss report tells the true story.
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Bills tracked in Xero won’t slip through the cracks like loose invoices in your email
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GST and expense claims rely on correctly entered bills; no bill means no deduction.ription
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Paying suppliers on time builds trust and can open doors to better terms or discounts.
WHY DO YOU USE THIS?
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Track What You Owe – Bills show up in the “Bills to Pay” section so you can see at a glance who you need to pay and when.
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Schedule Payments – You can batch bills into a payment run and either export to your bank or pay directly if your bank feed allows.
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Match to Bank Transactions – Once you’ve paid a bill, Xero lets you match the payment from your bank feed to the bill for easy reconciliation.
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Report on Expenses – Bills feed into reports like Accounts Payable, Profit & Loss, and Budget vs Actuals so you can see spending trends.
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Keep Supplier Records – Bills create a transaction history with each supplier, so you can review past purchases or disputes quickly.
WHAT BILLS DO YOU ENTER?
IT ALL BEGINS WITH AN IDEA
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IT ALL BEGINS WITH AN IDEA ✦
Each Xero organisation has a unique email address where you can send bills or receipts and have them land directly in the Draft Bills or Inbox section.
1. Find Your Xero Email Address:
Go to Business > Bills to Pay (or Invoices if you’re sending sales docs).
Click the dropdown arrow next to Create Bill and choose Upload files.
You’ll see your unique Xero email address (something like
yourbizname@xerofiles.com).Copy it and save it to your contacts (e.g., "Xero Bills").
2. Forward Supplier Invoices or Receipts:
Open your email.
Forward the supplier invoice/receipt to the Xero email address.
Add notes or labels in the email body if needed—Xero will attach them to the file.
3. Check it Landed in Xero:
Go to Business > Bills to Pay > Draft or check the Files Inbox.
You’ll see your attachment waiting to be turned into a bill.
FORWARDING BILLS TO XERO
Hubdoc is like your digital inbox and filing cabinet. It reads the info off bills and receipts, stores them, and pushes them into Xero—with attachments already in place.
Log in to Hubdoc:
Go to hubdoc.com or open the Hubdoc mobile app.
Find Your Hubdoc Email Address:
Click your business name > Profile.
You’ll see an email address like
yourbizname@hubdoc.com.Save it to your contacts as "Hubdoc Upload".
Forward Documents to Hubdoc:
Just like with Xero, forward the email with the invoice/receipt to your Hubdoc email address.
You can also take a photo in the Hubdoc mobile app or drag-and-drop into the Hubdoc dashboard.
Review and Code in Hubdoc:
Once uploaded, Hubdoc reads the document.
Check the coding (supplier name, date, amount, account, GST treatment).
Make any edits needed.
Publish to Xero:
Hit Publish.
The bill or receipt is sent to Xero—with the document already attached.
It’ll show up under Business > Bills to Pay > Awaiting Approval or Draft (depending on your Hubdoc settings).
FORWARD BILLS TO HUBDOC
Set a recurring time in your week to forward, check, and publish your docs. Don’t stress about doing it daily. A clean, weekly batch process avoids overwhelm and keeps you (and Xero) in control.