Last reviewed: 13 November 2026. Xero is widely used in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and by international groups. Businesses move into Xero when their accountant works in it, and out of Xero when they consolidate on Zoho or QuickBooks. Xero imports contacts, chart of accounts, invoices, bills, manual journals and conversion balances from CSV, and exports reports and data for migration out.
Part of our accounting data migration series. For the method, cutover choices and compliance points that apply to every migration, start with the accounting data migration guide.
Routes
| Route | Typical reason | Points to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Xero to Zoho Books | Moving to the Zoho suite with CRM, inventory and payroll | Tracking categories to reporting tags; VAT schemes |
| Xero to QuickBooks Online | Group or advisor standardises on QuickBooks | Account and detail types; classes and locations |
| Zoho Books or QuickBooks to Xero | UK accountant works in Xero | Conversion date and conversion balances; MTD VAT continuity |
Steps
- Agree the conversion date and lock the source period.
- Export the trial balance, aged receivables and payables, contacts and transactions in scope.
- Set up the destination: tax rates, currencies, tracking or reporting dimensions, and chart of accounts.
- Import contacts and accounts, then conversion or opening balances, then open invoices and bills.
- Reconcile the balance sheet, profit and loss, aged reports and VAT or GST reports against the source.
- Reconnect bank feeds and integrations and archive the old file.
UK VAT and MTD
For VAT-registered UK businesses, digital records and digital links must be maintained under Making Tax Digital. Plan the switch at the end of a VAT period, file the period's return from the old system, and start the next period in the new one. Our note on Xero year-end and VAT work for UK practices covers the accounting side.
Other routes: QuickBooks Online to Zoho Books, Zoho Books to QuickBooks Online.
Frequently asked questions
Can Xero data be moved to Zoho Books?
Yes. Xero data is exported and converted to Zoho Books import formats for chart of accounts, contacts, opening balances, open invoices and bills, and transactions, then reconciled against Xero reports.
What are conversion balances in Xero?
They are the opening balances entered in Xero as at the conversion date, the day the business starts using Xero, so that reports carry on from the previous system.
How are Xero tracking categories migrated?
They are mapped to reporting tags in Zoho Books, or to classes and locations in QuickBooks Online, depending on how management reports are built.
When should a UK VAT-registered business switch software?
At the end of a VAT period, so that the return for that period is filed from one system and the next period starts cleanly in the other, keeping Making Tax Digital records intact.
Can multi-currency invoices be migrated?
Yes. Open foreign-currency invoices and bills are brought across with their original currency and exchange rate so that later receipts produce correct gains or losses.
We map your chart of accounts, masters and open items, migrate the data through the destination software's own import tools, and reconcile the trial balance, receivables, payables, stock and tax ledgers before you go live. Migrations from other software are assessed on what it can export and the destination can import; the scope and cutover date are agreed in writing before we start.
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This article is for general information and does not constitute advice on any specific case. Import and export features, file formats and plan limits of each software change with new releases; the position described is as published by the vendors on the date of review. Software names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to describe the systems involved; no affiliation or endorsement is implied. Firm details: Somesh Chandak & Associates, Chartered Accountants, Unit 119, 1st Floor, Centura Square IT Park, SG Barve Road, Wagle Estate, Thane West 400604. FRN 158694W.