If you’re in e-commerce, you’ll know that Shopify is one of the big players in the UK, with around one fifth of market share (source: statistica.com). And of course, Xero is the leading cloud accounting system for small businesses in the UK.
So it makes sense for the two platforms to talk to each other. But until recently that wasn’t the case. You’d either have to use an integration tool like A2X or Link My Books, or manually download, reformat and upload your sales data to Xero.
(Don’t get us wrong … we’ve had great feedback on these options, with one client saying “Link My Books is a doddle now compared to how it used to be”)
However …
You can now directly integrate Shopify and Xero
Xero and Shopify launched their official partnership back in November 2021, offering ‘easier ecommerce‘.
They have had some kickback in the ratings though, with a few users turning to the Xero app store to vent their frustrations. It looks like there are some limitations:
- you can only connect one Shopify store
- you can only import data from the previous 90 days [you should really be bookkeeping regularly to ensure your accounts are much more up-to-date!]
- quite a few users don’t appear to have understood how the integration works [we’d recommend working with your bookkeeper and accountant on this]
On balance, other users have described the solution as ‘simple and effective’.
So why integrate?
Save time on data entry, and get more timely data
An integration removes one of the manual elements of your bookkeeping process, reducing the risk of human error. It also means that your accounts are more up-to-date, sooner.
Crucially, the time saved in admin can be re-invested in your business.
If you were previously reconciling Shopify data with Xero in-house, you can use that time saved to focus on sales and customer service.
If it was your bookkeeper’s role, they can spend that time looking for opportunities to reduce costs and increase profits and cash in your business.
Whatever happens, it’s one less thing to worry about.
Better data = better decisions
At Wessex Commercial, we’re strong believers in looking forwards rather than looking back.
But it’s hard to plan ahead if you don’t know where your business is right now. How profitable have your e-commerce activities been this quarter, or this financial year so far? What changes do you need to make?
With up-to-date information at hand, you can plan ahead with greater confidence.
Let’s avoid that situation where you look back on a busy year in e-commerce with regret. It’s vital that margins are good while you grow your sales.
How do I get started?
Let’s do a Business & Xero Review and identify how you can get better results in your business. We’ll look at time-saving technology, and check you’re working with high-quality information. Our Xero Certified team will agree an action plan with you, to help you save time, and increase profit and cash in your business.
Our review comes ‘highly recommended‘ by business owners. At £195+VAT it’s a great value way to make a difference.
