Upgrading and downgrading Xero plans

As needed throughout the year

Didn't find your answer?

I've donned my flame suit for this but does anyone up and downgrade their clients plan based on the requirement throughout the year? I ask this as for a large chunk of clients I only use Xero once a quarter or once a year, so for 9 or 11 months of the year its unused.

Replies (15)

Please login or register to join the discussion.

panda ketteringUK
By ketteringUK
21st Jul 2020 23:43

We tried this and recommended the starter package for couple smaller clients and it was not worth the hassle.
No cash coding, limited number of invoices and transactions each month. After one quarter we asked the clients to move back to £24pm. If it's a very small client then Xero starter is suitable, but then again what's the point to pay for software if the number of reconcilable bank transactions is 120 per year.

You might as well to provide clients with Excel template for invoicing, use Wave or Albert accounting. It will probably take longer to set up Xero than to reconcile manually very limited number of transactions allowed be the starter sub.

Thanks (1)
panda ketteringUK
By ketteringUK
21st Jul 2020 22:33

[once again aw posted my reply twice]

Thanks (0)
avatar
By Mr_awol
21st Jul 2020 23:21

Does the client use them in the other months though? Or does the client not have/need access?

If not, then surely you’d stick them all on bureau plans?

Thanks (1)
Replying to Mr_awol:
panda ketteringUK
By ketteringUK
21st Jul 2020 23:53

But don't you need like a 100 clients to get the gold plan and 30% off?

I think sage allows 10 clients per month for 900 pa

Thanks (0)
Replying to ketteringUK:
avatar
By Mr_awol
22nd Jul 2020 10:26

I think it's better if you can go large at the outset, as you can then keep the minimum costing for all, forever, whereas if you build it up more gently then you are stuck paying about twice as much. I think we had to sign up to 50 to get them all at £5 per month (6 or 12 months half price as well) , but I cant remember exactly.

I don't agree with their push on bulk buying to force you to Xero-ise everyone, even the clients it's not really suitable for. Luckily we had about 140 clients we had identified for migration anyway so we were able to get the price breaks. Most of our clients still aren't on it, and in all likelihood never will be.

My understanding was though that you could still access the Bureau network on a very low number - it just cost more than bulk buying.

Thanks (0)
Slim
By Slim
22nd Jul 2020 09:30

you need a certain number of clients for the bureau plan possibly 25

Thanks (1)
boat
By SouthCoastAcc
22nd Jul 2020 09:40

I've been trialing different ways to find the best way of working so a few clients are on Xero but do not log in or have any interest in Xero, it is there to help me keep their records in good shape. I wanted to use Hubdoc so the standard sub would be needed.

I can't justify purchasing 25 licences as I would only use around half of them, my clients have been squeezed, I've already lost a few big clients and expect to use a few more in the next few months.

Perhaps it's back to excel.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By seandrowe
22nd Jul 2020 09:44

Rather than downgrading the package, isn't it easier to just stop using Xero for these clients? Must be quicker to just download the bank transactions as csv file and prepare accounts from that data in excel?

Thanks (0)
avatar
By seandrowe
22nd Jul 2020 09:51

.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By Wanderer
22nd Jul 2020 10:23

Why not put them on Pandle @ £2.50 per month?

Thanks (0)
Replying to Wanderer:
Slim
By Slim
22nd Jul 2020 11:05

Wanderer wrote:

Why not put them on Pandle @ £2.50 per month?

:O £2.50 a month how do they do it

Thanks (0)
Replying to Wanderer:
boat
By SouthCoastAcc
22nd Jul 2020 11:13

Thanks, I gave Pandle a try. I normally upload bank files but it only has a limited number of banks and the other is ofx only. I tried to get a CSV file from a different bank uploaded but it would work. Shame as it looks excellent value.

Thanks (0)
Replying to SouthCoastAcc:
avatar
By Wanderer
22nd Jul 2020 11:20

They seem to be improving it all the time, check here to see if bank feeds for the ones unavailable when you test ran it are available now:-
https://www.pandle.com/uk/supported-banks/
Also for CSV uploads for ones without pre-formatted upload:-
https://support.pandle.com/en/articles/2033329-creating-custom-file-imports

Thanks (1)
John Toon
By John Toon
22nd Jul 2020 15:31

Just ask Xero to switch you to bureau licencing as has already been suggested. If your clients aren't interested in logging in and doing anything then you'll be fine as they can only have read only access for a bureau licence. It's £5 or £9 per month depending on the product you need

Thanks (0)
avatar
By Blue Horizon
23rd Jul 2020 11:38

You can apply to become a Xero partner so you have access to Xero Ledger which costs £2.40pm. There is no cost for becoming a partner as far as I am aware - check with your account manager. I switch between Xero Ledger and Xero Cashbook for a client that wants his VAT done quarterly using cash accounting but doesn’t need any bookkeeping done in between.

Thanks (0)