Experience of Charities using Xero accounts

Experience of Charities using Xero accounts

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Any charities out there using Xero accounting software?

I installed QuickBooks online for a charity last year, and was reasonably happy with that, but it had a few frustrating quirks.

I'm about to install a system for another charity of a similar size (c. 3m income), and I've been reading very positive reports of Xero accounts; I'd just be interested to hear from existing charity users how it copes with restricted funds.  Does it have an analysis field that can be utilised for that, or some form of project accounting facility that enables fund reporting?

Replies (7)

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By ntravs
31st Jul 2012 11:27

Xero's Tracking feature

Hi

I thought I'd jump in before the charities get back to you and let you know that lots of charities use Xero's Tracking feature to separate restricted from non-restricted funds etc. Two Tracking Categories (anything you want eg. Type or Source etc.) can be set up and an unlimited number of options added under each category. When entering transactions / manual journals etc. each line item can be associated with a single option under each category. This way the analysis or type of funding eg. restricted or non-restricted is separate from the chart of account coding on a per line item basis. Reporting can then be performed filtering or comparing on Tracking.

Hope this helps.

Nathan Travers
Training Manager, Xero
@ntravs 

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Replying to cheekychappy:
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By dlac
17th Aug 2012 15:47

Xero for charities

Hi Nathan

thanks for your reply, I'd been looking at the tracking features!

Someone that I was conversing with on this on a different site thought that there may be a charity specific version of Xero in the pipeline - do you have any idea/firm dates on this?

Donna

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Replying to Portia Nina Levin:
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By ntravs
17th Aug 2012 16:49

Xero Development Schedule

Hi Donna

We are looking into whether there are some changes we might be able to make to cater more to the needs of charities and not-for-profit organisations. We are however in the early stages of this process and I don't have any details I can provide. As such I wouldn't recommend you base any decision on what might arrive in the future.

If you do have any questions around Tracking or other features I'd be happy to try and help or at least point you in the right direction.

Nathan

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By Chris Smail
31st Jul 2012 11:53

Not as flexible as Quick books though

It depends on the complexity of the charity

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By Maree Maxfield
24th Jan 2014 15:29

Xero and Charities

Something is definitely happening in the area of Charities and Xero. I am about to carry out my fourth engagement (either training or implementation) with a Charity, with more enquiries following . This is within just the last twelve months.  I think there are a number of reasons. First the tracking feature as discussed in this thread. Also in many cases they have a number of Trustees, so the ability to view the information remotely from any location is seen  as highly attractive. Lastly the flexibility of the budgeting feature means that they can budget by any division/fund of the Charity as required.

Maree Maxfield

Maxama Ltd

Xero Training Partner

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By ARCarver
19th Dec 2019 14:30

I introduced Xero to the charity where I am trustee, with the ability to report both Restricted vs Unrestricted transactions as well as per project or per donor transactions.

I provided the charity with quite a detailed guide - aimed at non-accountants - for using Xero and have now published this as an online guide at:
https://xero4charities.co.uk/

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ALISK
By atleastisoundknowledgable...
19th Dec 2019 16:21

My firm do the bkpg & mgmts for 3 charities, all on Xero. They and we are happy with it and wouldn’t move away.

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