Import Bills into Xero

If you have outstanding supplier bills from your previous system, you can import them in bulk rather than entering each one manually. The process is similar to importing invoices and takes just three steps.

Step 1 — Download the Bills Template

Go to Business and select Purchases overview. Click the import option and download the Xero bills template CSV file. Do not remove, reorder, or rename any columns.

Step 2 — Populate the Template

Export your unpaid bills from your old system as a CSV, then copy and paste the data into the Xero template.

Key rules to follow:

• Contact name is the only required field for a successful draft import.
• If suppliers already exist in Xero, the contact name must match exactly — otherwise the import creates duplicates.
• Invoice/bill number is the unique bill reference. If a bill has multiple line items, use the same reference number — Xero will combine them into a single bill.
• Dates must be formatted as DD/MM/YYYY.
• Include quantity, unit amount, and tax type — the tax type name must match exactly as it appears in Xero.
• Do not include a total — Xero calculates this automatically.
• Account code — code each line to the relevant purchases account.

Save the file as a CSV.

Step 3 — Import into Xero

1. In Xero, click Browse and upload your CSV file.
2. Choose whether to update existing contacts with imported address details.
3. Select how Xero should handle tax amounts (exclusive or inclusive).
4. Click Import.
5. If there are errors, fix them and try again. When the file is clean, click Complete.

The bills will appear in the Draft tab. Select them all and click Approve. Xero marks them as approved and moves them to Awaiting payment.