Smart Bookkeeping

Guides

How to use Smart Bookkeeping

Email documents and instructions to your assistant. It creates drafts in Xero and replies with what it did. There is no processing dashboard; owners have a separate settings Console.

How this works. Email the assistant address you received when you signed up — for example name@smartbookkeeping.uk. If you have only one company connected, you can leave the company name out. If you have more than one, put the company name in the subject so your assistant knows which Xero organisation to use. Everything is created as a draft in Xero until you approve it.

Why this matters

Smart Bookkeeping is your own AI email assistant for Xero. You send documents and instructions. It creates drafts in your connected Xero organisation and emails you what it did.

How to do it

  1. Email your assistant from the address that was authorised at signup.
  2. Attach the document, or type what you want created.
  3. Review the draft in Xero.
  4. Reply to the confirmation if you want a change or a deletion.

What happens next

A reply when the work is done, or a question if something is missing. Look in Xero under Bills, Invoices, Quotes, or Manual Journals → Drafts. Smart Bookkeeping aims to get you most of the way there — then you can make any small changes when you check the draft in Xero. Your bookkeeper can do that too.

Example

To: your assistant Subject: Example Co Limited — receipt Attach: cafe.jpg

If something goes wrong

If you are not authorised, you will be told to ask the account owner to add you. If the assistant is unsure which company, it will ask.

Core capabilities

What your assistant can do by email — and why it helps. See the topics below for how-to detail.

CapabilityWhat it does / why it helps
Process files into Xero draftsThe core job: email a receipt, supplier invoice, bill, statement or spreadsheet. She creates an itemised draft in Xero with accounts, VAT and tracking, and attaches the original file. You review and approve. If you create sales invoices outside Xero, say “create an invoice” — otherwise it will make a bill, because it assumes the invoice is to you.
Draft invoices & quotesAsk her to create a draft sales invoice or quote by email. Tell her the customer, a short description, the amount (with or without VAT), and optionally the due date.
Journals, splits & rechargesAsk for a journal from a statement or spreadsheet, split a cost across properties or accounts, or recharge a supplier bill to someone else — still by email.
RulesTeach lasting preferences (supplier → account, agent codes, tracking names). Managing rules is what moves filing from average to really good.
Create chart-of-accounts codesDescribe what you need (“supplies”, “toilet paper for the properties”) — you do not need the number or whether it is an expense or overhead. She picks a free code, suggests type and tax, explains why, and creates it in Xero after CONFIRM. Often quicker than setting the account up yourself, even if Xero is open.
New tracking optionsAdd a property or other tracking option by email; she proposes the heading and only writes to Xero after CONFIRM.
Keep accounts & tracking currentData older than 24 hours refreshes automatically in the background when you next use the assistant. Ask for an immediate sync after a recent Xero change you need right away.
VAT on or offTells the assistant how to enter documents for that company (does not change VAT registration in Xero).
Ask about your Xero dataPaid status, unpaid lists, P&L, balance sheet and similar questions without opening every report yourself.
Email your chart of accountsAsk for a PDF of the chart when you do not want to dig through Xero.
Users, organisations & Owner ConsoleOwners can view companies and settings in the Console, and add users or companies there or by email. Members remain email-only.

How-to wording lives under Send your first file, Advanced processing, Improve accuracy with rules, Companies & Xero settings and the other topics below.

Set up Smart Bookkeeping

The guided signup: verify your email, connect Xero, choose the organisation and make your assistant ready.

Send your first file

The shortest route from one attachment to your first draft in Xero.

Process files & use advanced instructions

Itemised receipts, statements, journals, splits, recharges and one-off overrides.

Supported files & multi-file emails

PDF, photos, Excel, CSV, size limits and how several attachments are handled.

Fix or undo a mistake

Correct, replace or delete a draft—and what changes after approval.

Improve accuracy with rules

Teach lasting preferences for accounts, tracking and agent codes.

Manage companies & Xero settings

Post-setup changes: companies, VAT, users, accounts, tracking, sync and the Owner Console.

Ask about your Xero data

Invoice status, unpaid lists, P&L, balance sheet and chart of accounts.

Fix or change your Xero connection

Reconnect the same organisation, disconnect, or correct a wrong organisation.

When processing stops

Access, size limits, duplicates, Xero failures and the next action to take.

Use these guides with another AI

Pasteable instructions for ChatGPT, Claude or another AI.