Running a small business means juggling a thousand tasks — chasing payments, managing staff, handling paperwork, and finding time to actually do the work you’re paid for. Thankfully, Xero has just rolled out several smart updates aimed at making life easier for small and mid-sized businesses. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new, and how these innovations can help you spend less time on admin and more time growing your business.
Tired of hearing “I’ll pay the invoice later”? With Xero’s new Tap to Pay feature, you can get paid on the spot using just your smartphone. No more bulky card readers or chasing late payments — your phone becomes a contactless payment terminal powered by Stripe.
Tap to Pay is now available on Android in Australia, the UK, and the US, and on iPhone in Australia. Setup takes just minutes in your Xero Accounting App with a Stripe account.
Ever wish you could hand off the admin to someone else? Now you can. Just Ask Xero (JAX) is a new AI-powered assistant in beta that helps small businesses handle the repetitive stuff — like creating invoices, checking payment statuses, or finding help articles.
With JAX Assure technology behind the scenes, it’s built to be more accurate than standard AI tools — meaning fewer mistakes and more time back in your day.
If you’re doing one-off jobs or need to collect payments without the fuss, Xero’s Payment Links feature makes it easy. Just generate a link, send it via SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger, or email — and get paid.
It’s a simple, effective way to get paid faster, especially for ad-hoc or mobile jobs.
Xero has made its mobile app more powerful so you can run your business wherever you are.
If you’re already using the Xero Accounting App, these updates mean even more control in your pocket.
For those of you who work with us through both Xero Practice Manager and Xero HQ, there’s now a single client record across both tools. That means less double-handling, fewer errors, and more consistent information — making collaboration between us even smoother.
Managing staff schedules and staying compliant with payroll can be complex — especially for hospitality, retail, and trades. Xero is now testing an integrated rostering system (powered by Deputy), which combines timesheets, award compliance, and smart roster-building in one place.
Currently in beta for select businesses on Xero’s Comprehensive and Ultimate plans, this tool aims to cut down admin and reduce payroll errors.
As your accounting partner, we’re here to help you get the most out of Xero’s new tools — whether that’s setting up Tap to Pay, connecting Stripe, or exploring how JAX can save you time. If something sounds useful but you’re not sure how to implement it, just get in touch. We’re happy to walk you through it.
Smarter tools mean less busywork — and more time to focus on what you do best.
These are just a few of the latest ways Xero is helping small businesses work smarter.
Learn more on what XERO is up to:
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