Get Shift Done: Tips and Tricks
Creating an expense report (or claim, as Xero calls them) can be tedious, especially if you have multiple receipts to add to it. With Xero you can add a bunch of files — like photos of receipts — all at once, and then attach them to your claim later. Here’s how:
Start by logging into Xero. From the Dashboard, you’ll see a file folder icon in the upper right corner. Click on that icon.
That will open the Files Inbox screen. If you don’t have any files in your Files Inbox, it will look like this. From here, click the “Upload Files” button.
Once you’ve done that, a file browser window for your computer will open. Navigate to where the files you want to upload are on your machine.
Select the files you want to upload — I’ve selected all of the receipt images in the directory. Then click on the “Open” button:
Xero takes a moment to upload each of the files you’ve selected, showing a progress bar for each one. Once it’s done, all of your files are in the Files Inbox and ready for you to add to your expense report.
Also, note in the above screenshot, if you have files in your Files Inbox already, the “Upload Files” button is still there. It’s just moved to right below the Inbox text. So if you’re going to add more files, it’s still easy to find.
But wait — there’s more! Here’s a bonus tip for getting more shift done by uploading files using your mobile phone.
First, log into your Xero mobile app. In the upper right corner you’ll see three dots. Click on those.
That will bring up a menu. The first item on the menu is Files Inbox. Select that.
That will open your Files Inbox. From there, click on the plus sign in the upper right corner.
This brings up the file upload menu. “Take Photo” will open up your phone’s camera app so you can capture a receipt, but we’re going to click on “Choose File”.
That will bring up your phone’s equivalent of the file browser on your computer. You can go to your phone’s photo gallery, to Dropbox or wherever else you have the files stored you want to upload.
Select the file you want to upload, and Xero will take care of the rest.
Xero returns you to the Files Inbox once the file has been uploaded.
GSD: Tips and Tricks is brought to you by Xero, the cloud accounting software solution for your small business. With Xero, you can log in anytime, anywhere to get a real-time view of your cash flow and manage your books. Start your free 30-day trial today.