Xero bookkeeping services

Enjoy meticulous bookkeeping by certified Xero accountants

Liston Newton Advisory
Liston Newton Advisory is rated 4.8 from 32 reviews
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Why choose us

A wealth of experience

Our highly trained team has over 40 years of experience helping our clients manage their businesses in smarter ways.

A collaborative approach

We work with you to ensure you understand your financial options and empower you with the knowledge that you’re making the right choices.

Leading industry innovation

Our Xero accountants are always looking for more innovative ways to optimise processes so that they can pass on their insights to you.

We keep it simple

Your day-to-day finances might be complex, but they don’t have to be a hassle. So, we make it easy for you to understand precisely how a Xero subscription helps your business thrive.

Leverage Xero to your business’s advantage

Xero is more than just another accounting platform. It’s a complete accounting and bookkeeping package that manages all your business’s accounting needs from one central platform.

As a cloud-based system, you can access your Xero account from any device, from your mobile phone to your desktop. Xero seamlessly integrates with other platforms and apps to help you undertake business planning calculations and forecasting.

By trusting our meticulous Xero-certified advisors to keep your cash flow in order, you’re setting yourself up for success and avoiding financial pitfalls long before they appear. As your dedicated team, it’s our responsibility to ensure you always have a clear and thorough understanding of your business’s financial position.

  • Simplified bookkeeping
  • Financial management
  • Invoicing and billing
  • Easy reconciliations
  • Single touch payroll
  • And much more
Accountant doing paperwork

Liston Newton is proud to be a Xero Platinum partner

Xero’s partner program gives its most dedicated users exclusive access to unique training to develop their efficiency and to tiered benefits and rewards that can be passed on to their clients. The highest level of their program is Platinum status, which we have earned through our technical mastery of their platform. As your Xero specialist, we can:

  • Advise you on if and why Xero is an appropriate platform for your business
  • Set up a new Xero account for you
  • Migrate your data from your existing accounting platform onto Xero
  • Utilise Xero’s advanced features to optimise and automate your bookkeeping
  • Train your accounting team on how to use Xero
  • Optimise your accounting with Xero add-ons and supplementary applications

Book a consultation and see just how much Xero has to offer

Talk to us
Accountant discussing Xero account with customer

Let our experts set up your new Xero bookkeeping accounts

Intuitive and easy to learn, setting up a new Xero account is quite easy. But with our expert support, we can have your bookkeeping services up and running with minimal disruption to your day-to-day.

Right from the start, we can work with you to set up your Xero account correctly. Our Platinum status gives you access to partner pricing plans that let you get more from the platform.

We even deliver ongoing training so that you can get more from your Xero experience. From automatic ATO reporting to setting up bank feeds, there’s always more to learn.

  • Complete Xero setup from start to finish
  • Xero integration identification
  • Connect third-party accounts
  • Xero staff payment service
  • Chart of accounts templates
  • Ongoing Xero training

An award-winning Australian accounting firm

SMSF multi service firm of the year awardSMSF customer service firm of the year awardIfa innovator of the year awardIfa holistic adviser of the year award

We’ll seamlessly transition your existing account over to Xero

You have a business to run and an existing account with a bookkeeper that, while iffy, more or less does the trick. The thought of migration gives you a migraine. Leave it all to us.

Our Xero conversion experts will help you transfer your critical business financial data from your current platform to your new Xero account. There will be no lost data or missing numbers — all of your data will be intact and in order.

Following your transition to Xero, we’ll provide comprehensive support so you and your wider teams can learn to navigate your new accounting software.

  • Seamless and rapid data migration
  • Convert from Reckon to Xero
  • Convert from MYOB file to Xero
  • Convert from Quickbooks to Xero

We’ll seamlessly transition your existing account over to Xero

You have a business to run and an existing account with a bookkeeper that, while iffy, more or less does the trick. The thought of migration gives you a migraine. Leave it all to us.

Our Xero conversion experts will help you transfer your critical business financial data from your current platform to your new Xero account. There will be no lost data or missing numbers — all of your data will be intact and in order.

Following your transition to Xero, we’ll provide comprehensive support so you and your wider teams can learn to navigate your new accounting software.

  • Seamless and rapid data migration
  • Convert from Reckon to Xero
  • Convert from MYOB file to Xero
  • Convert from Quickbooks to Xero

From migration to opening balances, our expertise excels

Our professional Xero setup services cover every aspect of the process. Trust our guidance to achieve your financial goals, now and for the long term.

Reviews from those who know what we can do

Kieran Liston and the Liston Newton team have been assisting me with my accounting matters since 1976. For the past 47 years, Kieran and the Liston Newton team have provided reliable accounting assistance, which has allowed me to focus on my business in primary production.

Their exceptional service has consistently exceeded my expectations and made me feel that they truly care about my financial well-being.

Brian Downes

Liston Newton has given me really helpful guidance over the years for both my business and my personal finances. When you have an accounting team that you trust to give the right advice, it gives you the confidence to focus on growing your business and doing the things you love.

Kate Nixon
Founder, Kat The Label

Liston Newton helped us move our accounting over to Xero. Their Accountant managed the set up and training so we felt comfortable with the software. We now have all our processes streamlined which gives us improved visibility of our business performance. This has allowed us to open 2 more stores without a significant increase in administration effort.

Peter Luskan
Pandora

Free downloadable guides and must-reads

Nothing energises us like seeing Australians and their businesses thrive. That’s why we’re glad to put a selection of free guides that’ll teach you all you need to know before you make critical financial decisions.

  • Learn how to restructure your business and assets to minimise tax
  • Review the latest business management and financial technology updates

If you read something you’d like to learn more about, book a free consultation and let’s have a chat.

We’ll never give you a reason to doubt our dedication

We aren’t a set-and-forget firm. We look to build genuine, lasting partnerships with our clients. That’s why, before onboarding a new client, we make sure we have the capacity to serve them with absolute dedication. 

You’ll never be sidelined by the needs of other clients. Your dedicated team will make sure your priorities are always met.

As your partners, you can expect years of ongoing support to help your business grow and develop toward extraordinary rewards.

The benefits of our partnership

  • Over 40 years of experience in the industry
  • Award-winning services
  • Guaranteed ATO compliance
  • Accredited Xero Platinum partner
  • Customised business advisory services
  • Comprehensive support with in-person, digital, and hybrid accounting solutions

Meet our Xero accountants and advisors

We have a unique approach to business accountancy

We have developed a unique approach to accounting. All our services are part of an overall strategy designed to move your business through the different stages of growth. We call our method Get Set, Get Moving, Get Free.

Get set

Let’s get the fundamentals right by establishing your goals and shoring up your business’s existing processes.

Get moving

Once everything is stable, we can improve it. Let’s optimise, automate, and forecast our way to a brighter future.

Get free

Now that your business is at its strongest, let’s start thinking about what ‘financial freedom’ means to you — and how to reach it.

Reviews from those who know what we can do

Our locations

We have six offices across the east, from which we can provide accounting services for metropolitan and regional businesses alike. Rest assured that our services are available to you no matter what state or territory you’re based in, and we’ll gladly make the trip over for a handshake, coffee and a consultation.

Learn, learn, learn

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose control if I outsource my bookkeeping?

This is a common question from business owners. Once you engage external accountants and bookkeepers, you will no longer be hands-on with that aspect of the business. However, with regular meetings with your bookkeeper to discuss any issues and ongoing tasks, you will continue to feel in control of your bookkeeping.

Is Xero payroll compliant with the ATO?

Yes. The ATO relies on the Single Touch Payroll (STP) initiative to gain payroll details from Australian businesses. Xero’s payroll system sends an STP-compliant report to the ATO on every payday.

What kind of businesses can Xero accounting software work with?

Xero is a powerful accounting software that can work for businesses of all types. While it’s historically been used for small businesses, organisations of all sizes can take advantage of its easy-to-use features and integrations. 

One of the beautiful things about Xero is that a Xero account is an entirely scalable accounting software. You can start with one user and grow from there.

Along with your traditional accounting features, like billing, invoicing, and Single Touch Payroll, Xero integrates over 1,000 apps.

Xero will help you thrive in whatever industry you're in.

Is my data safe with Xero?

Xero is perfectly safe to use all day, every day. If it weren’t, we wouldn’t be using it.

Here’s just a taste of the security protection that Xero offers:

  • Certified as compliant with ISO/IEC 27001:2013, the global information security management system (ISMS) standard.
  • Complies with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS v3.2, SAQ A.
  • Xero uses industry-standard TLS (Transport Layer Security) to encrypt all your data.
  • Applies a defence-in-depth approach using multiple security controls, including firewalls, intrusion protection systems, and network segregation.
  • Features multiple secure data centres within enterprise-grade hosting facilities in geographically separated locations.
  • Employs a security team to continuously monitor its security systems, event logs, and notifications to identify and manage any threats as they appear.

Is Xero difficult to learn and to operate?

Part of the reason we love and recommend Xero is its ease of use.

From an easy setup process to intuitive banking, getting your head around your Xero system doesn't take long. It features an easy-to-understand dashboard showing all available accounting features and applications. 

A top menu holds all your operations in logical siloes, so you can easily navigate your way around your day-to-day needs.

Built on powerful cloud software, Xero is designed to be used on any device, wherever you have an internet connection.

It’s made to be user-friendly, and if you have any questions or concerns or can’t understand how to do something, our Xero accountants are right here to help you learn.

How long does a Xero conversion take?

Every organisation is different, so we can’t offer you a clear timeframe for Xero conversion just yet. We can tell you that different factors, such as business size and complexity, will affect your Xero accounting software conversion.

The conversion process needs to be seamless to ensure your chart of accounts and bank accounts answer to the new Xero software without disruption. As such, the bulk of the work goes into meticulous planning, preparation, research, and data entry.

However, as a rough guide, a complete Xero conversion can take up to around three months from engagement to completion.

Can I do a Xero conversion mid-way through a financial year?

Yes, you can. However, while there aren’t any problems in doing that, our preference and advice is to leave your Xero accounting software conversion until year-end. This is the cleanest method and leaves you with a fresh, new accounting platform for the new year.

Should you choose to undertake a Xero conversion mid-way through the financial year, we recommend picking a go-live date closer to the end of a reporting period.

How much does a Xero conversion cost?

Similar to the length of time for a Xero migration, the cost will differ between businesses.

When you consider the planning, conversion, training, and integration processes included, these projects can be quite complex.

For larger businesses, with many different functions that need to be built in, you’re likely looking at $10,000 and upwards.

How do I decide which Xero plan to choose?

When choosing the Xero plan for your business, it’s important to first determine exactly what you need to achieve with your platform.

  • How many users will have access to the system?
  • How many staff are on your payroll?
  • How many quotes, invoices, and bills do you manage per month?
  • Do you need to perform reconciliations?
  • How do you manage super?

The beauty of Xero is that its plans are scalable, so you can start out on one plan and grow from there.

As Xero setup experts, we can help you identify the right plan for your business.

How much will my business be disrupted when setting up Xero?

Ideally, there will be a seamless transition from your current platform to a new Xero platform. After all, we don’t want to leave your business without an operational accounting platform.

As such, the bulk of our Xero setup work goes into meticulous planning, preparation, research, and data entry of your existing data. Then, it’s just a matter of signing you up to Xero, customising your platform, and managing your Xero setup and training. All the important data should be converted already — it’s just a matter of learning how to use the platform.

Our diligent preparation will also ensure you’re left with an accounts scheme approved under professional standards legislation.

You’ve made it this far — you’re ready for a consultation

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