Xero + Consultants: Faster Bank Import
Consultants managing multiple client engagements need to track retainers, milestone payments, travel expenses, and subcontractor costs across accounts. If you use Xero for your accounting, you need a fast way to get bank statement data into the system.
BankScan AI for Consultants Using Xero
BankScan AI converts any bank statement PDF to CSV formatted for direct import into Xero. Convert your bank statements to structured spreadsheets to match client payments, track project expenses, and prepare invoices and tax returns efficiently.
The Consultants + Xero Workflow
Consultants invoice clients on retainer, milestone, or time-and-materials bases, then reconcile bank statements to verify payments received. They track project-specific expenses including travel, accommodation, and subcontractor fees, allocate costs to engagements for profitability analysis, and prepare records for quarterly VAT and annual tax returns.
Key terms you'll encounter: retainer, day rate, scope creep, utilisation rate.
How It Works
Upload any bank statement PDF
Supports all major banks. Saves 1-2 hours per month on client payment reconciliation and expense tracking across multiple concurrent engagements
AI formats for Xero
Output as CSV with Date, Description, Amount (single column, negative for debits) — or Date, Description, Debit, Credit as separate columns — dates in DD/MM/YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD.
Import and reconcile
In Xero, go to Accounting > Bank accounts > select your account > Import a Statement. Choose the CSV file from BankScan AI. Xero auto-maps the Date, Description, and Amount columns. Xero's bank feed rules can auto-categorise imported transactions, so once you've set up rules, future imports from the same bank are largely automated.
Supported Banks
BankScan AI works with all major UK and US banks, including:
Xero Features for Consultants
- Xero ready — Output formatted as CSV matching Xero's expected column structure
- Smart integration — Xero's bank feed rules can auto-categorise imported transactions, so once you've set up rules, future imports from the same bank are largely automated.
- Built for Consultants — Saves 1-2 hours per month on client payment reconciliation and expense tracking across multiple concurrent engagements
- Software compatible — Output works directly with Xero, FreeAgent, Harvest
Import Steps for Consultants Using Xero
As consultant, here's how to get bank data into Xero:
- In Xero, go to Accounting > Bank accounts > select your account > Import a Statement
- Choose the CSV file from BankScan AI
- Xero auto-maps the Date, Description, and Amount columns
Common Import Issues
Most common error is date format mismatch — Xero rejects MM/DD/YYYY dates. Also watch for CSV encoding issues with special characters in payee names.
Xero Import — Built for Consultants
Market leader in UK cloud accounting with over 1 million subscribers. Preferred by accountancy practices for Making Tax Digital compliance.
Try Free — Xero + Consultants