Xero's bill import feature
Xero has a CSV import tool for bills (Accounts Payable), but building the CSV manually is notoriously fiddly. The format requires specific column headers, and for multi-line invoices, you need to repeat the invoice number and contact name on every single row.
Get one column wrong and the import fails with an unhelpful error message.
The required Xero CSV format
Xero expects bills in this format:
| ContactName | InvoiceNumber | InvoiceDate | DueDate | Description | Quantity | UnitAmount | AccountCode | TaxType | Currency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acme Ltd | INV-001 | 21/02/2026 | 21/03/2026 | Printer paper | 10 | 4.50 | 300 | 20% (VAT on Expenses) | GBP |
| Acme Ltd | INV-001 | 21/02/2026 | 21/03/2026 | Ink cartridges | 2 | 24.99 | 300 | 20% (VAT on Expenses) | GBP |
Notice how the contact name, invoice number, and dates are repeated for each line item. This is what makes manual CSV creation so tedious for multi-line invoices.
From PDF to Xero in 60 seconds
- Upload your PDF invoice to InvoiceCSV
- Review the extracted data
- Select Xero from the dropdown
- Download the CSV
- In Xero, go to Business > Bills to pay > Import
- Upload the CSV and confirm
InvoiceCSV handles the repetition automatically — every line item gets the correct invoice header fields.
Common Xero import issues solved
- "Contact not found" — InvoiceCSV uses the exact vendor name from the PDF. If it doesn't match a Xero contact, Xero will create a new one
- Account codes — The default output uses code 300 (Cost of Sales). You can adjust this in Xero after import
- Tax type — Defaults to "20% (VAT on Expenses)" for UK accounts. Adjust per line if needed
- Multi-line invoices — Handled automatically with repeated header fields
Get started
Convert 5 invoices per month free. Upgrade to Starter (£19/month) for 200, or Pro (£49/month) for 1,000.