Easy Tech TutsHow to Transfer Data From QuickBooks to Xero, Import it easily 2026
By Impran M N
Switching accounting platforms doesn't have to mean losing years of financial history or manually retyping thousands of transactions. This guide covers exporting your Chart of Accounts, customer and vendor lists, and transaction records from QuickBooks, then importing and verifying them inside Xero.
01Export from QuickBooks
Log into QuickBooks and download your Chart of Accounts and Customer/Vendor lists, then export historical transaction ledgers as Excel or CSV files.
02Set your conversion date in Xero
In Xero, go to Settings, then Advanced Settings, click Conversion Balances, and lock in your official platform switch date.
03Import your contacts
Go to the Contacts tab, click Import, and map your exported QuickBooks contact rows into Xero's format.
04Upload your Chart of Accounts
In Accounting Settings, click Chart of Accounts and upload your master account layout, resolving any tax code mismatches that come up.
05Import historical bills and verify
Upload your open accounts receivable and payable CSV rows, then run a trial balance report in both platforms to confirm the final balances match.
Frequently asked questions
What file format does Xero expect for imports?
Xero's import tools generally expect CSV spreadsheets, so exporting your QuickBooks data as Excel or CSV works well.
Why do I need to set a conversion date?
The conversion date tells Xero exactly where your historical opening balances start, which keeps your reporting consistent between platforms.
How do I know the migration was successful?
Run a fresh trial balance report in both QuickBooks and Xero and compare the final balances to confirm they match.
Will tax codes transfer automatically?
Not always cleanly — you may need to review and resolve tax code mismatches manually during the Chart of Accounts import.
Watch the full walkthrough
The same steps, demonstrated on screen from start to finish.
