Before exporting the file you will need to set up a bank account in Xero for each bank account that is in Farm Focus.
Xero
Instructions for adding a bank account in Xero
In the Accounting menu, select Bank Accounts.
Click Add Bank Account.
Start typing your bank’s name:
If you can select the bank name from the list, feeds are available for your bank. If you’re connecting a direct feed, check the name to use for your particular bank.
If the name of your bank doesn’t appear in the list, this means there are no feeds available for this bank. You’ll need to click the link in the message that appears to add your account details and manually import bank statements into the account.
To search for a bank from another region, click Filter by country, then select the country name. You can then search for banks from the selected region.
If you see a screen prompting you to log in and connect your bank accounts to Xero, follow the workflow on the screen. Otherwise, follow the steps below to complete the process.
Under Account name, enter a name for the account to identify it in Xero. This name is used in reports and displays on the dashboard.
Each bank or credit card account name must be unique. If you have different accounts with the same name, change the name to make it different, such as adding a number or letter to it.
Under Account type, select the account type. If your account type isn’t shown, select Other. Bank feeds aren’t available for these account types.
Under Account number, enter up to 20 digits.
Select the currency for the account. Your organisation’s base currency is selected by default. If you need to, add a foreign currency to your organisation so you can select it for the account. You can’t change the currency of a bank account once it’s set up.
(Optional) If your bank has direct feeds available or you have multiple accounts to add for this bank, click Save & add another.
Click Save & continue.
TIP: If you are an accountant, edit the client's bank account in the chart of accounts to add a unique code to identify it in the reports.
Farm Focus
Before you start make sure you have the following:
1. “Organisational Access” or are the “Subscription Administrator”
2. Your Chart of Accounts is mapped under Settings / Codes / Farm Codes
3. Your General Ledger account codes are mapped under Settings / Codes / General ledger account codes, don’t forget to map your Xero GST rates here:
Instructions for exporting your Farm Focus data to Xero
How to export transactions out of a Farm Focus farm business
Go to Reports.
Click on Export to General Ledger, and select your settings. Take note when selecting to export on a Payment date or Accrual view basis.
Click on Export.
Once the file is exported
Check that the bank balance (the sum of Column B) is the same as the “Movement in Cash” total from “Section 1: Balancing report” in the Accountant’s Annual report.
If exporting on an Accrual basis and before you import the file into Xero, you need to do the following for the bank to reconcile in Xero:
Manually enter the total closing debtors and creditors lines for the reporting period.
Manually enter the total opening debtors and creditors lines for the reporting period. This can be found in “Section 1: Balancing report” in the Accountant’s Annual report.
TIP: If you export on an Accrual basis, all transactions in the Closing AR/AP section of the Accountants Annual report will automatically be exported to Xero. This will save you time and reduce the risk of error of having to manually enter a separate journal for these transactions.
Xero
Import your Farm Focus file into Xero.
In the Accounting menu, select Bank Accounts.
For the bank account you want to import your file into, click Manage Account, then select Import a Statement.
In File to upload, drag and drop a file or click Select file to choose a file from your computer, then click Next.
If prompted, assign the columns in your import file to the matching bank statement fields in Xero, then click Next.
If prompted, select the date format used in your bank statement, then click Next.
Review the imported transactions and clear the checkbox next to any transaction you don’t want to import.
Click Complete import.
For further instructions on how to map the fields from the Farm Focus export file to the correct fields in the Xero bank statement import, go to:
TIP: You can map Quantities (column 4) in the export file to the Reference field in Xero as there is no quantities field in Xero.
Once the file has been imported into Xero there may be some items that need coding, you can do this using the Cash coding.
Finally, run a General Ledger summary report in Xero for the reporting period and check the bank, debtors & creditors accounts. If this is correct, you are done!
A special thanks to Vicki Worker for her contribution to this article