Let’s be honest – the Sage vs Xero debate has been going on for years, and we totally get why. If you’ve been using Sage for ages, moving to something new (even if it’s cloud-based and shiny) can feel a bit daunting.
The truth is, more and more UK and South African businesses are making the leap to Xero — and for good reason.
Whether you’re feeling frustrated with clunky processes, fed up with manual data entry, or just know it’s time for a better system, this guide will walk you through how to migrate from Sage to Xero the right way.
Why Are So Many Businesses Ditching Sage for Xero?
We’re not here to bash Sage at all – it’s done the job for loads of businesses over the years. However we can’t ignore that times have changed.
Here’s why people are moving to Xero:
- Everything’s in the cloud – log in (via mobile) from anywhere, even your sofa
- It plays well with other apps – Shopify, CIN7, Workflowmax, you name it
- Crazy simple to use – no more headaches over journal entries
- Bank feeds, VAT, payroll? All sorted, integrated and mostly automated.
- Grows with your business – no paying for features you don’t need
Before You Start: A Few Things to Sort
Migrating isn’t just hitting an “Export” button and hoping for the best. You’ll want to:
- Clean up your accounts (no point moving messy data) However the alternative is to bring in the granular detail into Xero and clean up the data in Xero itself – This can also serve as really good training.
- Back up everything in Sage
- Choose a Xero plan that fits – super easy to change this later!
- Pick a switch-over date (ideally month-end), but can be anytime of the year!
- Let your accountant or bookkeeper know what’s happening
What the Migration Looks Like (Without the Tech Jargon)
- Export your Sage data
Grab your trial balance, customer/supplier list, outstanding invoices and bills, bank recs – all that good stuff. The data you require will depend on the detail and history from SAGE you want to import into Xero. - Set up your Xero account
Add your company info, VAT settings, customer invoice settings, bank accounts, etc. - Import what you need
Chart of accounts, contacts, balances. You can pull in historical data too – depending how far back you want to go. There are also tools available to automate this and import granular level detail allowing for backdated changes – We’ve also built our own in-house tool, Little Brandon, to make this process even smoother if you’re keen to automate the tricky bits - Double check everything
Do your numbers line up? Be sure to pull your trial balance as well as aged receivables and aged payables report. Make sure your bank feeds are working. - Go live
Sage vs Xero debate finally settled. Sage off, Xero on. Celebrate with a cuppa!
A Few Things People Often Miss
- Open / Draft invoices don’t move themselves – make sure they come across
- VAT codes can get messy if you’re not careful
- You’ll probably forget something – don’t panic, it’s fixable
- Training your team matters – it’s new for them too
We’ve seen too many rushed migrations that ended in chaos. Better to do it properly the first time.
How We Help at Nimacc Global
We’ve migrated businesses across the UK and South Africa – from Sage 50, Sage Business Cloud, SAGE Evolution and even the old Pastel Partner systems. We know where the headaches are and how to dodge them.
Here’s what we can handle for you:
- Extract and clean your Sage data
- Set up Xero to match your business needs
- Import what matters to you specifically
- Post-migration support and training
- Plug in your other tools – CIN7, Shopify, Lightspeed, HubSpot
Want to know if it’s the right time to switch? Book a free chat with us – no strings attached.
UK or South Africa? We’ve Got You Covered
Based in Cape Town or Cardiff? It doesn’t matter – we work with clients across both countries (Globally actually) and understand the tax bits, compliance quirks, and reporting differences.
From UK VAT returns to South African tax year-end prep, we’ll make sure your migration is seamless.
Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?
Honestly? If you’re still wrestling with Sage and dreaming of something smoother, Xero is absolutely worth the switch.
It’ll save you time, stress, and probably a few grey hairs. With the right help, it’s easier than you think.
Ready to Ditch Sage?
If you’re thinking of switching, or would like to chat more on Sage vs Xero – we’re always up for a no-pressure chat to see what would work best for your setup.