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Migrating from Xero to Afirmo

Moving to Afirmo involves more than transferring data. You also need to decide who will finish the current accounting period, when Afirmo should take over and when it is safe to stop using the old system.

Confirm who is finishing the current period

Before changing access or tax-agent authority, agree who will complete any unfinished GST return, income-tax return or year-end accounts.

If your outgoing accountant is finishing a return, tell the Afirmo team which period they are responsible for. This reduces the risk of duplicated work or a filing being left between two providers.

Keep the old system available during the cutover

Do not cancel your old accounting system as soon as the migration starts.

Keep access until:

1. the agreed work in the old system is complete;

2. you have saved the reports and records you need;

3. Afirmo has received the access and information requested by the migration team; and

4. the migration team confirms that the cutover is complete.

Your old provider retaining data is not the same as you retaining access to it. Export important reports and source documents before cancelling.

Understand what standard migration covers

Afirmo's free standard migration covers customers, products and services, and opening balances.

It does not normally recreate your full transaction history or bulk import historical invoices. Ask the migration team to confirm how open items and any additional data will be handled for your organisation.

Migration may be staged. Current operating information can be prepared first, while final opening or conversion balances may need to wait until the old books are complete.

Coordinate tax-agent authority

Changing accounting software and changing tax agent are separate steps.

Some tax-agent clients can receive an extension of time for an income-tax return. This depends on Inland Revenue's rules and the customer's filing position. If an outgoing accountant is still completing a return, confirm the handover with both providers before changing authority.

When Afirmo is ready to act as your tax agent, complete the Tax Agency Authority in the Afirmo app at Income Tax > Settings > Afirmo as Tax Agent.

Ask for a cutover confirmation

Before you stop using the old system, ask the migration team to confirm:

  • what has been transferred;
  • what remains outstanding;
  • which date or period Afirmo will take over from;
  • who is responsible for each unfinished return; and
  • whether any action is still required from you.

This gives you a clear handover without relying on an unsupported migration date or assuming that every historical record will be recreated.