This is part of our Getting Started with Xero series (Chapter 1 of the Xero tutorial hub):

• Lesson 1: Choosing the Right Xero Plan for Your Central Coast Business
• Lesson 2: Setting Up Your Xero Organisation: A Step by Step Guide
• Lesson 3: Building a Chart of Accounts for Your Trade or Service Business in Xero
• Lesson 4: Entering Opening Balances When You Switch to Xero
• Lesson 5: Getting to Know Your Xero Dashboard
• Lesson 6: Using the Xero Accounting App On the Job Site

Getting your Xero organisation set up correctly at the start means less to fix later. Here is the order to do it in.

1. Enter your business details

Under your organisation settings, add your registered business name, ABN, and address. This information flows through to your invoices and reports, so it is worth double checking against your ABN registration.

2. Set your financial year end

Most Australian businesses run 1 July to 30 June. Confirm this is set correctly, since it affects how your reports and BAS periods are calculated.

3. Confirm your GST registration status

If you are registered for GST, make sure this is switched on in your organisation settings and that your GST reporting frequency (monthly, quarterly or annually) matches what you have registered with the ATO.

4. Add your logo and invoice details

Upload your logo and set your default payment terms so every invoice looks professional from the first one you send.

Worth knowing: a registered BAS agent can review your Xero setup before you start entering real transactions, which is much easier than untangling mistakes months in. Xero also has official setup walkthroughs on its YouTube channel: watch the official Xero tutorial.