Introduction
Creating repeating bills in Xero allows you to automatically record regular expenses such as rent, utilities, subscriptions, or service fees. This feature helps maintain consistency in your accounts payable process and saves time by automating recurring entries.
There are two ways to create a repeating (recurring) bill in Xero:
Create a new repeating bill from scratch – best when setting up regular expenses for a new supplier.
Create a repeating bill from an existing bill – ideal if you already have a bill and want to schedule it for automatic recurrence.
Creating a Repeating Bill From Scratch
Step 1: From the dashboard, go to Purchases, choose Bills.
Step 2: Click New bill. From the dropdown menu, select the New repeating bill button.
Step 3: In the Schedule section, enter how often the bill should repeat (for example, every 1 month or every 3 months).
Step 4: Enter the Bill Date and Due Date. You can also set an End Date if the repetition should stop after a specific period.
Step 5: Choose what happens each time a bill is generated:
Save as Draft – Xero creates the bill but does not approve it automatically.
Approve – marks the bill as approved and ready for payment.
Step 6: Enter the bill details, including:
From (Contact): Supplier name (must exist in Xero).
Description: Details of goods or services.
Quantity & Unit Price: Enter the number of units and cost per unit.
Account Code: Choose the correct expense account (e.g., 400 = Rent, 420 = Utilities).
Tax Rate: Apply the correct tax rate.
Reference / Attachments: Optional fields for internal notes or supporting files.
Add Placeholder: Click Insert Placeholder to automatically insert dynamic fields (e.g., month or date) in your description or reference, so Xero updates them each billing period.
Step 7: Click Save to activate the repeating bill. Xero will automatically generate new bills based on your selected schedule and approval status.
Creating a Repeating Bill From an Existing Bill
If you already have a bill in Xero that you want to repeat, you can use it as the basis for a recurring schedule.
Step 1: From the dashboard, go to Purchases, choose Bills.
Step 2: Open the existing bill you want to repeat.
Step 3: Click the Bill Options menu at the top right of the bill screen and select Repeat.
Step 4: Xero will open the repeating bill setup page with details from your existing bill pre-filled.
Step 5: Adjust the Schedule, Bill Date and End Dates, and any other relevant information such as amounts or descriptions.
Step 6: Click Save to activate the repeating bill schedule.
Tips for Managing Repeating Bills
Review your Repeating tab regularly to monitor active bill templates.
If you no longer need the schedule, select Delete Template to stop future bill creation.
Attach supporting documents or contracts to each template for easy reference.
Use tracking categories if you need to allocate recurring expenses to specific departments or projects.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Creating Repeating Bills to Pay in Xero
Q: Can I edit a repeating bill after it’s created?
A: Yes. You can open the repeating bill template, make your changes (such as amount, date, or account code), and save. The updates will apply to future bills only.
Q: Can I stop or delete a repeating bill?
A: Yes. To stop it, open the repeating bill and choose Delete or Void Template. This prevents Xero from generating future bills under that schedule.
Q: Does Xero automatically approve repeating bills?
A: It depends on your setup. You can choose whether each bill is saved as a draft, awaiting approval, or approved automatically when it’s created.
Q: Can I include attachments in repeating bills?
A: Yes. You can attach receipts or invoices when creating or editing the template — these attachments will carry over to each generated bill.
Q: What happens if the payment date falls on a weekend or public holiday?
A: Xero will create the bill on the scheduled date, but you can adjust the payment manually before processing.
Q: Can repeating bills be tracked by tracking categories?
A: Yes. When setting up your repeating bill, you can assign tracking categories to monitor spending by department, project, or region.
Q: Will deleting a repeating bill affect existing bills?
A: No. Deleting a repeating bill template only stops future bills from being created. Past bills that have already been generated remain in your records.
Conclusion
Repeating bills in Xero simplify your expense tracking by automatically creating recurring entries on your chosen schedule. Once set up, the system ensures your regular supplier bills are recorded on time, reducing manual work and helping maintain accurate financial records.