Read this before you start the expense journals, so you have the right accounts and access in place. Check each item below and follow its link if you need the steps.
Connections
- Your accounting system, connected to ScaleXP. Expense journals post to Xero or QuickBooks. See Getting started with Xero or Getting started with QuickBooks.
- Bills imported from early enough. ScaleXP reads your bills to suggest prepayments and accruals, so it must hold every bill from your journal start month. See Data sync for invoices and bills.
- A Google Sheet or Microsoft Excel file, only if you recognize costs by usage or milestones. See Usage Based Costs: Connect Google Sheets or Usage Based Costs: Connect Microsoft Excel.
Access you need
- In Xero, a login with Standard or Adviser permission. See What level of Xero access do I need to import data?
- In QuickBooks Online, Admin access. See What level of QuickBooks do I need to import data?
- For a Microsoft Excel usage file, a Microsoft 365 work or school account and the Admin role in ScaleXP. To give someone that role, see How to add team members and change permission levels.
Set up in ScaleXP first
- Your P&L and balance sheet configured, with every account in the right category. See How to configure your P&L and balance sheet in ScaleXP (single company).
- A dedicated prepayments balance sheet account in Xero or QuickBooks, if you use prepayments. For example, Prepaid expenses ScaleXP.
- A dedicated accrued expenses liability account in Xero or QuickBooks, if you use accruals. For example, Accrued expenses ScaleXP.
- If you keep an existing prepayments or accruals account instead, every open prepayment and accrual must be in ScaleXP before your first journal. See How to reconcile your prepayments balance with Xero or QuickBooks.
- Service periods in your bill line descriptions, such as "Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2026". ScaleXP reads these to spread the cost. See How ScaleXP reads dates.
Decide before you start
- Your journal start month. It can be in the past or the future, and you do not need to wait for year end.
- How you code prepaid bills from your start month: to the prepayments account, or to the expense account and confirm each prepayment yourself. See How should I code my bills? (to expense or balance sheet)
- Whether to post lines by account or by supplier. See How to set up expense journals by supplier.
Next step
- Work through Expense setup 1: Prepare your accounts, then go to Start here: Automate expense journals.