Why Give Your Accountant Access to Xero?

Your accountant needs to see your books. That is their job. But emailing spreadsheets and files back and forth wastes time and creates version control problems. Xero solves this by letting you invite your accountant directly into your account. They get real-time access to your transactions, bank feeds, and reports – and you stay in control of what they can and can’t do.

Most UK businesses using Xero already work this way. Your accountant logs into your Xero account, reviews your records, and prepares your tax return or year-end accounts without you needing to export a single file. If you need to add your accountant to Xero, it takes about 2 minutes.

How to Add Your Accountant to Xero (Step by Step)

Follow these steps to invite your accountant and give them the access they need.

Step 1: Log into Xero at xero.com and select your organisation. If you run multiple businesses in Xero, make sure you’ve selected the right one before continuing.

Step 2: Open Settings by clicking the cog icon in the top-right corner. Select “Users” from the settings menu. This is where you manage who has access to your Xero account.

Step 3: Click “Invite a user” and enter your accountant’s email address. Use the email address they registered with Xero – this is usually their business email. The invitation goes directly to that email address.

Step 4: Select the Adviser role. This is the user role designed specifically for accountants and bookkeepers. When you select Adviser, your accountant gets access to everything they need – bank accounts, reports, tax settings, and the ability to file VAT returns on your behalf.

Step 5: Send the invitation. Your accountant receives an email invitation with a link to accept. Once they click the invitation link and log in, they’ll see your organisation in their Xero dashboard alongside their other clients.

What User Role Should Your Accountant Have?

Xero offers several user roles. For your accountant, you should almost always select Adviser. Here’s the difference:

  • Adviser – full access to all areas including tax settings and reports. Can file VAT returns. Can’t add or remove other users. This is what most accountants need.
  • Standard user – can create invoices, reconcile bank transactions, and run reports, but can’t access tax settings or payroll. Too limited for most accountants.
  • Invoice only – can only send and approve invoices. Not useful for an accountant at all.

If your accountant specifically asks for a different access level, go with what they recommend. They know what permissions they need for your engagement.

Do You Still Need an Accountant with Xero?

Xero is designed so business owners can manage their own books. You can reconcile bank transactions, send invoices, and run reports yourself. But adding an accountant to your Xero account means they can check your work, spot errors before they become problems, and handle compliance like Corporation Tax returns and Companies House filings.

For UK limited companies, you need an accountant for your statutory accounts regardless. Giving them access to your Xero account just makes the whole process faster and cheaper – they spend less time gathering data and more time on actual business advice.

How to Nominate an Accountant on Xero

Nominating your accountant is different from adding them as a user. When you nominate an accountant through Xero’s “Find an adviser” directory, it creates a formal link between your organisation and their practice.

To do this: go to Settings > General Settings > Adviser and search for your accountant’s practice. Select their name from the search results and send the nomination request. They’ll accept it from their end and you’ll see them listed as your nominated adviser.

This is optional – adding them as an Adviser user (the steps above) gives them all the access they need. But nomination lets your accountant’s practice manage your Xero subscription and use practice management tools.

Can My Accountant See Everything in My Xero Account?

With the Adviser role, yes – your accountant can see all transactions, bank statements, contacts, reports, and settings. They can’t delete your organisation or remove your own user access. You can also track what changes they make through Xero’s history and notes log.

If you need to limit what your accountant sees, you can select the Standard role with custom permissions instead. But if you don’t trust your accountant with full access, you might need a different accountant.

Adding Your Accountant – Common Questions

What if my accountant doesn’t use Xero? They can still accept your invitation and log into your account. Xero is cloud-based, so they don’t need to install any software. But you’ll get the most value from an accountant who works with Xero daily.

Can I remove my accountant’s access later? Yes. Go to Settings > Users, select their name, and remove their user access. The change is immediate.

How many accountants can I add? There’s no limit on Adviser users in Xero. You can add your accountant, your bookkeeper, and your tax adviser all with separate logins.

JacRox are Xero Gold Partners and work exclusively with Xero. If you need an accountant who knows the platform inside out, get in touch.