Finish 2026 Organised. Start 2027 Confident.

Jessica Hale Tass

5 hours ago

2 min read

Five simple things to do before the Christmas rush.

It's November already. How did that happen?

Christmas is coming, jobs need finishing, invoices need paying and everyone's trying to squeeze five weeks of work into three.

And your bookkeeping? That's probably sitting at the bottom of the to-do list.

But spending a little time on your finances now could save you a whole lot of stress in January.

Here's five simple things you can do in Xero before Christmas.

1. Get Your Bank Accounts Up to Date

Start here. If your bookkeeping isn't up to date, your numbers won't tell you the full story.

Open Xero > Accounting > Bank accounts.

Reconcile any transactions waiting to be done.
Upload missing receipts using Hubdoc or Xero.
Check your bank balances against your bank statements.

💡Tip: Set aside 15 minutes each week to stay on top of it. Little and often beats a big catch-up!

2. Chase Up Unpaid Invoices

You've done the work. Now make sure you get paid!

Go to Business > Invoices > Awaiting Payment.

Check which invoices are overdue.
Send a payment reminder.
Give customers with larger overdue amounts a quick call.

💡Tip: Turn on automatic invoice reminders in Xero so you don't have to keep chasing payments yourself.

3. Check Your Upcoming Bills

Before spending what's in the bank, check what still needs to be paid.

Go to Business > Bills to pay > Awaiting Payment.

Check which bills are due before Christmas.
Add up your upcoming wages, super, GST and other regular expenses.
Make sure you'll have enough money to cover them.

💡Tip: Remember, not all the money sitting in your business bank account is yours to spend!

4. Plan for the Christmas Break

Taking a break? Make sure your business can afford one too.

Check your staff's leave balances and any holiday pay.
Work out which bills will keep coming out while you're closed.
Think about whether January will be a quieter month.

💡Tip: Put some money aside now to cover those quieter weeks. Your January self will thank you!

5. Check If You're Actually Making Money

Being busy doesn't always mean you're making a profit.

In Xero, open Reports > Profit and Loss.

Set your dates from 1 July to 31 October 2026.

Look at:

Income: Money your business has earned.
Expenses: What it's cost to run your business.
Net Profit: What's left after expenses.

💡Tip: Compare your profit with last year. Are you earning more, spending more or actually keeping more?

Start 2027 With Confidence

You don't need to be an accountant to understand your business finances.

Start with these five simple steps, build a few good habits and make time to check your numbers regularly.

Because financial confidence isn't about having everything perfect.

It's about knowing where your business stands and being able to make decisions without guessing.

And if your bookkeeping has gotten away from you, we're here to help.