Living Business

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Living Business Our experienced team can help you build and maintain efficient Xero-based financial systems. A personal approach to simplifying your business.

We offer software consulting, training and access to our portfolio of outsource contract bookkeepers to keep your business systems running smoothly. Bookkeeping, Xero, WorkflowMax, Payroll, Financial software.

21/10/2026

Only about one in ten of the Xero files we look after have Automatic Bank Reconciliation switched on. We think that number should be much higher.

We understand why people turn it off. It codes something wrong, or it gets a regular supplier right one week and wrong the next. Fixing its mistakes feels slower than doing the bank rec yourself, so it gets switched off after a fortnight.

But Xero's own figures, shared through our Xero Partner support contact, show that around 95% of people who stick with it for at least a month decide it's worth keeping.

The feature is still in beta, and it learns from your corrections. Think of it like a new bookkeeper. You wouldn't give up on them in week one. You'd correct them, and they'd get to know your business.

It isn't set-and-forget, though. The work shifts from reconciling to reviewing, and for GST-registered businesses that review still matters.

Our suggestion is to pick one bank account, switch it on, and review everything it does for four weeks before you decide.

Read the full blog:https://www.livingbusiness.co.nz/blog/xero-auto-reconciliation

If you'd like a hand working out whether your file is a good candidate, or your team could use some Xero training and help, get in touch. Sometimes the systems you've already got are better than you might think!

If you run payroll through Xero, there's a change coming that you can't skip.Xero is changing how leave is calculated in...
20/10/2026

If you run payroll through Xero, there's a change coming that you can't skip.

Xero is changing how leave is calculated in Payroll. If your business is still on the old method, you'll need to switch before 16 February 2027. If you don't, your pay runs will stop until the switch is done. That's not where anyone wants to be on a pay day.

The good news is that for most businesses it's a quick fix. Xero has a conversion tool that does the heavy lifting, and plenty of people will get through it without any fuss.

But payroll can be a bit more tangled than the standard set-up. Maybe you've had a go and got stuck. Maybe you're not sure the tool will suit the way you run your payroll. Either is completely fine, and it's much better to find out now than in February.

Contact us if you'd like to know more about how we might improve your business systems. We can provide a review and recommendations for your consideration if that's required, or maybe your team just needs some extra training to run your existing systems more efficiently. Sometimes the systems you've already got are better than you might think!

Give us a call on 027 600 5794 or email [email protected].

12/10/2026

Handing a family business to the next generation takes more than paperwork — it takes trust. We've supported one client through exactly that, with clear reporting and modernised systems that gave everyone confidence to move forward.

Watch here: https://youtube.com/shorts/gFQAIGOlh7w?feature=share

Xero's price changes are rolling out right now. If you're not sure whether you're still on the best plan, it's worth a q...
08/10/2026

Xero's price changes are rolling out right now. If you're not sure whether you're still on the best plan, it's worth a quick check. As a Xero Platinum Partner, we sometimes have savings on subscriptions we can pass on too. Get in touch if you'd like an independent, no-obligation review of your Xero subscription.

07/10/2026

If you've spent any time around business advisors, you've probably heard that fixed pricing is the way to go. We get the logic. Fixed fees can give a business more revenue certainty, and if the work becomes more efficient, the business keeps the benefit.

But we've always seen our role differently.

Much of what we do these days isn't processing transactions. It's helping businesses through change: new software, connected systems, better workflows, staff training, automation and AI tools. At the start of that journey, nobody can say exactly how much work it will take. Every business starts from a different place, and every team adopts change at its own pace.

So we've stuck with hourly rates. You can see the work being done, you know where your money is going, and when something gets easier or faster, the saving comes straight back to you.

If a task drops from three hours to one, we call that a win for you, for us and for the profession.

Read the full story here: https://www.livingbusiness.co.nz/blog/why-weve-deliberately-resisted-fixed-pricing

Contact us if you'd like to know more about how we work. Sometimes the systems you've already got are better than you might think!

01/10/2026

Some of our longest client relationships aren't really about the numbers — they're about trust.

We've worked alongside one family business for many years through something big: a generational transition. The founders spent decades building it. The next generation had been working in the business for years, ready to step up — but stepping back is never simple for the people who built something from scratch.

Trust is what carries a transition like that. The founders needed to believe the business was in good hands. The next generation needed the confidence to lead. And everyone needed reliable information they could count on, without having to explain the history behind it every time.

Over time, our role grew from bookkeeping into something more: consistent reporting, clear financial visibility, and modernised processes that meant the business didn't depend on any one person. That gave both generations the confidence to move forward.

It's a privilege to be trusted with a moment like that in a business's life — and it's exactly the kind of long-term, dependable relationship we try to build with every client.

Watch the story here: https://youtube.com/shorts/gFQAIGOlh7w?feature=share

You might have noticed Xero's price changes rolling out at the moment. If you're wondering whether you're still on the r...
29/09/2026

You might have noticed Xero's price changes rolling out at the moment. If you're wondering whether you're still on the right plan, or paying for features you don't use, now's a good time for a quick check.

We work with Xero every day, across all sorts of NZ businesses, so we know the ins and outs of what each subscription tier actually includes — and what's often better value elsewhere.

As a Xero Platinum Partner, we sometimes have access to savings on subscriptions that we can pass on to clients too, so it's worth asking the question.

An independent review doesn't cost you anything to ask about, and it might save you more than you'd expect. Sometimes the plan you're on is exactly right — and sometimes a small change makes a real difference to your monthly bill.

Contact us if you'd like to know more about how we might improve your business systems. We can provide a review and recommendations for your consideration if that's required — or maybe your team just needs some extra training to run your existing systems more efficiently. Sometimes the systems you've already got are better than you might think!

Address

25 Oriental Parade
Tauranga
3118

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+64276005794

Website

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