Using smart tools to help small businesses

Xero recently announced its largest launch of new products as it evolves from an online accounting software to a global small business platform to help grow more businesses around the world.

“It is an exciting time for retail in Asia as businesses embrace a range of digital solutions that enable them to be more productive and efficient. Xero is driving this trend by transforming the way businesses manage their accounts," Alex Campbell, managing director, Asia, Xero (pictured), told Retail Asia.

"We recently announced our biggest wave of products, which will help retailers and other small businesses to improve their cash flow, better communicate with accountants and more efficiently manage their expenses," he added.

Highlights of the new products include Xero Projects (time and job costing for professional services), Xero HQ open practice platform (an integrated multi-vendor platform for accountants and bookkeepers to run their entire back office), Xero Expenses (mobile-first expense management with Open Application Programming Interfaces [APIs] for banks to connect to employees in small business) and Xero Discuss (which allows users and their advisors to communicate within the Xero platform).

“We are early in the journey of using artificial intelligence (AI) to simplify accounting to make it easier for small businesses. We are proud to deliver a new generation of smart tools to drive further productivity. In parallel, our focus is to create opportunities for our community of accountants and bookkeepers to take advantage of our global platform to help grow small businesses and create new jobs,” said Rod Drury, Xero founder and CEO.