Episode 2 – The Bare Minimum Setup Every Tradie Needs in Xero

Keep it simple. Keep it functional. Stop flying blind.

Episode Summary

If you’re using Xero but feel like you’re barely scratching the surface, this episode is for you.

In this one, Amanda walks through the bare minimum setup every tradie needs in Xero to keep their books clean, their numbers clear, and their accountant happy.

No advanced accounting talk. No overcomplicated systems. Just the essentials that make your business easier to run.

Because when Xero isn’t set up properly, it costs you time, money, and unnecessary stress.

In This Episode, We Cover:

✔ Why a messy Xero setup leads to expensive mistakes

✔ The non-negotiables every tradie must have set up from day one

✔ Bank feeds and why manual entry is a waste of time

✔ Cleaning up your chart of accounts

✔ When to use tracking categories (and when not to overcomplicate it)

✔ GST settings that actually match your business

✔ Invoice branding and payment reminders

✔ Common Xero mistakes tradies make

✔ What “good” actually looks like in a simple, functional setup

The Non-Negotiables Amanda Talks About

• Connected bank feeds (all business accounts + credit cards)
• A clean, relevant chart of accounts
• Clear income and cost categories
• Proper GST settings
• Branded invoice templates with clear payment terms
• Smart user permissions
• Automatic reminders for unpaid invoices

The Goal

When Xero is set up properly, it should:

• Take less than 15 minutes a week to maintain
• Show you a clear monthly profit and loss
• Make invoicing easy and automated
• Reduce stress at GST and end of financial year
• Save you money on accountant fees

It doesn’t need to be fancy.

It just needs to work.

This Week’s Action Step

Log into Xero and check:

1. Are your bank feeds connected?
2. Is your invoice template branded and clear?

If not — fix it or flick it to your bookkeeper.

And if you’re sitting there thinking, “I don’t even know what half this means” — that’s exactly what Virtual Coastie helps tradies with every day.

Need Help?

If your Xero setup is giving you a headache and you want it sorted properly once and for all, that’s literally what we do.

We make it tradie-proof, clean it up, and hand it back to you in a way that actually makes sense.

🔧 Learn more at: www.virtualcoastie.co.nz

Catch you in the next episode of Hey Tradies! 👊