💡 This guide outlines the recommended approach, but your exact setup may vary depending on your systems and circumstances.
Stora can export your invoices and credit notes in a format you can import into Xero. Use this to keep your bookkeeping in Xero in sync with the storage income you record in Stora. This article shows you how to set up your accounting settings, export from Stora, and complete the import in Xero.
How to set up Stora and Xero
Before you export from Stora, check a few settings in both Stora and Xero so the data imports cleanly.
Add an Accounting Code to each Unit Type
Assign an Accounting Code to each unit type so Xero can post income to the right account.
In Stora, go to Sites and click the site you want to edit.
Select Unit Types and choose the unit type you want to update.
Click Edit Unit Type.
Scroll to Accounting Code.
Enter the nominal (accounting) code that matches the income account in your Xero chart of accounts.
Click Save.
💡 The Accounting Code you add here appears in the AccountCode column of the Xero export, so each invoice line is sent to the correct income account.
(Optional) Set up Location tracking in Xero
If you run multiple sites, you can use Xero tracking categories to see income per location.
In Xero, set your Location Tracking category name to
Location.
This value will appear in Column X (TrackingName1) of the export.
The corresponding facility name as it appears in Stora will populate Column Y (TrackingOption1) automatically.
Stora will use Location as the tracking category name and the Stora site name as the tracking option for each invoice line.
💡 Only set up Location tracking if you want to see income per site in Xero. If you leave it off, income will still import, but without site‑level tracking.
Match tax code names between Stora and Xero
Tax code names must match in both systems so Xero knows which tax rate to apply.
Tax type is exported in Column V (TaxType).
In Stora, go to Settings and open Tax.
Check each tax code name and update it so the spelling, capitalisation, and punctuation exactly match the corresponding tax name in Xero.
⚠️ If the tax code name in Stora does not exactly match the name in Xero, Xero may reject the line or apply the wrong tax rate.
How to export invoices and credit notes from Stora
Once your settings are in place, you can export invoice and credit note data whenever you need to update Xero.
In Stora, go to Invoices in the sidebar.
To export credit notes, go to Credit Notes instead.
Set the Date range you want to export.
Apply any other filters you need, such as Site.
Click Export.
Select Export formatted for Xero.
Save the CSV file to your computer.
Once downloaded, your file is ready to import into Xero.
How to import the Stora export into Xero
Next, upload your Stora export into Xero as a batch of invoices or credit notes.
In Xero, go to Sales.
Click Import.
Click Browse and select the CSV file you exported from Stora.
How to configure the Xero import settings
Xero will ask how to treat certain fields in your import.
When asked whether to update contact address details, choose No, ignore all address details, unless you have a specific reason to update them from Stora.
When asked about tax, select VAT inclusive.
Xero will show a preview of the import so you can confirm everything looks correct.
💡 Stora exports invoice amounts as VAT inclusive, so make sure you choose VAT inclusive in Xero to avoid double‑charging tax.
How to review and complete the import in Xero
Before you complete the import, review any warnings or errors in Xero.
Review the import results page in Xero and check for any errors or warnings.
Fix any issues that matter, such as missing tax codes, incorrect account codes, or unmapped tracking options.
If there are no concerning errors, click Complete Import.
Open the imported invoices in Xero and approve them as appropriate, based on your usual workflow.
