Switching accounting software is easy to start and easy to get a little wrong. The problems tend to show up months later, when somebody asks where a number came from. A careful setup avoids that, and a careful migration keeps your history usable.
Last reviewed 17 October 2026.
What we set up
- A chart of accounts that suits your business, rather than the software’s default
- GST settings at the current rate of 9%, if you’re registered
- Bank and credit card feeds, with rules for the transactions that repeat
- Customers, suppliers and opening balances
- Users and permissions, so people see what they should
- Your invoice and bill templates
Xero or QuickBooks?
Either can do the job for most Singapore SMEs, so the better choice is the one that fits how you work. We’ll ask:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Who will use it every day? | The easier one for them is usually the right one |
| What do you already use? | Payroll, invoicing and e-commerce tools may connect better to one |
| Do you invoice in foreign currencies? | Both handle it; the setup differs |
| Do you need inventory tracking? | Check your plan covers it |
| What does your accountant or auditor prefer? | Fewer hand-offs later |
We’re not tied to either, and we’ll tell you if your existing software is fine.
How much history to bring over
You have three choices, and the right one depends on what you’ll need to look back at:
- Opening balances only. Quickest. Prior detail stays in the old system or a saved export.
- Summarised history. Monthly totals by account, so trends are visible.
- Full transaction history. Everything, so any item can be traced. Slower, and worth it if you need the detail.
Whichever you pick, we keep an export of the old system, so nothing is lost if you need to check something later.
Making the switch
We usually run the old and new systems side by side for a short period, so you can compare results before you retire the old one. We pick a clean cut-off, such as a month end, and reconcile the opening balances to your last closed books.
Example (illustration only)
ABC Pte Ltd moves from spreadsheets to Xero with a 1 July cut-off. We load opening balances reconciled to the 30 June bank statements, bring in six months of summarised history, set up the bank feed and GST at 9%, and compare July in both before it retires the spreadsheet.
Once you’re set up
Most clients continue with monthly or quarterly bookkeeping, but you can run it yourself. If your books are behind before the move, start with annual compilation.
Questions people ask
How long does a migration take? It depends on the volume and how clean the old records are. We’ll estimate after seeing them.
Can we keep our old software? Yes, if it works for you.
Will we lose our history? No. We keep an export of the old system.
Does the switch affect GST? Your GST periods don’t change because of software. We set the GST codes up so returns can be prepared from the new system. See GST filing.
Is there a cost? We quote after a first look.
Sources
- IRAS: GST rate of 9% from 1 January 2024, as set out in our GST services page
General information, not professional advice for your specific situation.
Thinking of switching?
Tell us what you use now, how many transactions you have and whether you’re GST-registered, and we’ll tell you what a move would involve. Ask us about Xero or QuickBooks.