AutoEntry vs Zera Books: Xero Integration Comparison

If you're using Xero for accounting and need to automate financial document processing, both AutoEntry and Zera Books offer integrations. But they're built for different workflows.

AutoEntry (owned by Sage) was designed as an all-in-one document processor—receipts, invoices, credit card statements, and bank statements. Its Xero integration publishes directly to your Xero account with duplicate detection and purchase order matching. However, bank statements are a secondary feature, and you're paying for functionality you might not need.

Zera Books specializes exclusively in bank statement processing with unlimited conversions. It outputs pre-categorized Xero CSV files that map directly to your Xero chart of accounts. No credit limits, no per-page fees, no bundled features you won't use.

This comparison breaks down what each tool actually does for Xero users processing bank statements—not marketing promises, but real workflow differences.

AutoEntry's Xero integration only works if you have an active Xero account. This makes sense for all-in-one accounting workflows, but creates cost complexity. You're managing two billing cycles, two sets of usage limits (Xero's transaction limits + AutoEntry's credit system), and two support channels if something breaks.

Zera Books integrates with Xero differently—it produces Xero-formatted CSV files that you import manually. This means:

• You control when data enters Xero (review before import)
• No API connection required (no OAuth setup)
• Works whether or not you have Xero (export to Excel, QuickBooks, etc.)

For bookkeeping firms managing multiple clients, this flexibility matters. Not every client uses Xero, but you can use one tool for all of them. Learn more about AutoEntry alternatives for Xero users.

AutoEntry was built for receipt and invoice automation. Bank statements are a feature, but not the core product. This means:

• Receipt capture is the main workflow: Mobile app, email forwarding, line-item extraction for expense reports.
• Bank statements are secondary: Supported, but the UI and feature set prioritize receipt/invoice workflows.
• Credit consumption: Each document (receipt, invoice, statement page) consumes credits, regardless of type.

If your firm processes hundreds of receipts monthly and occasionally needs bank statement conversion, AutoEntry makes sense. The all-in-one approach reduces tool sprawl.

But if you're a bookkeeper processing 20-50 client bank statements every month-end, you're paying for receipt features you don't use while hitting credit limits on bank statement volume. That's where Zera Books' specialization matters.

Zera Books does one thing: convert bank statements to accounting-ready formats. No receipt scanning. No invoice processing. Just unlimited bank statement conversion with AI categorization for Xero chart of accounts. For comprehensive bank statement workflows, see our guide on bank statement converters with Xero integration.

Many Xero users deal with statements that contain multiple accounts—checking, savings, and credit cards in a single PDF. This is especially common with business banking where institutions combine all accounts into one monthly statement.

AutoEntry's approach: Treats each PDF as one document. If your statement contains 3 accounts, AutoEntry extracts all transactions together. You'll need to manually split them before publishing to Xero, or publish everything and sort in Xero's bank reconciliation interface.

Zera Books' approach: Automatically detects multiple accounts within a single PDF. Zera AI identifies account boundaries (checking ends, savings begins, credit card starts) and separates transactions. You get:

• Excel with separate tabs: One tab per account (Checking, Savings, Credit Card)
• Separate Xero CSV files: Import each account individually to match Xero's bank account structure
• Account metadata preserved: Account numbers, types, balances tracked separately

For bookkeeping firms managing multiple Xero clients with complex banking setups, this automation saves 20-30 minutes per statement. Instead of copy-pasting transactions between accounts, you import pre-separated files directly to the correct Xero bank accounts. Learn more about converting bank statements to Xero format.

Xero's power comes from its chart of accounts—Income, Expenses, Cost of Goods Sold, Assets, Liabilities. But bank statements don't come pre-categorized. You need to map each transaction to the right Xero account code.

For bookkeepers managing 20+ Xero clients, pre-categorization saves 15-20 minutes per statement. You're not teaching software how to categorize—you're reviewing AI suggestions that are already 90%+ accurate. Explore more about Xero bank statement import workflows.

AutoEntry isn't wrong for Xero workflows—it's just optimized for different use cases. Consider AutoEntry if:

But if bank statements are your primary workflow and you're hitting volume limits or paying for unused features, Zera Books' specialization will save both time and money. For more AutoEntry alternatives, explore AutoEntry alternative solutions.