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# Add a trading partner's invoice to Xero as a bill

Last checked 2026-11-12

When a trading partner sends you an invoice or credit note on to.co, you can add it to Xero instead of typing it in. to.co adds an invoice as a **draft bill** and a credit note as a **draft supplier credit**, with your partner's PDF attached. You approve and pay it in Xero as you do now.

You need Xero connected (see [Use to.co with Xero](https://to.co/en-nz/help/xero)), and to be an Owner or Finance member.

## Add one

1. In my.to.co, open **Documents**, then **Received**, and open the invoice or credit note.
2. In **Add to your books**, choose **Add to Xero**.
3. Check what it will use:
   - **Supplier**: the contact you matched to this business. If there is none, choose which supplier in your books it is, or choose to add the business as a new supplier.
   - **Expense account**: every line goes to this account, unless you coded the line yourself (below). to.co remembers it for this business. Under it you may see a suggestion: the account used most on recent bills from this supplier. It is never chosen for you.
   - A tax rate, if more than one of your rates in Xero has the same percentage.
4. Choose **Add to Xero**. You may be asked to confirm it is you (see [Confirming it is you](https://to.co/en-nz/help/team-step-up)).

The panel then says when it went into your books. If the bill was already in your Xero, to.co links to it instead of adding it twice.

## Your own coding goes with it

If you saved **Your coding** on the document, each line goes into Xero with your Xero account and tracking. A line you split into parts goes to the expense account you chose. See [Choose accounts and tax rates for Xero](https://to.co/en-nz/help/xero-coding).

## Your rules come first

An invoice goes through your approval steps and hold rules on to.co first. A document that is held, waiting for approval, or rejected is not added. The panel says why.

## Add a partner's documents automatically

After three documents from a partner go into Xero without a hold, the panel offers **Add this partner's documents automatically**. Turn it on, and their new invoices and credit notes go into Xero as drafts as they arrive, to the account you chose. You still approve each one in Xero.

- It acts for the person who turned it on, while that person is an Owner or Finance member. If they no longer are, it goes back to asking first.
- It never chooses or adds a supplier. Without a Xero contact confirmed for the partner, the document waits for you.
- A document your rules hold is not added by itself, even after you release it. Add it yourself.

To stop, choose **Ask me first instead**.

## What to.co never does

It never approves, pays, voids or deletes a bill, and never writes bank details into Xero.

The PDF shows what the sender's template prints. Pay using the details on their to.co page. If the PDF shows different details, do not pay, and contact them.

## If it can't be added

- **Reconnect to let to.co add bills to your books**: your Xero connection was made before to.co asked for permission to add bills. Reconnect it on **App connections**.
- **The PDF could not be attached**: the bill is in Xero without it. Add the PDF in Xero if you need it.
- Anything else: the panel says why in plain words, with **Try again**.