Download Xero Chart of Accounts (CSV, PDF) with nominal code or account code

June 25, 2024 4 min read

In today’s fast-paced business environment, efficient financial management is crucial. One of the key tools for maintaining organized financial records is the Chart of Accounts. If you’re using Xero accounting software, you can easily export your Xero Chart of Accounts into CSV or PDF formats.

This guide will walk you through the steps to download your Xero Chart of Accounts template with nominal codes, helping you streamline your financial reporting and data integration processes.

The Chart of Accounts is a vital financial tool for businesses, organizing all the financial transactions into categories. Exporting this data from Xero allows for comprehensive analysis, reporting, and integration with other systems.

Step-by-Step Guide on Download Xero’s Chart of Accounts

Step 1: Log in to Xero

Go to go.xero.com, and log in or register for a new account.

Step 2: Navigate to the Accounting Section

Click the “Accounting” menu on the dashboard page and navigate to the Accounting section.

Screenshot of an online accounting software dashboard highlighting the "Accounting" menu tab with a yellow arrow. The dashboard displays account balances, recent transactions, and account watchlist.

Step 3: Access the Chart of Accounts Tab

Select “Chart of Accounts” from the menu. Access the Chart of Accounts tab.

A screenshot of the Xero accounting software interface showing the "Chart of Accounts" section highlighted with an arrow pointing to it. Other menus like "Dashboard" and "Contacts" are visible at the top.

Step 4: Export the Data

Click the “Export” button to export data into a CSV file.
Click “Print PDF” to generate a PDF copy of the formatted Chart of Accounts.

Screenshot of accounting software interface showing a 'Chart of accounts' section and highlighting a button labeled 'Export' with a yellow arrow.

Screenshot of an accounting software interface displaying a "Chart of accounts" page. An arrow points to a button labeled "Print PDF" highlighted in a box for emphasis.

Account Types with Nominal Code Patterns in Xero

The table below shows the account types arranged by their categories and the nominal code patterns used in Xero.

Category	Account Type	Nominal Code Patterns
		USA	UK
Asset	Bank, Current Asset, Fixed Asset, Inventory, Non-current Asset, Prepayment	1200-1599	600-799
Liabilities	Current Liability, Liability, Non-current Liability	2000-2999	800-900
Equity	Equity	3000-3999	901-999
Expenses	Depreciation, Direct Costs, Expense, Overhead	8100-8999	300-599
Revenue	Other Income, Revenue, Sales	4000-4999	200-299

Xero Demo Company Chart of Accounts with Account Codes / Nominal Codes

Assets

Code	Name	Type	Description
620	Prepayments	Current Asset	An expenditure that has been paid for in advance.
710	Office Equipment	Fixed Asset	Office equipment that is owned and controlled by the business
711	Less Accumulated Depreciation on Office Equipment	Fixed Asset	The total amount of office equipment cost that has been consumed by the entity (based on the useful life)
720	Computer Equipment	Fixed Asset	Computer equipment that is owned and controlled by the business
721	Less Accumulated Depreciation on Computer Equipment	Fixed Asset	The total amount of computer equipment cost that has been consumed by the business (based on the useful life)

Liabilities

Code	Name	Type	Description
825	Employee Tax Payable	Current Liability	The amount of tax that has been deducted from wages or salaries paid to employees and is due to be paid
826	Superannuation Payable	Current Liability	The amount of superannuation that is due to be paid
830	Income Tax Payable	Current Liability	The amount of income tax that is due to be paid, also resident withholding tax paid on interest received.
835	Revenue Received in Advance	Current Liability	When customers pay in advance of work/services.
850	Suspense	Current Liability	An entry that allows an unknown transaction to be entered, so the accounts can still be worked on in balance and the entry can be dealt with later.
880	Owner A Drawings	Current Liability	Withdrawals by the owners
881	Owner A Funds Introduced	Current Liability	Funds contributed by the owner
855	Clearing Account	Current Liability

Revenue

Code	Name	Type	Description
200	Sales	Revenue	Income from any normal business activity
260	Other Revenue	Revenue	Any other income that does not relate to normal business activities and is not recurring
270	Interest Income	Revenue	Interest income

Equity

Code	Name	Type	Description
970	Owner A Share Capital	Equity	The value of shares purchased by the shareholders

Expense

Code	Name	Type	Description
300	Purchases	Direct Costs	Goods purchased with the intention of selling these to customers
310	Cost of Goods Sold	Direct Costs	Cost of goods sold by the business.
400	Advertising	Expense	Expenses incurred for advertising while trying to increase sales
404	Bank Fees	Expense	Fees charged by your bank for transactions regarding your bank account(s).
408	Cleaning	Expense	Expenses incurred for cleaning business property.
412	Consulting & Accounting	Expense	Expenses related to paying consultants
416	Depreciation	Expense	The amount of the asset’s cost (based on the useful life) that was consumed during the period
420	Entertainment	Expense	Expenses paid by company for the business but are not deductible for income tax purposes.
425	Freight & Courier	Expense	Expenses incurred on courier & freight costs
429	General Expenses	Expense	General expenses related to the running of the business.
433	Insurance	Expense	Expenses incurred for insuring the business’ assets
437	Interest Expense	Expense	Any interest expenses paid to your tax authority, business bank accounts or credit card accounts.
441	Legal expenses	Expense	Expenses incurred on any legal matters
445	Light, Power, Heating	Expense	Expenses incurred for lighting, powering or heating the premises
449	Motor Vehicle Expenses	Expense	Expenses incurred on the running of company motor vehicles
453	Office Expenses	Expense	General expenses related to the running of the business office.
461	Printing & Stationery	Expense	Expenses incurred by the entity as a result of printing and stationery
469	Rent	Expense	The payment to lease a building or area.
473	Repairs and Maintenance	Expense	Expenses incurred on a damaged or run down asset that will bring the asset back to its original condition.
477	Wages and Salaries	Expense	Payment to employees in exchange for their resources
478	Superannuation	Expense	Superannuation contributions
485	Subscriptions	Expense	E.g. Magazines, professional bodies
489	Telephone & Internet	Expense	Expenditure incurred from any business-related phone calls, phone lines, or internet connections
493	Travel – National	Expense	Expenses incurred from domestic travel which has a business purpose
494	Travel – International	Expense	Expenses incurred from international travel which has a business purpose
505	Income Tax Expense	Expense	A percentage of total earnings paid to the government.

Information

Here is the list of accounts downloaded from the Xero demo organization:

Download Demo Company CSV
Download Demo Company PDF

Further Reading:
Crack the Code: How Unified Nominal Codes Simplify Multi-Company Financial Reporting?

Conclusion

When creating your Chart of Accounts, you can use the same nominal code series or adjust it based on the size of your organization. For large organizations, consider using 4 or 5-digit nominal codes, especially if there are multiple locations and departments, to differentiate expense accounts while keeping other accounts as 3-digit codes.