Is your Xero contact list starting to look a little messy? Duplicate contact records are a common issue for many businesses using Xero accounting software. Whether it’s due to manual data entry, imports, or system integrations, duplicates can clutter your records and cause unnecessary confusion.
Thankfully, Xero makes it easy to merge duplicate contacts—helping you tidy up your accounts and keep your data accurate and streamlined.
Merging duplicate contacts in Xero allows you to:
Consolidate all financial transactions under one contact record
Eliminate confusion when issuing invoices, bills, or reconciling payments
Maintain clean and organised Xero contact records
Avoid errors in reporting or tax preparation
When you merge duplicate contacts, Xero retains all associated financial data—including past invoices, bills, and payment history. The duplicate contact is simply archived, not deleted, and all related activity is transferred to the record you retain.
Follow these simple steps to merge two or more contacts in your Xero account:
Go to the Contacts menu and select All Contacts.
Use the search bar to locate the duplicate records you want to merge.
Confirm that the selected contacts belong to the same company or individual.
Tick the checkboxes for each duplicate contact — but do not select the one you want to keep.
Ensure the contact you’re keeping has the correct bank account and payment details.
Click Merge, then Confirm Merge to complete the process.
If you ever need to retrieve a previously merged contact, it’s simple. Navigate to the Archived contacts section, click on the contact you wish to restore, then hit the Restore button. This allows you to recover data without any hassle.
Regular maintenance of your Xero contact list improves report accuracy, reduces time spent on reconciliations, and enhances your overall financial management. At Outside Accounting Wellington, we specialise in helping businesses optimise their Xero setup.
Want more tips to get the most out of Xero? Contact our team today or subscribe to our newsletter for monthly Xero insights tailored to Kiwi businesses.
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