Rent Logger

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Getting started

These steps assume you are signed in. Each path starts from the sidebar. The last step is the button or tab on that screen. Complete the stages in order, and finish the Xero stages before you add tenancies that should post invoices to Xero.

1. Set up your portfolios and properties

Add each landlord portfolio first, set its privacy notice, then add the properties that belong to it.

In the app

  1. Landlord Portfolio
  2. Add portfolio
  1. Landlord Portfolio
  2. Open the portfolio
  3. Privacy Notice
  1. Properties
  2. View Properties
  3. Add Property
  • Landlord Portfolio is a sidebar item. Add portfolio is the button on that page.
  • Open a portfolio from the list, then open the Privacy Notice tab. For a fully agent-managed portfolio, choose Agent’s notice covers this landlord.
  • Properties is a sidebar group. Open View Properties, then Add Property, and choose the portfolio on the form.

2. Connect Xero and link your portfolios

Connect Xero before you add tenancies that should use accounting automation, then say which portfolios each organisation covers.

In the app

  1. Business Settings
  2. Xero Connection
  1. Xero API
  2. Open the organisation
  3. Portfolios
  • Sign in with the Manager account. Staff accounts do not have Business Settings.
  • Business Settings is at the bottom of the sidebar. On the Xero Connection tab, connect Xero. You can also add or remove Xero organisations there.
  • Rent Logger connects through one Xero login. If that login can already open every organisation, continue. If each organisation uses a different Xero username, give one login access to the others first. The steps are in Connect Xero.
  • Then open Xero API in the sidebar, open the organisation, and use the Portfolios tab to link it to the portfolio or portfolios it covers.

3. Link your property tracking categories

Give each property a tracking option so its income and costs stay separate in Xero. Creating the standard category, and linking one you already use, is covered in Xero tracking categories.

In the app

  1. Xero API
  2. Open the organisation
  3. Properties
  4. Tracking
  5. Manage
  • The Properties tab appears after that organisation has properties linked through a portfolio.
  • For each property, find Tracking and click Manage. Choose the existing Xero tracking category and option.

4. Set up your chart of accounts

Bring in the accounts from Xero, say which lettings this organisation handles, then map only the roles you will use.

In the app

  1. Xero API
  2. Open the organisation
  3. Chart Of Accounts
  • Click Sync from Xero. After the first sync the same button reads Re-sync from Xero. Xero remains the source of truth for the chart of accounts.
  • Click Set policies and choose the lettings types this organisation handles. That filters the mapping list. Once policies are saved, the button reads Policies.
  • Map each Rent Logger role you will use to the Xero account you already use. For example, map residential rent income to the account you currently use for residential rent, so later invoices follow your existing setup.
  • You do not need to map every role. Rent Logger can also create accounts you do not already have, such as clearing accounts for agent statements.

5. Select your invoice branding

Choose the Xero branding template so invoices keep a familiar appearance.

In the app

  1. Xero API
  2. Open the organisation
  3. Invoice Branding
  • Select your existing Xero branding template on that tab.
  • The layout stays familiar. References and descriptions may change when invoices are created in Rent Logger instead of from Xero’s scheduled invoices.

6. Add your agents and tenancy agreements

With the stages above done, add agents for agent-managed properties, then add the tenancy agreements.

In the app

  1. Agents
  2. View Agents
  3. Add agent
  1. Tenancies
  2. View Tenancies
  3. Add Agreement
  • Agents and Tenancies are sidebar groups. Add the agent before the agreement when a property is agent-managed. Rent invoicing, including the income account and an existing Xero contact, is covered in Automated rent invoices.