At Accounted4, we’re always looking for simple ways to make things run more smoothly behind the scenes for our clients.
One shift we’re seeing more and more is clients moving away from manual payments and Automatic Payments, and instead using GoCardless to handle things for them.
It’s not a big change, but it removes a surprising amount of admin.
What is GoCardless?
GoCardless is a Direct Debit platform that allows payments to be collected directly from your bank account.
Instead of you pushing payments out manually, it securely pulls the correct amount when it’s due.
Once it’s set up, everything runs in the background — while still keeping you fully informed and in control.
Why clients are making the switch
For most businesses, it comes down to simplicity.
Manual payments and Automatic Payments can work fine… until something changes.
A price update, a plan change, or even just forgetting to adjust the amount can lead to overpayments, underpayments, or extra admin trying to fix things later.
GoCardless removes that layer entirely.
Payments are automatically collected for the correct amount, on the due date, every time.
No updates needed.
No second-guessing.
No missed payments.
Just one less thing to think about each month.
How this works for your Xero subscription
This is where we’re seeing the biggest benefit for our clients.
If you’re currently paying your Xero subscription via Automatic Payment, you’ll know that any pricing or plan changes require you to manually update the payment amount.
With GoCardless, that’s no longer needed.
When your Xero subscription invoice is issued:
You receive your invoice as normal
You can review it before payment
The exact amount is automatically debited on the due date
No adjustments. No admin. No risk of getting it wrong.
It keeps everything clean, accurate, and consistent.
How to set it up
The setup is straightforward.
When you receive your Xero subscription invoice, simply click “Review and pay” and follow the prompts to enter your details.
That creates a Direct Debit linked to your subscription.
From there, it just ticks along in the background.
A couple of quick things to note:
This applies to your Xero subscription only
There are no fees for using this payment method
You can cancel your Direct Debit at any time
If you switch, you’ll just need to cancel your existing Automatic Payment
A simpler way to stay on top of things
At the end of the day, this isn’t about adding another tool into your business.
It’s about removing one more thing you have to think about.
Less admin.
More accuracy.
Better consistency.
If you’d like a hand getting set up with GoCardless for your Xero subscription, just get in touch — we’re always happy to help.
