Limitations
Overview
We use Xero's API (application programming interface) to get data out of Xero and send data to Xero. What we can and can't do is therefore limited by what Xero's API can and can't do.
These API limitations mean that we cannot backup all types of Xero data, we cannot restore all types of Xero data and some Xero data we can backup but can't restore. This page aims to be as transparent as possible about the current limitations of our service. Note that Xero's API, and consequently this Backupmybooks service, is being enhanced continuously.
What we believe to be your key accounting data is backed-up by us and can be restored by us, but please check the information below to satisfy yourself that your own specific needs are met.
Summary guide
In these lists, Covered means that we both backup and restore the data type and Not Covered means that we neither backup nor restore it.
Covered
- Customer details
- Supplier details
- Chart of accounts
- Customer transactions
- Supplier transactions
- Account transactions
- Accounting balances
- Files
- Inventory
- Purchase orders
- Tracking
Not Covered
- Budgets
- Branding themes
- Expense claims
- Reports
- Fixed assets
- Payroll
- Projects
- Quotes
Backupmybooks can be used in any Xero region but the organisation used for a restore must have the same region as that of the backup.
We are not currently able to automatically verify restored data for multi-currency organisations.
Please be aware that it may cause complications (we're unable to fix) with your restore if your backup contains in excess of any of the following:
- 40,000 combined invoices, bills and credits
- 40,000 bank transactions
- 2,500 credit notes allocated to invoices
- 10,000 contacts
- 600 chart of account codes
Detailed table
| Data type | Backup | Restore |
|---|---|---|
| Account Transactions |  |
|
| Accounting Balances | |
|
| Bank Accounts | |
|
| Bank Transactions | |
|
| Bank Statement Records |  |
|
| Branding Themes | |
|
| Budgets | |
|
| Chart of Accounts | |
|
| CIS [3] | |
|
| Contact Groups | |
|
| Credit Card Accounts [1] | |
 |
| Custom Reports | |
|
| Custom Tax Rates | |
|
| Customer Details | |
|
| Customer Transactions | |
|
| Draft / Published / Filed / Archived Reports | |
|
| Expense Claims | |
|
| Files | |
|
| Fixed Assets [2] | |
|
| History / Notes [2] | |
|
| Inventory / Products and services | |
|
| Invoice Reminders | |
|
| Outstanding Billable Expenses Report | |
|
| Payroll | |
|
| Planned Payment Dates | |
|
| Projects | |
|
| Purchase Orders | |
|
| Quotes | |
|
| Repeating Invoice Templates | |
|
| Supplier Details | |
|
| Smart Lists | |
|
| Supplier Transactions | |
|
| Tracking Categories and Options [3] | |
|
| Users | |
|
[1] Credit Card Accounts are backed up but can only be restored as Bank Accounts.
[2] Coming Soon.
[3] See Other Points
Notes
Conversion Balances are backed up but restored as a journal.
Any connected add-ons or bank feeds will not be reconnected to a restored organisation.
All Settings will need to be re-entered.
Multi-currency organisations are not yet supported. Restoring bank transfers between accounts of different currencies is not yet possible (along with other multi-currency issues).
Reconciled status of some transactions eg. Prepayments and Overpaments may not be restored.
If you're using a 0% reverse charge VAT rate then we're unable to restore this tax rate to Xero. Associated transactions will be incorrect. This tax rate can be manually added to Xero and the relevant transactions amended but we aren't able to provide this service for you.
Other Points
Tracking
Tracking categories that have previously been used and subsequently archived will not be backed up or restored. Any transactions associated with archived tracking options will be backed up and restored without tracking applied.
Where there's an excess of 200 tracking options per category, we're unable to restore any tracking on transactions.
Conversion Balances
Conversion balances won't be included in your restored Xero organisation. As mentioned in the notes to the detailed table above, Conversion Balances are backed up but are restored as journals.
To clarify, the journal that is posted when saving the Conversion Balances is backed up along with any other journals that are posted relating to comparative balances. When we restore the data, the exact same journals are restored but not using the Conversion/Comparative Balances screen. The balances at the Conversion Date will be the same in the restored organisation as they were in the backed up organisation but nothing will display in the Conversion Balances screen.
Realised Gains and Losses
Realised gains and losses transactions that require us to restore by journal cannot be entered due to a restriction with the Xero API. At present we've no workaround for this and there will be differences on the restored data.
Refunds of overpayments
Where overpayments have been refunded, we're currently unable to apply the refunds via the Xero API. This means the refunds may not be restored and will cause differences.
Bank transfers between two foreign currency accounts
Xero's API does not support transfers between two foreign currency accounts (whilst the user interface does). We're not able to send across bank transfers where it's between two foreign currency accounts.
Wages payable and payroll journals
We're unable to post to wages system accounts when restoring. Instead, we'll create a new non-system account with a slightly different name to post against.
When running our checks at the end of a restore, this will cause a difference to appear due to the account name being different. Assuming the difference reported on the system and non-system accounts is the same these can be ignored.
CIS (Construction Industry Scheme)
The presence of CIS transactions is likely to cause us to be unable to successfully and accurately restore your data.