This past July saw the launch of the brand new Xero add-on marketplace. Informed by real user data, this online directory makes the hunt for a great Xero add-on easier and more relevant for businesses. However, it’s still possible to suffer from option-overload. Here’s a quick and simple guide to the new marketplace to ease you in.
What’s available?
It’s now possible to connect your data in Xero with over 500 integrated add-ons. With the new app marketplace, it’s now easier than ever to find a suitable tool, from inventory and debtor tracking to payroll and document management.
How to choose an add-on
Search by function or business type – View apps by their function or the industry they’re relevant to. Use filters to further search through add-ons by which ones are the most popular, are featured or lately added.
Look at top ranked apps – Apps are now ranked based on real user data. That means the more the app is used, the higher on the page it features. Under the ‘App function’ view, you’ll see the top four most connected apps in each category. While it’s still up to you to judge the merits of each app, this ranking system gives you a strong indication of what Xero add-ons are being used by your peers.
Under the ‘App function’ view, you’ll see the top four most connected apps
Look at user reviews – Xero users are able to leave a review and a star rating on any app in the marketplace. Use these reviews to guide your decision making when looking at options.
Get a free trial – Many of the apps available allow businesses to do a free trial before committing to buy. This is a good opportunity to test software without engaging in a full implementation.
Recommending add-ons to your clients
Many of us would like to recommend add-ons to our clients, but it can be hard to know where to start. How you engage with cloud apps for your clients relies heavily on your level of expertise, your ability to implement and support cloud apps, as well as whether you want to provide the advice for free or if you want include it with an existing offering.
3 ways you can start recommending apps to your clients:
- Introduce them to the add-on marketplace – Even if you can’t or won’t implement solutions for your clients, simply showing them relevant options and giving them the tools to look through the marketplace themselves will add value.
- Include add-on advisory services into an existing offering – This could also be part of a business plan where you look at costs associated with their current IT and software set-up.
- Work with a cloud integrator – Cloud integrators make it their business to know how to effectively migrate data to the cloud and how to implement a variety of cloud solutions. This is a good option if you don’t have the capacity to implement and support apps for yourself.
The number of apps that extend the Xero accounting software package is ever growing, but with the new online marketplace, it’s now easier to find the right tool for the job. It’s also a great opportunity for Xero partners to provide more value to their clients through powerful cloud apps.
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