EFT Flow
Xero + EFT Flow

Xero to Bank File in Minutes

Export from Xero. Generate CPA-005. Upload to your bank.
Bridge the gap Xero doesn't cover for Canadian EFT.

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Works with Xero No per-transaction fees

The Xero + Canadian EFT situation

Xero is great cloud accounting software. But for Canadian EFT payments, there's a gap:

  • No native CPA-005 export: Xero doesn't generate Canadian EFT files directly
  • Batch payments export to CSV: You can export your payment batch, but it's not bank-ready
  • Bank file upload: Your bank expects CPA-005 format, not Xero's CSV

The bridge: Export your batch payments from Xero. Import into EFT Flow. Generate the CPA-005 file your bank needs. Done.

How it works

1
Create batch payment in Xero
Select the bills you want to pay. Create a batch payment.
2
Export to CSV
Xero lets you export batch payments. Download the file.
3
Import into EFT Flow
Drag and drop the Xero export.
4
Map columns (first time only)
Tell EFT Flow which Xero columns map to payee, amount, etc.
5
Match to vendors
EFT Flow matches Xero payee names to bank details in your vendor list.
6
Export CPA-005
Bank-ready file generated. Upload to your bank.

Exporting from Xero (step by step)

Creating a batch payment export

  1. Go to Business → Bills to pay
  2. Select the bills you want to pay
  3. Click Make a batch payment
  4. Review the batch and confirm
  5. Export to CSV (look for the export option in the batch payment screen)
  6. You now have a file with payee names and amounts

The exact steps may vary slightly based on your Xero region and plan. The key is getting a CSV with payee names and payment amounts—that's what EFT Flow needs.

What Xero gives you vs what your bank needs

Xero export (CSV)

  • Payee/contact name
  • Invoice/bill reference
  • Amount to pay
  • Maybe bank account info (varies)

Human-readable. Not bank-ready.

What your bank needs (CPA-005)

  • 1464-byte fixed-width records
  • Originator ID and credentials
  • Institution + transit + account
  • Properly formatted amounts
  • Header/detail/trailer records

Machine-readable. Bank-ready.

EFT Flow bridges this gap. Take your human-readable Xero export, combine it with bank details from your vendor list, and generate the machine-readable CPA-005 file your bank requires.

Other ways to pay from Xero in Canada

EFT Flow isn't the only option. Here's how the alternatives compare:

Approach Pros Cons
Xero + Per-transaction service
(Plooto, etc.)		 Automated, less manual work Per-transaction fees, data in cloud
Manual bank entry No extra software Time-consuming, error-prone
Xero + EFT Flow Flat fee, data stays local One extra step (file upload to bank)

When EFT Flow makes sense: If you're doing 100+ payments/month, want flat pricing, and don't mind uploading a file to your bank. If you want fully automated payment flows and don't mind per-transaction fees, a direct integration might suit you better.

Where do bank details come from?

Xero stores contact info but may not have Canadian bank details in the right format. EFT Flow handles this:

One-time setup

  1. Add your vendors/payees to EFT Flow's vendor list
  2. Enter their bank details (institution, transit, account—from void cheque)
  3. EFT Flow matches Xero payee names to your vendor list automatically
  4. New vendors? Add them once, pay them forever

You maintain bank details in EFT Flow, not Xero. This keeps sensitive banking info off the cloud and on your local machine.

Xero + EFT Flow FAQ

Why doesn't Xero just export CPA-005 directly?

Xero is a global product. CPA-005 is specific to Canada. While Xero supports bank file exports in some regions (like ABA in Australia), Canadian EFT format isn't natively supported. That's the gap EFT Flow fills.

Can I automate this workflow?

It's semi-automated. You still need to export from Xero and import into EFT Flow. But the mapping is saved, vendor matching is automatic, and file generation is one click. The whole process takes a few minutes.

Does EFT Flow sync with Xero?

No direct sync—EFT Flow is a file conversion tool, not a cloud integration. You export from Xero, import the file, generate the bank file. Your Xero data stays in Xero; EFT Flow just converts the export.

What if I use Xero Payroll?

Same process. Export your payroll run from Xero (employee names + net pay), import into EFT Flow, generate your direct deposit file. Works for payroll just like it works for AP.

Is there a simpler way if I don't mind paying per transaction?

Yes. Services like Plooto integrate more directly with Xero and handle payments automatically. But they charge per transaction. If you're doing high volume, EFT Flow's flat fee saves money. It's a trade-off between convenience and cost.

Ready to connect Xero to your bank?

Export from Xero, generate CPA-005 with EFT Flow, upload to your bank. No per-transaction fees. $95/month flat.

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