Xerocon Denver: One AI-powered platform for accounting, payments & payroll

Managing a small business means keeping track of many moving parts. When payments, payroll or expenses sit across different systems, owners and their advisors often spend valuable time moving between tools and piecing together the full financial picture and keeping their books clean.

At Xerocon US, we announced a series of capabilities designed to help bring these key financial workflows together: Xero Payroll, Xero Bill Payments, Melio Expense Management, Melio API and Casper, an AI-powered client manager for accounting firms. 

Together, they reflect our continued focus in the US and helping small businesses and their advisors reduce manual work and gain greater visibility into their finances.

Payroll that fits into the broader financial picture

Payroll is one of a small business’s largest and most important financial responsibilities, with a direct impact on cash flow and day-to-day operations. Having payroll information alongside other financial data can give owners and advisors a clearer understanding of the business’s overall position.

To make that happen, Xero Payroll, powered by Gusto, is built directly into Xero, enabling US small businesses and their advisors to manage payroll alongside their existing financial workflows. Together with Melio-powered payments, customers can manage more of the money moving into and out of their business in a single, familiar place.

The solution includes automated federal, state and local tax calculations and filings, direct deposit, contractor payments, benefits support, and employee self-service capabilities. Bringing these processes together helps reduce administrative work while making important financial information easier to access when planning for the near- and long-term future.

Keep using the cards and rewards you already value

Managing business expenses is essential to maintaining accurate books, but collecting receipts, categorizing transactions and reconciling expenses can quickly become time-consuming.

Melio Expense Management helps streamline this process by tracking and categorizing card expenses in real time. Businesses can continue using their existing credit cards, keeping the rewards and cash back they value without needing to adopt another card or tool.

The solution extracts transaction details, categorizes expenses and syncs them directly to a customer’s accounting platform alongside existing bills and payments. It’s also accounting software-agnostic, making the capability available to businesses across different accounting platforms.

By automating more of the process, small businesses and their advisors can spend less time managing transactions and keep their financial information more current.

Reduce client-chasing with AI

For accountants and bookkeepers, completing client work often depends on receiving the right information at the right time. Missing receipts, documents, or transaction details can mean repeated follow-ups throughout the month and more work at month-end.

Casper, Melio’s new AI-powered client manager for accounting firms, is designed to help. Casper proactively identifies missing information, communicates with clients, and helps collect what’s needed to keep bookkeeping moving, while leaving accountants and bookkeepers in control. By resolving routine questions and collecting required documents earlier, Casper is designed to reduce client chasing and make month-end work more efficient.

Casper works across ledgers and complements JAX, our agentic platform, which continues to automate workflows and deliver actionable insights within Xero. Together, these capabilities show how AI can help reduce repetitive tasks while giving advisors more time to focus on the work where their expertise adds the most value.

Build more flexibility into business payments

How and when businesses can move money is another important part of managing cash flow and responding to business needs. Earlier this year, we introduced Xero Bill Payments, a payments experience designed specifically for Xero partners and their clients, built directly into the Xero workflow.

Now, the new Melio API gives developers direct access to Melio’s payment rails, including ACH, real-time payments, paper checks, domestic and international wires and virtual cards. Melio manages payment execution, compliance, risk and delivery, helping simplify the infrastructure behind business payments. Businesses can also pay recipients without requiring them to onboard onto Melio.

We’re also expanding instant payments, enabling small businesses to make payments at any time, including nights, weekends and holidays. The Melio API is live and available in closed beta, with broader availability planned in the coming months.

Building a more connected financial management experience

Small businesses and their advisors need technology that makes financial management easier, rather than adding another layer of complexity.

These latest updates bring payroll, payments, expense management and AI-powered workflows closer together. Powered by Xero OS, our AI-native operating system, and grounded in Accountable Intelligence, they’re designed to reduce administrative work while giving businesses and advisors greater visibility and control over their finances.

As we continue investing in the US, our focus is on building a more connected financial management experience that helps small businesses and their advisors work more efficiently, make decisions with greater clarity and focus on what matters most.