How to Import Credit Note to Xero (2026 Guide)

Log in to your Xero account and click the Business menu in the top navigation bar. Select Invoices from the dropdown, then click the Credit Notes tab to view your existing credit notes. Alternatively, you can access credit notes directly from Business > Sales Overview.

On the Credit Notes page, click the Import button. This opens the same import wizard used for invoices, but configured for credit note creation. Xero uses the same CSV template structure for both invoices and credit notes.

Click Download Template to get the CSV file with the correct column headings. The template is the same format as the invoice template. The key difference is that the CreditNoteNumber column replaces InvoiceNumber, and the CreditNoteDate column replaces InvoiceDate. Required fields include ContactName, CreditNoteNumber, CreditNoteDate, Description, Quantity, UnitAmount, AccountCode, and TaxType.

Tip: Do not change or remove any column headings from the template. Required columns are marked with an asterisk (*).

Fill in your credit note data in the template. All amounts in the UnitAmount column should be entered as positive numbers. Xero automatically treats credit notes as credits against the customer account, so you do not need to use negative values. Use the same AccountCode and TaxType as the original sale to keep your accounts balanced.

Warning: Do not enter negative amounts for credit notes. Xero handles the credit direction automatically. Negative values would reverse the credit and create incorrect accounting entries.

Ensure the ContactName column contains names that exactly match existing contacts in your Xero account. Credit notes must be linked to existing customers. If a contact name does not match, Xero may create a new contact or reject the row, depending on your import settings.

Save your completed file in CSV format. Back in Xero's import wizard, click Browse to select the file. Choose whether your amounts are tax-inclusive or tax-exclusive, then click Import to let Xero validate the data.

Xero displays a summary showing how many credit notes will be created and any errors found. Common errors include duplicate credit note numbers, missing required fields, or contact names that do not match existing records. Fix any errors in your CSV and re-upload if needed, then click Complete Import.

Navigate to Business > Invoices > Credit Notes tab to see your imported credit notes in Draft status. Review each credit note for accuracy, then approve them. Once approved, you can allocate credit notes against outstanding invoices by opening the credit note and clicking Allocate Credit.

Tip: You can allocate a single credit note across multiple outstanding invoices, or leave it as an available credit on the customer's account for future use.