Splitting a bill across jobs or cost centres means giving each line of one supplier invoice its own job, department or project so costs land where they belong. In Xero you do it with tracking categories.
Before you start
- Tracking categories set up in the organisation
- The Projects feature if you want to assign lines to projects
The Xero way
Where to find it: Purchases > Bills > New bill, then the Tracking column on each line. Set up categories under Accounting > Accounting settings > Tracking categories
- Set up a tracking category once: Accounting > Accounting settings > Tracking categories > Add Tracking Category. Name it (for example Job) and add one option per job.
- On the bill, enter one line per job. Pick the tracking option on each line.
- Save and approve. Reports can then be split by tracking option.
Limits in Xero
- You can have four tracking categories in total, but only two can be active at any time.
- Xero recommends no more than 100 options in a tracking category so reports load quickly.
- You split by entering separate lines. Xero has no percentage split.
- Xero Central says tracking is not designed for job costing. Xero Projects is the tool for that.
Good to know in Xero
- Bill lines can also be assigned to a Xero Project. The project must be in progress, and you need the edit all projects permission.
Words Xero uses
- Tracking category. A label you add to each bill line, such as Job or Site, so reports can be split by it.
The Pulsify way
- Forward the supplier's invoice to your Pulsify address. Pulsify reads every row as its own line.
- Review each line and set its account. Line-item coding learns from how that supplier was coded before.
- Approve. The bill is created in Xero with one line per row.
Pulsify connects to Xero in one click. Approved bills are created in Xero with the source file attached.
What Pulsify does not do here
- Pulsify does not split a line by percentage. A shared cost needs separate lines with set amounts.
- Tagging a line to tracking categories is done in Xero unless the line already carries it.
Example in Xero
Example Timber Supplies sends one bill for two sites. Total $4,400 including GST. Your Xero file has a tracking category called Site with options Site A and Site B.
| Line | Amount | Tagged to |
|---|---|---|
| Framing timber, Site A | $2,200.00 | Site: Site A |
| Framing timber, Site B | $1,400.00 | Site: Site B |
| Delivery, Site A share | $200.00 | Site: Site A |
| Delivery, Site B share | $200.00 | Site: Site B |
Run the Profit and Loss with the Site category as columns. Site A shows $2,400 and Site B shows $1,600, before GST.
Common mistakes
- Creating a new tracking option for every small job, so the list passes 100 options and reports slow down.
- Leaving the tracking column blank on freight or delivery lines, so those costs never reach the job.
More help
- How to split a bill across jobs in AccountRight
- How to split a bill across jobs in MYOB Business
- How to split a purchase invoice across nominal codes and departments in Sage 50
- How to job cost bill records in Xero
- How to code one bill to several account codes in Xero
- How to code a bill with mixed GST lines in Xero
- All Xero how-to guides
- Pulsify setup guides
Sources
Last checked 2026-10-19. Confidence: confirmed.
Common questions
Can Xero split a bill line by percentage?
No. Xero has no percentage split on bill lines. Work out the dollar amount for each job and enter one line per job, each with its own tracking option.
Should I use tracking categories or Xero Projects for jobs?
Tracking categories suit cost centres and sites you report on every month. Xero Projects suit jobs where you also track time and quotes. You can use both on the same bill line.
What if I need more than two ways to split?
Xero lets you have four tracking categories but only two active at once. If you need more, combine them, for example one category for Site and one for Department.
Pulsify setup guides
Want this done for you?
Book a call to see how Pulsify handles supplier bills in Xero.