Duplicate payment is when the same supplier invoice is entered or paid more than once. It often happens when an invoice arrives by two routes.
Before you start
- Administrator, Standard, Purchases or Sales and purchases user role
The Xero way
Where to find it: Purchases > Bills > menu icon > Review duplicate bills
- Xero compares the contact, reference and amount of all bills and credit notes.
- If it finds possible duplicates, a notification shows at the top of all the Bills tabs. Click Review.
- Click the supplier name to see the duplicates.
- Click Keep all if they are not duplicates, or Void or Delete the extra one.
Limits in Xero
- Xero does not compare bills made from the same repeating bill template. It can flag bills from two different templates.
- A paid bill needs its payment removed before it can be voided.
- Checks one organisation only.
- When you add a bill by hand, Xero only warns if the reference and contact name match. The warning does not stop you.
Good to know in Xero
- Duplicates can come from emailed bills, uploads or the CSV import.
The Pulsify way
- Forward the supplier's invoice to Pulsify.
- Pulsify compares the invoice number with punctuation and case ignored, plus the same supplier, invoice date or tax ID.
- It checks other Pulsify documents and active bills in Xero.
- A possible duplicate is flagged. Open the match, then reject or approve anyway.
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 flags. You decide.
- A duplicate with a quite different invoice number may not be found.
Example in Xero
Example Plumbing Supplies sends invoice INV-1234 by email. The same invoice is later keyed in by hand with the same reference.
| Line | Amount | Tagged to |
|---|---|---|
| Draft from the emailed PDF, reference INV-1234 | $1,650.00 | Bill 1 |
| Bill keyed in by hand, reference INV-1234 | $1,650.00 | Bill 2, same contact and amount |
Xero shows a notification on the Bills tabs. Click Review, then Void or Delete the extra bill. Paying both would cost $1,650.00 twice.
Common mistakes
- Typing the reference differently the second time. Xero compares contact, reference and amount.
- Assuming repeating bills check each other. Xero does not compare bills made from the same repeating bill template.
More help
- How to stop paying a bill twice in AccountRight
- How to stop paying a bill twice in MYOB Business
- How to stop paying a purchase invoice twice in Sage 50
- How to apply a credit note to a bill in Xero
- How to control supplier bank detail changes in Xero
- All Xero how-to guides
- Pulsify setup guides
Sources
Last checked 2026-10-19. Confidence: confirmed.
Common questions
What does Xero compare to find duplicate bills?
Xero compares the contact, reference and amount of all bills and credit notes. A notification shows at the top of the Bills tabs if it finds possible duplicates.
What do I do with a flagged pair?
Click Review and then the supplier name. Click Keep all if they are not duplicates or Void or Delete the extra one. A paid bill needs its payment removed before it can be voided.
Does Xero stop me saving a repeat by hand?
No. When you add a bill by hand, Xero only warns if the reference and contact name match. The warning does not stop you saving.
What does Pulsify check?
The invoice number with punctuation and case ignored, plus the same supplier, invoice date or tax ID.
Pulsify setup guides
Want this done for you?
Book a call to see how Pulsify handles supplier bills in Xero.