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Use case

Split one bill across many businesses

One Vultr, AWS, or utility bill covering several businesses? AccountingPipe splits it across your Xero tracking categories automatically, reconciled to the cent, so every business's P&L is right.

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How allocation works

1

Match the bill

An incoming bill is matched to your allocation rule by vendor, amount, or description.

2

Apply the splits

Each split is calculated by fixed amount, percentage, or a formula using your own variables.

3

Reconcile to the cent

The splits are checked to sum to the exact bill total, with any remainder sent to a rounding split.

4

Post to Xero

A multi-line bill posts to Xero, each line coded to the right tracking category and account.

Allocation methods

Fixed & percentage

Assign fixed dollar amounts or percentages per business. The simplest way to divide a recurring shared cost.

Formula-based

Drive the split from real cost drivers: a per-unit rate times a count, headcount weighting, or your own variables.

Exception-safe

Deviations, missing variables, or bills that can't reconcile are held for review, never posted wrong.

Frequently asked questions

What problem does cost allocation solve?

When a single vendor bill covers resources used by several businesses or cost centers, you need to split it so each one's profit and loss is accurate. Doing that by hand every month is slow and error-prone.

How are bills split?

You define an allocation rule with splits by fixed amount, percentage, or a formula based on your own variables (for example a per-unit rate times a count). Each split maps to a Xero tracking category and account code.

How do you make sure the split is exact?

Every allocation is reconciled to the cent before anything posts. Any rounding remainder goes to a designated split, and if a bill cannot reconcile it is held for review rather than posted incorrectly.

Is it deterministic?

Yes. The same bill, the same rule version, and the same variables always produce the same split. Rules are versioned, so past allocations stay reproducible.

What happens to an unusual bill?

If no rule matches, a referenced variable is missing, the total deviates from prior periods, or the split cannot reconcile, the bill goes to an exception queue for you to resolve. It is never posted with a wrong split.

Accurate per-business P&L, automatically

Stop hand-splitting shared bills every month. Start your free trial.

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