At Oculus Group, we’re always watching for tools that help our small business clients work smarter and make better decisions faster.
One of the most exciting developments in accounting technology right now is Xero’s new AI-powered analytics and insights capabilities which has been built right into the Xero platform you already use.
These updates bring enterprise-grade intelligence to small business owners in a way that’s easy to navigate and genuinely useful.
What’s New in Xero Insights?
Xero has introduced a suite of customisable analytics tools powered by AI, designed not for data specialists but for business owners.
These features let you explore your financial data visually and interactively so you can understand what’s happening in your business without needing to guess.
Here’s what you can now do right inside Xero:
- Custom Dashboards
Create views that matter to your business – track revenue, expenses, profit margins, and other key indicators in one place.
You decide what you want to focus on, and Xero presents it in a way that’s meaningful for your business. - Visualisations That Make Sense
Numbers are great, but visualisations like charts and graphs make trends obvious at a glance.
Whether you’re checking cash flow or comparing quarter-on-quarter performance, these visuals help the picture click instantly. - Cash Flow Manager
Understanding cash flow is one of the biggest challenges for small businesses, and now Xero projects cash up to 180 days ahead.
You can even run simple “what if” scenarios to see how decisions like delayed expenses might affect your future balance. - AI-Generated Insights
The AI doesn’t just crunch numbers, it tells you what they mean.
Xero’s AI insights summarise patterns and trends, highlight opportunities or risks, and give clear explanations in everyday language.
No more staring at spreadsheets wondering what the numbers are trying to tell you. - Business Health Scorecards
Want to take a broader view of performance?
You can build scorecards that track your financial data alongside external benchmarks, such as web traffic or sales activity, to get a consolidated view of how your business is really performing.
Why This Matters for Small Businesses
These analytics tools are a game-changer because they take complex financial data and turn it into something you can actually use in your day-to-day decision-making.
Instead of exporting reports and manually interpreting them, you can now see trends, identify problems early, and plan confidently, all within Xero.
For example, with AI insights and custom dashboards, you can quickly answer questions like:
- “Which months tend to have lower cash flow?”
- “Are my expenses growing faster than revenue?”
- “What should I focus on to improve profitability this quarter?”
And because it’s all in Xero, we as your accountant can view the same insights alongside you, making collaboration smoother and more meaningful.
Simple, Powerful, and Built for Business Owners
One of the best things about these tools is that they’re designed for the everyday business ownerand not data scientists.
You don’t need specialised skills to navigate the dashboards, interpret the visuals, or understand the AI-generated summaries.
They bring clarity to your numbers and help you convert data into actionable decisions.
At Oculus Group, we believe that understanding your business performance should be straightforward and empowering.
Xero’s new customisable, AI-powered insights do exactly that, giving you the tools to make smarter, faster decisions without the guesswork.
If you’d like help setting up your dashboards or interpreting your data, we’re here to help you get the most out of Xero for your business.
Let’s turn your numbers into clarity and confidence.
