Approvals and PO control
Planyard gives budget-linked POs and multi-step approvals with thresholds per role/project. Xero records the approved bill once synced; coding and attachments arrive ready for audit.
Xero vs Planyard
Comparing Xero and Planyard for construction job costing? This page sets them up as alternatives so you can decide quickly. We cover scope, job costing depth, approvals, 3-way match, valuations and retentions, reporting, and pricing clarity.
Short answer for buyers searching for a Xero alternative for construction: Xero is a great accounting system; Planyard is built for project-side cost control. Many teams start by picking one — then discover they work best together.
On this page
- What each product covers and where it stops
- Reviews at a glance
- Side-by-side summary (Xero vs Planyard vs together)
- Detailed feature comparison (POs, approvals, 3-way match, valuations, retentions)
- What posts to accounting
- Implementation timelines
- Who should choose what
What they do (scope at a glance)
- Xero — Accounting system of record: Chart of Accounts, supplier bills, VAT, CIS, bank feeds and financial reporting. Suitable for finance control; basic job tracking only.
- Planyard — Commercial control for projects: budgets vs actuals, purchase orders and commitments, multi-step approvals, 3-way match (PO ↔ delivery/valuation ↔ invoice), subcontractor/client valuations and certificates, retentions, variations, and live CVR/forecasting. Syncs only approved bills to Xero with supplier, account code, Tracking categories, VAT/currency and the invoice PDF.
Reviews at a glance
Public ratings from Capterra UK.
| Programme | Rating | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Xero | 4.4 / 5.0 |  Trusted accounting and VAT/CIS. Job-costing depth is limited without add-ons. |
| Planyard | 4.6 / 5.0 | Praised by QSs for ease of use and instant visibility. Reviewers note clean Xero sync and reduced spreadsheet errors. |
Quotes used below are taken from public Capterra UK reviews (e.g., “integrates with Xero, avoiding entry in two places”, “live CVR without spreadsheets”).
Quick summary
- If you need an accounting alternative: Xero covers finance and tax; Planyard covers project-side cost control and forecasting. Pick the one that fits your immediate gap.
- For construction job costing: Planyard gives budgets, approvals, 3-way match, valuations and retentions out of the box. Xero alone won’t replace those spreadsheets.
- Reality: Most contractors run Planyard + Xero. Only approved, fully coded costs land in Xero — no drafts, no duplicates, no re-typing.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Xero (alone) | Planyard (alone) | Planyard + Xero |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-step approvals (routes, thresholds) |  Basic bill approval |
Advanced routes & thresholds |
Full approval chain; posts only when approved |
| 3-way match (PO ↔ delivery/valuation ↔ invoice) | Manual checks |
Automated with mismatch blocking |
Complete 3-way match before posting |
| PO control (raise against budget) | Not native |
Budget-linked POs and commitments |
POs raised in Planyard; costs coded for Xero |
| Invoice capture (email-in/OCR) | Hubdoc/Xero Files |
OCR + auto-link to PO/valuation |
Capture + project link + approvals |
| Approval-only sync (no drafts/duplicates) | Manual posting |
Yes |
Keeps the ledger clean and audit-ready |
| Mapping to account codes & Tracking categories | In Xero |
Uses synced Chart & Tracking |
Accurate mappings on every posted bill |
| Attachments (PDF and refs in accounting) | Supported |
Sends PDF and references |
Always attached for audit |
| Live variance & EAC (CVR) | Static |
Real-time CVR & forecasting |
Finance & projects see the same live picture |
| CIS & reverse charge VAT | Applied in Xero |
Ensures supplier link & coding |
Coding enforced project-side; VAT/CIS applied in Xero |
| Full audit trail (who approved what, when) | Finance approvals |
Line-item project audit |
End-to-end audit trail |
| No re-typing (site → budget → accounting) | Often re-entry |
One continuous flow |
Duplicate-free, reference-rich sync |
What posts to accounting
- Posts: Approved bills/credit notes with supplier, account code, Tracking categories, VAT/currency, invoice PDF, and PO/valuation references.
- Doesn’t post: Estimates, budgets, detailed timesheets (summaries only).
- System of record: Accounting remains in Xero; Planyard controls project approvals and live visibility.
Features in detail
How they handle POs, approvals, 3-way match, valuations, retentions and forecasting.
3-way match and error prevention
Planyard matches PO ↔ delivery/valuation ↔ invoice; mismatches are blocked. This prevents over-billing and quantity errors before anything reaches Xero.
Upload your project budget and track financial progress in real-time
No credit card required. No sales or IT support needed.
Valuations, certificates and retentions
Planyard handles subcontractor/client valuations and retentions with clear audit trails. Approved values flow to Xero as coded bills with PDFs attached.
CIS & domestic reverse charge VAT
Xero applies CIS and VAT rules on the posted bill. Planyard ensures supplier linkage and coding so the right rules apply every time.
Upload your project budget and track financial progress in real-time
No credit card required. No sales or IT support needed.
Live CVR and forecasting
Planyard updates EAC and profit forecasts in real time as orders, valuations and invoices are approved. Finance in Xero sees the same picture once bills are posted.
Implementation timelines
What to expect before you go live.
| Product | Typical duration | Typical steps |
|---|---|---|
| Planyard + Xero | 1–5 days |
|
| Xero (alone) | Same day |
|
Actual timelines vary by scope, data quality and internal capacity.
Who should choose what
- Choose Planyard if you want full project-side control (budgets, POs, approvals, valuations, retentions, live CVR) without spreadsheets.
- Choose Xero if you need a straightforward accounting platform with VAT/CIS and you’re happy to manage job costs in sheets.
- Choose both if you want a clean ledger and live project visibility — only approved, fully coded costs land in Xero.
Pricing and packages
Planyard has transparent per-user plans and a free trial. Xero pricing starts from entry-level monthly tiers for accounting. The Xero integration is included in all Planyard plans.
Estimating
$52
/ month / project manager
Cost Estimating
Essential
$105
/ month / project manager
$43
Usually selected for: site engineers, clients, estimators, or auditors.
for supporting staff
Perfect for support roles or stakeholders—gain access to essential project features and view key financial data without full platform permissions, enabling users to stay informed and contribute without hands-on tasks.Usually selected for: site engineers, clients, estimators, or auditors.
Estimating and Budget Control
- Everything in Estimating
- Track budgets and actual spending
- Manage purchase invoices automatically
- Reuse active project cost data for estimating
- Sync invoices to Xero and QuickBooks
Professional
$158
/ month / project manager
$43
Usually selected for: site engineers, clients, estimators, or auditors.
for supporting staff
Perfect for support roles or stakeholders—gain access to essential project features and view key financial data without full platform permissions, enabling users to stay informed and contribute without hands-on tasks.Usually selected for: site engineers, clients, estimators, or auditors.
Estimating, Cost Control, and Purchase Orders Management
- Everything in Essential
- Issue and manage purchase orders
- Track committed costs on the budget
- Forecast project profitability in real-time
- Create cash flow forecasts
- Manage client contracts and progress reports
Ultimate
$210
/ month / project manager
$43
Usually selected for: site engineers, clients, estimators, or auditors.
for supporting staff
Perfect for support roles or stakeholders—gain access to essential project features and view key financial data without full platform permissions, enabling users to stay informed and contribute without hands-on tasks.Usually selected for: site engineers, clients, estimators, or auditors.
Full Functionality
- Everything in Professional
- Automate subcontractor and vendor quoting
- Track subcontracts and progress
- Manage subcontractor change orders
- Collect subcontractor payment applications
In one paragraph
If you’re weighing Xero or a Xero alternative for construction, the practical setup is Planyard + Xero. Planyard runs budgets, POs, approvals, 3-way match, valuations and retentions; Xero runs accounting, VAT and CIS. The result is a simple promise: only approved, fully coded costs hit your ledger — no drafts, no duplicates, no re-typing.
Sources and last updated. Capterra UK listings for Planyard and Xero; Planyard customer reviews and success stories. Last reviewed 8 October 2025.