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.
अपना प्रोजेक्ट बजट अपलोड करें और वित्तीय प्रगति को वास्तविक समय में ट्रैक करें
कोई क्रेडिट कार्ड आवश्यक नहीं। कोई बिक्री या आईटी समर्थन की आवश्यकता नहीं।
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.
अपना प्रोजेक्ट बजट अपलोड करें और वित्तीय प्रगति को वास्तविक समय में ट्रैक करें
कोई क्रेडिट कार्ड आवश्यक नहीं। कोई बिक्री या आईटी समर्थन की आवश्यकता नहीं।
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.
USD
EUR
GBP
AUD
CAD
अनुमान
$52
€49
£40
$82
$74
/ month / project manager
लागत अनुमान
आवश्यक
$105
€99
£82
$166
$149
/ month / project manager
$43
€40
£33
$49
$60
आमतौर पर चुना जाता है: साइट इंजीनियर, ग्राहक, अनुमानकर्ता या ऑडिटर।
for supporting staff
सहायक भूमिकाओं या हितधारकों के लिए बिल्कुल सही—आवश्यक परियोजना सुविधाओं तक पहुंच प्राप्त करें और बिना पूर्ण प्लेटफ़ॉर्म अनुमतियों के प्रमुख वित्तीय डेटा देखें, जिससे उपयोगकर्ता सूचित रह सकें और बिना हाथों के कार्यों में योगदान कर सकें।आमतौर पर चुना जाता है: साइट इंजीनियर, ग्राहक, अनुमानकर्ता या ऑडिटर।
अनुमान और बजट नियंत्रण
- अनुमान में सब कुछ
- बजट और वास्तविक खर्च को ट्रैक करें
- खरीद चालान को स्वचालित रूप से प्रबंधित करें
- सक्रिय परियोजना लागत डेटा का उपयोग करके अनुमान लगाएं
- Xero और QuickBooks के साथ चालान सिंक करें
प्रोफेशनल
$158
€149
£123
$250
$225
/ month / project manager
$43
€40
£33
$49
$60
आमतौर पर चुना जाता है: साइट इंजीनियर, ग्राहक, अनुमानकर्ता या ऑडिटर।
for supporting staff
सहायक भूमिकाओं या हितधारकों के लिए बिल्कुल सही—आवश्यक परियोजना सुविधाओं तक पहुंच प्राप्त करें और बिना पूर्ण प्लेटफ़ॉर्म अनुमतियों के प्रमुख वित्तीय डेटा देखें, जिससे उपयोगकर्ता सूचित रह सकें और बिना हाथों के कार्यों में योगदान कर सकें।आमतौर पर चुना जाता है: साइट इंजीनियर, ग्राहक, अनुमानकर्ता या ऑडिटर।
अनुमान, लागत नियंत्रण और खरीद आदेश प्रबंधन
- आवश्यक में सब कुछ
- खरीद आदेश जारी करें और प्रबंधित करें
- बजट पर प्रतिबद्ध लागत को ट्रैक करें
- वास्तविक समय में परियोजना लाभप्रदता का पूर्वानुमान लगाएं
- कैशफ्लो पूर्वानुमान बनाएं
- ग्राहक अनुबंध और प्रगति रिपोर्ट प्रबंधित करें
अल्टीमेट
$210
€199
£164
$333
$300
/ month / project manager
$43
€40
£33
$49
$60
आमतौर पर चुना जाता है: साइट इंजीनियर, ग्राहक, अनुमानकर्ता या ऑडिटर।
for supporting staff
सहायक भूमिकाओं या हितधारकों के लिए बिल्कुल सही—आवश्यक परियोजना सुविधाओं तक पहुंच प्राप्त करें और बिना पूर्ण प्लेटफ़ॉर्म अनुमतियों के प्रमुख वित्तीय डेटा देखें, जिससे उपयोगकर्ता सूचित रह सकें और बिना हाथों के कार्यों में योगदान कर सकें।आमतौर पर चुना जाता है: साइट इंजीनियर, ग्राहक, अनुमानकर्ता या ऑडिटर।
पूर्ण कार्यक्षमता
- प्रोफेशनल में सब कुछ
- उपठेकेदार और विक्रेता कोटेशन को स्वचालित करें
- उपठेके और प्रगति को ट्रैक करें
- उपठेकेदार परिवर्तन आदेश प्रबंधित करें
- उपठेकेदार भुगतान आवेदन एकत्र करें
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.