Tracking Categories are a key feature of Xero and very powerful. They enable the accounting data to be segmented into branches, products, costs centres, geographies or any other segmentation required. They are a key part of a good data model.

Xero enables 4 Tracking Categories but only 2 can be active at any one time. This means that a business effectively has 2 Tracking Categories with each limited to 100 Options. For some businesses this isn’t enough…

How many Tracking Categories or Data Dimensions do you need?

The limited number of Tracking Categories is the #1 reason for leaving Xero cited by businesses that have migrated to an ERP. These businesses needed reporting in more dimensions. For each business this need is specific:  

Example 1: The business currently uses Tracking Categories to report by #1 ‘branch’ and #2 ‘customer type’. When launching a new product line they need a third Tracking Category / Data Dimension - #3 ‘product’.

Example 2: The business currently uses Tracking Categories to report by #1 ‘cost centre’ and #2 ‘product type’. The business has won a grant but now needs to track the data by ‘project’ to ensure they meet the grant’s rules so they need a third Tracking Category / Data Dimension - #3 ‘project’.

The need for additional Tracking Categories and Data Dimensions is particularly acute in multi-entity businesses where there is often a need for segmenting the data for intra-company needs as well as group needs

6 more Tracking Categories / Data Dimensions!

We’ve built Data Dimensions to solve this problem. Data Dimensions gives you 6 additional Tracking Categories across your group.

Just like with Tracking Categories you can use them however you wish and personalise as you require. Each Data Dimension comes with up to 250 Options.

This allows you to do much more with your data!

Your group can now segment your data by ‘Branch’ and ‘Cost Centre’ and ‘Product’ and ‘Project’ and ‘Geo’ and ‘Customer Type’ and whatever else you need!

How to use Data Dimensions

Create your new Data Dimensions and Options

Data Dimensions allows you to quickly and easily create and edit your new Data Dimensions and Options:

Create rules to automatically allocate transactions to your Options

Data Dimensions has a sophisticated rules engine that allows you to allocate past, present and future transactions by Supplier, Customer, Entity, Account, etc.:

See how your Data Dimensions are being applied across your group

Data Dimensions enables you to review how your Data Dimensions are used by volume, by value and by percentage:

Use your Data Dimensions in Consolidation, Intercompany and other workflows

Unfortunately there isn’t a way of sending the Data Dimensions into Xero in a way that would appear in Xero’s reporting but you can use your data across the Apps and Workflows in Translucent:

Using Data Dimensions in Single-Entity Businesses

Although it was designed for multi-entity businesses, Data Dimensions can be used for single entity business and works in exactly the same way: you get 6 additional Data Dimensions / Tracking Categories and each one comes with up to 250 Options.