Using cards in Apron is straightforward. The exact setup depends on what kind of card you have and whether your Apron account is connected to an accounting app like Xero or QuickBooks. This guide walks you through the quickest path and helps you avoid common snags.
Understanding your card type
Commercial cards are those in the company’s name used for business expenses and are typically set up as Credit Card accounts in your accounting software. These can be synced automatically from your accounting software and integrate seamlessly to make reconciliation simple.
Personal cards are those in person’s name typically used for director's expenses or personal business costs. These are supported in Apron as well, but we won’t automatically sync these, requiring just one extra setup step to get started.
Syncing cards from your accounting app
If your Apron company is connected to Xero or QuickBooks and your card already exists there as a card account, the easiest path is to sync it into Apron. We always recommend this route as it ensures everything matches up perfectly for reconciliation.
You can do this when choosing the payment method on the new payment review screen simply by clicking on + Add credit card, and choose Sync from QuickBooks/Xero.
Personal cards: syncing personal cards from QuickBooks/Xero isn’t currently supported. If it’s a personal/director card, just add it manually in Apron (explained next).
Adding a card manually
If your Apron company isn’t connected to an accounting app, the card isn’t already added, or want to use a Personal card you can always add it directly in Apron.
You can do this simply by entering your card details directly when creating a payment. This creates the necessary accounts automatically. To do that, click on + Add credit card when creating a new payment and choose Add manually. Apron sets up the right accounting treatment behind the scenes so your books stay clean.
Note: Business debit cards aren't supported as a payment method. Unlike credit cards, debit card payments are harder to track and reconcile properly in accounting software, which could affect your bookkeeping accuracy.
Special case: Business cards on Xero-connected companies
For Xero-connected companies, commercial cards must be synced from Xero (not added manually in Apron). This keeps your Xero Credit Card account and Apron perfectly in step and avoids duplicates.
What to check in Xero (at a glance):
A bank account exists whose account type is Credit Card (Xero’s term for company cards).
It has a clear name (e.g., “Visa • 1234”) so it’s easy to recognise when syncing.
In Apron, go to Add credit card > Sync from Xero and you’re good to go.