The Zahara Set-up Guide

2. Add Your Members

You've created your divisions. Now you need to add users and assign them roles.

To add members:

1. Click the + Add Members button at the top of the page
2. Input your member information
3. Assign roles within the division (e.g., Admin, Buyer, Approver)

Tip: You can assign multiple roles to one individual if needed.

3. Business Settings

4. Integration with ERP Systems

Now it's time to integrate Zahara with your existing ERP systems.

Cloud Systems

If you use one of the fully integrated systems like Xero, QuickBooks Online, or MYOB, you can connect your ERPs under the Integrations tab of Business Settings.

Sage 50 (UK)

Select Sage 50 from the Integration Tab. Download our Sage 50 on-premise sync tool and connect to Sage 50. Make sure to choose the correct version (e.g., 2025).

After syncing, you should see your suppliers and coding appearing in the lists. Allow time for the sync to complete.

5. Adding Suppliers

If the sync with your accounts system was successful, you should see your complete list of suppliers and coding. If not, you can add them manually.

For manual creation:

1. Navigate to the Business menu
2. Select Suppliers
3. Click Add New Supplier
4. Enter the required details for the new supplier

6. Approval Workflows

By this point you should have created your divisions and assigned users. Now you can create a workflow.

Setting Up Your First Workflow:

First, set your division head by assigning the role in the member information section.

Enable workflows:

1. Go to Division settings
2. Select Workflows
3. Switch the workflow setting to On

Creating Your Workflow:

1. Go to the Division settings
2. Find the workflow section to create a new workflow or modify an existing one
3. Give your workflow a name and select your workflow type from the drop-down menu
4. Set the workflow entry point: Set up a conditional start (e.g., workflow activates if order value exceeds a threshold)
5. Add approval steps: Add one or more conditional approval steps
6. Define conditions for steps: Create conditions for each step (e.g., send to CFO if amount exceeds certain value)
7. Specify approvers: Choose individual or group approvers
8. Include other actions: Add steps to send emails or create purchase orders
9. Set as default: Set the default workflow to Automatic for Purchase Requisitions
10. Publish the workflow: Once configured and tested, publish it
11. Set your default workflow: If you have multiple workflows with conditional starts, set the default as Automatic or Automatic Invoice

7. Raising Purchase Orders

(If you only plan to use Zahara for invoice processing, you can skip this step.)

To raise a purchase order:

1. Click the + icon and select New Order
2. Select the division that you have created a workflow for
3. Choose the supplier from your list
4. Populate your line items in the drop-down menus
5. Review the budget screen (can be turned off in Business Settings → Budgets)
6. Confirm the delivery address (set default in Business Settings → Purchase Orders)
7. Add comments if needed
8. Preview your order and click Create
9. The purchase order will be sent into a workflow for approval (status: orange - out for approval)
10. Once approved, it will be emailed to the supplier automatically

Workflow Choice: As the tenancy admin, you can choose a workflow. Once you remove the admin role from user permissions, they will only see the default workflow.

8. Receipt the Deliveries

Recording goods received on a purchase order is very simple.

To create a GRN (Goods Received Note):

1. Tick the order in the purchase orders list
2. Click GRN
3. Follow the steps on the screen

You can create multiple GRNs for the same order without limit. The goal is to get to a balance of zero on each line and a delivered status icon.

9. Record an Invoice

You can record an invoice in several ways:

• From the + menu, click New Invoice
• From the orders menu, tick an order, then select Batch Invoice
• From the invoices document list, click the New Invoice icon
• From the Invoice Inbox

Simple method (from existing order):

1. Find your order in the purchases list
2. Tick it and click Batch Invoice
3. Fill in Invoice Number, Invoice Date, Due Date, and Payment Status
4. Select No in Payment Status to see the full invoice screen
5. Notice how the line items are already populated from the order

10. Export an Invoice

At the end of the process, once the invoice is approved, you'll want to export it to your accounts system.

11. Refine and Test!

Now you've got the hang of the basics, you can start exploring Zahara's settings in more detail. Try experimenting with workflows, refining your Purchase Order Template, or adjusting the wording of your emails. You might also want to look at setting up budgets and projects.

Best Practice: Most customers build a prototype first, share it with colleagues, then move on to training and going live.

You can find lots of helpful articles at https://ask.zaharasoftware.com to guide you as you build your version of Zahara.

And of course, if you get stuck, just raise a ticket and one of our support engineers will be there to help.