The Zahara Set-up Guide
TL:DR
The Zahara Set-up Guide explains how to configure Zahara step by step, from your business structure and users through to workflows, suppliers, invoices and finance system exports.
Inside the guide we cover:
- how to structure businesses and divisions
- how to add members and assign roles
- how to configure suppliers and settings
- how to build approval workflows
- how to record, approve and export invoices
An Author's Note:
We designed this guide to make setup feel less like a technical project and more like a clear sequence of business decisions. Zahara works best when your structure, approvals and finance controls reflect the way your organisation actually buys and pays for things.
Your Simple Guide to Setting Up Zahara
Each setup step builds on the previous one, creating a robust system for purchase approvals, invoice processing and financial controls. The aim is to help you create a clear, usable Zahara environment that mirrors how your business works.
If you need detailed help while setting up, Zahara also provides support through the help centre and Zara, Zahara's AI help assistant.
Understanding the Menus
The Business Menu is where you configure divisions, suppliers, workflows, budgets and business settings. This is where most day-to-day setup decisions are made.
The Admin Menu is for creating new business units and managing users, permissions and access to menus.
11 Steps to Set Up Zahara
The live setup guide walks through the full configuration sequence:
- create your business structure
- add members and assign roles
- configure business settings
- connect ERP or accounting systems
- add or sync suppliers
- create approval workflows
- raise purchase orders where needed
- receipt deliveries with GRNs
- record invoices
- export approved invoices
- refine and test the setup
Refine and Test
Most customers build a prototype first, share it with colleagues, then move on to training and go-live. Once the basics are working, you can refine workflows, adjust purchase order templates, improve budget controls and review wording in system emails.
A Note from Zahara
The setup guide gives new Zahara users a practical route through the key decisions: business structure, users, suppliers, workflows, purchase orders, invoices and exports. It is intended to help teams build a working prototype before refining and going live.
Download the full guideFAQs
Quick answers to the questions we hear most often — so you can find what you need fast, avoid the jargon, and move on with confidence.
We recommend following the full process for a complete setup, but invoice-only teams may skip steps that do not apply, such as raising purchase orders.
A basic setup can be completed in a few hours, but most customers spend one to two days building and refining a prototype before going live.
Zahara integrates with systems including Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB and Sage 50. Other systems can use exports where a direct integration is not available.
Yes. Zahara workflows are flexible and can be modified as your organisation, approval rules and business structure evolve.
You can use the Zahara help centre at ask.zaharasoftware.com, chat with Zara, or contact the Zahara support team.
