Exporting an XAF audit file: where do I find it in my accounting package?
An XAF audit file is the standard file with which an accounting package hands over its figures. The menu path differs per package; the pitfalls are the same everywhere.
The short answer
You create an XAF audit file in your accounting package under export or management: Exact Online via Import/Export, Twinfield via Jaarafsluiting, Moneybird via Instellingen, e-Boekhouden via Beheer > Exporteren. Choose the whole period of the financial year and export only after processing all entries. From 1 January 2027 the Dutch Tax Administration accepts only XAF 4.0.
Updated 30 October 2026
Key facts
| What it is | An XML file with the ledger, balances and entries of a set of accounting records; extension .xaf |
| Versions | Many packages deliver 3.2 (sometimes 2.0 or 3.1). For submissions from 1 January 2027 the Dutch Tax Administration accepts only XAF 4.0 (ODB Belastingdienst) |
| Read by Jaarrekening.io | XAF 3.1 and 3.2, and a trial balance in Excel or CSV |
| Menu paths | According to the supplier documentation, consulted 6 October 2026; menus change per version |
Per package: where and with which options
The table gives the menu path that the supplier documents itself. Menus and versions change; if your screen looks different, search the package's help centre for 'auditfile'. For each package there is a detailed page with sources: see all accounting packages. The menu names are those of the Dutch-language packages.
| Package | Where | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Exact Online | Import/Export > Export > Audit file | Only processed entries are included. See Exact Online |
| SnelStart | Request audit file in the administration; version XML V2, V3 or ADF, for an online administration also V3.2 | Linking RGS is only possible online. See SnelStart |
| Twinfield | Financiële professionals > Jaarafsluiting > Auditfiles; enter period 0 to 55 for the whole financial year | Versions up to 3.2. See Twinfield |
| Moneybird | Instellingen > Boekhouding > Boekhouding exporteren | Export before the year-end closing, otherwise the profit and loss account in the file is empty. See Moneybird |
| e-Boekhouden.nl | Beheer > Exporteren > Auditfile; version 2.0 or 3.2 | Choose 3.2. See e-Boekhouden.nl |
| AFAS Profit | Financieel / Beheer / Auditbestand / Auditfile XML versie 3; process via the queue | The opening balance is not included: use the trial balance. See AFAS |
| Yuki (Nmbrs Accounting) | Boekhouding > Exporteren; XAF 3.2 and RGS Brugstaat for the accountant role | Not every role sees the option. See Yuki |
| Visma AccountView | Document > Exporteren > XML Auditfile Financieel | eAccounting works differently: Instellingen > Import en export. See Visma |
Five pitfalls to fix before the export
- Financial year not closed or entries not processed. Packages sometimes include only processed entries. First process all purchases, sales and bank entries.
- Opening balance missing. An audit file without an opening balance gives only movements; balance sheet accounts then seem not to add up. Check whether the balances of your balance sheet accounts still agree at the start of the year, or export the trial balance with an opening balance column.
- Wrong period. Export the whole financial year, not a quarter. Jaarrekening.io checks the period of the file against the financial year.
- Closing entries. If you have already closed the financial year with an appropriation of profit, the result may already be in equity and income and expenses are zero. See year-end closing.
- Outdated version. The Dutch Tax Administration has announced that from 1 January 2027 it will accept only XAF 4.0 for submissions (ODB Belastingdienst); that date applies to submissions to the Tax Administration, not to your annual accounts. For annual accounts 2025 or 2026 the version your package delivers now is sufficient as long as your annual accounts software reads it.
Case: Installatiebedrijf Van Dijk BV in Twinfield
A small BV with a financial year equal to the calendar year. In March 2026 the director wants the 2025 annual accounts prepared. The bank account shows € 61.800 in Twinfield on 31 December 2025.
- He looks for Financiële professionals > Jaarafsluiting > Auditfiles and chooses version 3.2.
- He enters period 0 to 55, so that all periods of 2025 are included, and starts the export.
- In the file he sees the opening balance, the year and a closing balance for the bank of € 61.800. He compares that with the bank account. It agrees.
- He reads the file into Jaarrekening.io. The app checks whether debit and credit are equal and whether the period fits the financial year.
Had he chosen period 1 to 12, the opening balance period 0 would have been missing and the bank would have come out at the movements of 2025 only. That is the difference between a balance of € 61.800 and a deviating figure, and it is the reason 'period 0' is in the supplier's explanation.
How it works at Jaarrekening.io
You can upload an XAF audit file (version 3.1 and 3.2) or a trial balance in Excel or CSV. Where RGS codes are in the file, the mapping to the annual accounts line items follows from those codes; for accounts without a code, the AI makes a proposal that you check. If a file from your package comes in a newer version, choose 3.2 where possible, or supply a trial balance in Excel. Direct links with accounting packages are in preparation and not yet released. See also exporting and checking a trial balance.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
How do I export an XAF audit file from Exact Online?
Via Import/Export > Export > Audit file, after all entries have been processed. Exact only includes processed entries. Afterwards check that the closing balance of the bank agrees with your bank statement.
Which XAF version should I choose?
For annual accounts you choose the newest version that your annual accounts software reads, usually 3.2. The Dutch Tax Administration (Belastingdienst) has announced that from 1 January 2027 it will accept only XAF 4.0 for submissions; that concerns submission to the Tax Administration, not the preparation of annual accounts.
Why is the opening balance missing in my audit file?
Some packages, such as AFAS Profit, do not include the opening balance in the audit file. In that case use the trial balance with an opening balance column, or export period 0 separately.
What is the difference between an audit file and a trial balance?
An audit file contains ledger, balances and all entries in a standard XML format. A trial balance is a single list with a balance per account. For annual accounts the trial balance is sufficient; an audit file offers more checking options and often RGS codes.
Why is my profit and loss account empty after the export?
Usually the financial year has already been closed and income and expenses have been transferred to equity. With Moneybird you therefore export before the year-end closing.
Read more
Preparing Dutch annual accounts?
Your first set of annual accounts is free, for every size class. Create an account and prepare the annual accounts of your Dutch company under Title 9 of Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Get started