PracSuite integrates with Xero accounting software and allows users to upload payment data to one or more Xero organisations. This will upload as a total for each payment method, where it can be reconciled against your bank statements. Click here to learn more about how payment data is synced to Xero.
Before using this integration, please note that Xero does not provide any means to reverse an upload made to their system. We strongly suggest that you test your integration using the ‘Demo Company’ organisation before uploading data to your live (production) Xero organisation.
Although we consider the Xero integration to be an industry-best implementation, we provide the integration 'as-is' and users must assess for themselves whether the integration is suitable for their professional use. It is assumed that all data being uploaded to Xero has been finalised, with no further changes expected, before it is uploaded to Xero. There may still be situations that require manual adjustments in Xero.
Smartsoft Pty Ltd is not responsible for any unwanted changes to your Xero account.
Table of Contents
Step 1 - Creating a Xero organisation
To integrate Xero you will first need to create a Xero account and Organisation, if you do not already have one available. If you are new to Xero, it is essential to work with your accountant or bookkeeper to configure your Xero accounts in a way that suits your accounting and taxation needs. These accounts will then be set in PracSuite to determine where invoices and payments are uploaded within Xero.
We strongly recommend using the ‘Demo Company’ organisation to trial the integration and confirm the uploaded data is appropriate for your accounting needs.
1) Navigate to https://www.xero.com/signup
2) Enter your details and click Next: Confirmation.
You will be sent an email to verify your account.
3) Following the email instructions, activate your account in Xero by entering a password.
4) Add your business details and click Start trial.
On completion you will be directed to your Xero dashboard, where your organisation name should be displayed in the top left of the screen.
5) Rather than use the Demo Company we recommend you create a new 'dummy' organisation titled 'PracSuite Xero Testing' or similar, where you can safely trial the uploads from PracSuite to Xero.
Step 2 - Creating Xero accounts
Accounts are an important part of the Xero system and fundamental to the integration with PracSuite. When syncing to Xero we need to know where PracSuite should create sales invoices, along with where to allocate payments. We recommend planning your account setup with your bookkeeper or accountant for best results.
1) From the Xero menu, click Accounting and select Chart of accounts.
The Chart of accounts is used by Xero to categorise transactions, such as those we will be uploading from PracSuite. Default accounts are available, but if required you can create additional accounts.
2) Click the Add Account button.
3) Enter details appropriate for a Sales/Invoices account, then click Save.
Below is an example for a 'Sales' account.
4) Click the Add Bank Account button and link your Bank Account to Xero.
Follow the prompts to create a bank account in Xero.
Please note that for use of the Reconciliation features in Xero, this should be selected as your 'Payments' account in PracSuite.
5) Repeat as needed to create additional accounts.
If needed, PracSuite allows users to:
Upload each payment method to a unique account.
Create sales invoices in unique accounts depending on which Item Schedule the payment was allocated against.
Create sales invoices in unique accounts depending on which Item the payment was allocated against.
All of which can be set per Business in PracSuite.
Step 3 - Configuring PracSuite for Xero integration
With your Xero account configured, you can now enable the integration features in PracSuite and begin your upload configuration.
1) In PracSuite, Go to Settings > Integrations > Xero.
2) Enable the Xero Integration.
3) Click the Add button, after which you will be prompted to login to your Xero account.
4) Select the Organisation you wish to integrate with, and then click Allow access.
Please note:
If you do not see the 'Organisation' drop-down at the top of this screen, it means you only have a single organisation available in Xero and it has been selected automatically.
We strongly recommend using a 'Demo' organisation to trial your integration, where you can safely upload data without consequence. You can later repeat this process and connect to your live organisation, once you have verified the settings and resulting uploads are correct for your business.
Once you have allowed access to your Xero organisation, a corresponding 'organisation' will be created in PracSuite where you can configure the integration options.
5) Select the default Sales and Payment accounts to be used.
These are the default accounts to be used when no further overrides are specified on the Business, Payment Method, Schedule or Item Code.
Note: If you make changes or added new accounts in Xero, please use the Reload Accounts button to re-sync and make these available for selection.
Optionally, you can also choose whether to:
Include Gift Card Payments
This determines if payments made under the 'Gift Card' method are uploaded to Xero.
Consolidate Credit Card Payments
This determines if 'Credit Card' payments should be uploaded as a single total, or with separate totals for 'Visa' and 'Mastercard' etc.
Consolidate Health Fund Payments
This determines if 'Health Fund' payments should be uploaded as a single total, or uploaded separately based on whether the payment was entered manually or using Tyro Health Online or Tyro Health EFTPOS.
6) In the Businesses section, click Add and select the businesses associated with this Xero organisation.
Any payments added to PracSuite at the selected businesses will be uploaded to Xero.
By default the totals for these businesses will be uploaded separately into Xero. If you require these totals to be consolidated, use the Consolidate checkbox to select which businesses should have their totals combined.
7) Payment Method Overrides can be added if required, and specify which payment method totals you would like uploaded to which account in Xero.
8) Schedule Overrides can be added if required. This can be used to specify a different Sales Account to be used when the payment has been allocated to an Item Code within the specified Schedule.
9) Item Code Overrides can be added if required. This can be used to specify a different Sales Account to be used when the payment has been allocated to a specific Item Code.
10) If you need to set specific accounts or overrides for each business, return to the Businesses section and use the Account Setup option:
This allows you to override all accounts for that business, and includes all the same override options as above.
Please note these 'business-specific' settings take precedence over any settings on the main Xero page. If the 'Overrides' are disabled on this page, they will not apply to this business when uploading.
Step 4 - Syncing to Xero
Once your Xero account has been integrated with PracSuite and configured correctly, you are now ready to sync your payment totals to Xero.
1) Login to PracSuite and navigate to Settings > Integrations > Xero.
2) Select the Organisation from the displayed list.
3) Click the Sync Now button.
4) When syncing to Xero for the first time, you will be able to specify both a Start Date and an End Date. PracSuite will upload payment totals for each date in this range.
Enter a Start Date and End Date, then click Sync.
Please note when clicking Sync in the future you will only be able to specify an End Date and not overlap past upload periods. You cannot re-upload dates that have already been synced to Xero.
Congratulations, you have successfully used Xero integration.
Step 5 - Sync Log and Re-Syncing
If you believe an upload to Xero has failed, the Log is available to view and allows you to attempt re-syncing the failed upload.
1) Login to PracSuite and navigate to Settings > Integrations > Xero.
2) Select the Organisation from the displayed list.
3) Select the Log option.
This will provide a summary of Completed and Failed uploads to Xero.
If the Sync Status is 'Failed' you will be able to expand the grid to see additional details.
In this example we can see the failure description is 'Account could not be found', which suggests the account in Xero is no longer available or has changed name or ID. This can be resolved by using the 'Reload Accounts' option in PracSuite and ensuring your have a valid payment account selected.
Once resolved, you can return to the Log and select the Re-Sync option to attempt the upload again. Alternatively, you can choose the Ignore option if you want to resolve this failure manually or re-syncing is not a viable option.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m not familiar with Xero, how much support can Smartsoft provide?
Smartsoft can assist with integrating your PracSuite system to Xero, however we cannot provide assistance with the use of Xero itself. This includes the creation of your Xero account, along with the creation of individual accounts and bank reconciliation. Further, we are not accountants and cannot provide financial or taxation advice.
Do I really need to start with a trial organisation in Xero?
We strongly recommend beginning with a trial organisation in Xero. This will allow you to verify your account mapping between PracSuite and Xero, while also confirming the results match your expectations. If you upload to the wrong account or are not satisfied with the resulting information in Xero, please note it cannot simply be reversed or deleted.
I am ready to sync to my trial organisation in Xero, where should I start?
We recommend you start by syncing a period from several months ago, then verify the results.
You should confirm:
Invoices and Payments are uploading to the correct accounts
Your accounts are balancing as expected for the period.
If you are connecting to multiple Xero organisations, confirm the split of invoices and payments is accurate.
The setup of Xero meets the needs of your accountant or bookkeeper.
I’m ready to begin using a live Xero organisation, what should I do?
When you are ready to begin uploading to your live Xero organisation, you should:
1) In Xero, re-create the account setup from your trial organisation into your live organisation.
2) Following Step 3 of this guide, integrate your live Xero organisation with PracSuite.
3) In PracSuite, copy the settings from your trial organisation into your live organisation.
4) When satisfied that your 'Live' setup matches your 'Demo' setup, which you have previously verified, begin by syncing a small date-range to ensure there are no issues.
Verify your results before proceeding with larger ranges.
My Xero balance isn’t correct, what should I do?
Depending on your Xero setup there are several reasons your balance might seem inaccurate. For example, if you’ve split payments across multiple businesses, and those businesses are uploading to different Xero organisations, the balance may not reflect as you are expecting.
It is recommended that you use the Reconciliation report (Reports > Billing > Reconciliation) and compare small ranges of data, and narrow down any discrepancies to the smallest range possible. Please ensure you are filtering the Reconciliation report to match your Xero upload before comparing results.
Smartsoft can only provide limited support in identifying discrepancies and comparing reports or balances. You will first need to locate a specific date and payment method that is causing the discrepancy before we can assist.
I’ve made changes to a previously synced accounting period, what should I do?
Sync periods are final, and once a period has been uploaded to Xero you cannot make further changes. For this reason we highly recommend only syncing closed and verified accounting periods.