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Xero Integration: Setting Up Expense Sync
Xero Integration: Setting Up Expense Sync

Learn how to sync your expenses from Productive to Xero for efficient financial management and accurate record-keeping.

Updated over a week ago

Integrating Xero with Productive allows you to send invoices from Productive to your Xero account. When configuring the integration, you can also enable additional features to keep your financial data in sync between both platforms:

  • Invoice payment synchronization

    When you mark an invoice as paid in Xero (including partial payments or tranches), the status can automatically be updated in Productive. Find out more about it here.
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  • Send expenses to Xero

    Send budget expenses from Productive to Xero to ensure accurate financial tracking and reporting.
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  • Expense payment synchronization

    When an expense is marked as paid in Xero, it can also be marked as paid in Productive.

Follow the steps below to set up the integration to send expenses and sync their payments!

The option to export expenses to Xero and sync their payments back to Productive is available on the Professional and Ultimate plans.

Setting Up the Integration

#1 Link Your Xero Account to Productive

  • Navigate to Settings > App marketplace.

  • Find Xero in the list and click "Connect app".

  • A new window will open asking for permission to connect to Xero. Enter your Xero credentials to complete the connection.

#2 Enable the Invoice and Expense Payment Sync

  • To enable payment synchronization, toggle "Synchronize payments from Xero to Productive". This will allow invoices and expenses marked as paid in Xero to automatically update as paid in Productive.

  • Note: The sync is one-way, from Xero to Productive!

#3 Enable Sending Expenses to Xero

  • Navigate to the Expenses card in the integration setup to further configure the integration settings.

  • Check the box to enable exporting expenses to Xero.

Note: Enabling the expenses export will make the expense payment section visible for all expenses in the organization (this can be turned off if you disable the Xero expense export).

Find out more about expense settings here.

#4 Select Default Expense Account Code

  • Choose the default Xero expense account code where expenses from Productive will be recorded.

#5 Map Service Types to Xero Account Codes (Optional)

  • You can map specific service types in Productive to Xero account codes for more organized and flexible expense tracking.

  • For example, expenses under the "Admin work" service type can be directed to a specific expense account in Xero.

#6 Save Integration Settings

  • Click "Save" to apply the integration settings. A green checkmark will indicate that the setup is complete.

  • You can edit the integration settings at any time if needed.

#7 Ready to Sync Expenses and Expense Payments!

  • Now that your setup is complete, you are ready to send expenses to Xero.

  • Check out this guide for details on how to do it.

Best Practices

  • Regularly Review Sync Settings
    Periodically review and update your sync settings to ensure accuracy and alignment with your financial management practices.

  • Monitor Sync Status
    Keep an eye on the sync status and address any error messages promptly to maintain smooth operations.

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