Xero Integration Workflow

Overview

This workflow covers connecting MyApprentice, a web-based app, to Xero for a team business, pushing invoices to Xero individually or in bulk, syncing payment status back into MyApprentice, resolving sync errors, and disconnecting Xero. Connecting Xero keeps your invoicing and accounting aligned. When connected to Xero, sending an invoice from MyApprentice authorises it in Xero so the client can pay it. Only invoices sync to Xero — quotes are not synced. The Business Owner, Admin, and Finance manage the connection through full Business Settings access, and Finance is the natural day-to-day owner of Xero invoicing.

Who This Workflow Is For

The Xero connection is managed by the Business Owner and Admin, who have full Business Settings access, and by Finance, whose Business Settings access is scoped to Xero-related settings. These roles can connect Xero, review settings, push invoices, review sync status, and resolve sync errors. Supervisors do not have Business Settings access and cannot connect or manage Xero. Tradies and Apprentices have no Xero access.

Before You Start

You need access to your Xero organisation with sufficient permissions to authorise third-party app connections. MFA must be set up in MyApprentice before connecting Xero. Connecting Xero is MFA-gated. See Set Up MFA on Your Account. Invoices must exist in MyApprentice before they can be pushed to Xero.

End-to-End Workflow

Step 1: Connect Xero

The Business Owner, Admin, or Finance connects MyApprentice to Xero.

1. Open Business Settings from the left sidebar under ADMIN and open the Integrations tab.
2. In the Xero section, select Connect to Xero.
3. You are redirected to the Xero authorisation page — log in with your Xero credentials, select the correct Xero organisation, and select Allow access (and Continue with organisations where shown).
4. You are returned to the Integrations tab, where the Xero section shows Connected with your Xero organisation name.

Step 2: Review Xero settings

Before relying on the connection, the Business Owner, Admin, or Finance reviews the additional options in Business Settings → Integrations → Xero settings. Reviewing these ensures invoices sync with the correct accounting details.

1. Review the default sales account code that synced invoices are coded to.
2. Review the default tax type applied to invoices sent to Xero.
3. Review Enable Xero upsert (allows MyApprentice to update matching existing Xero records rather than only creating new ones).
4. Review tracking categories support where your organisation uses them.
5. Tick Use Xero’s Pay Now link on invoices if you want clients to pay through Xero’s hosted Pay Now page on authorised invoices.
6. Set the Xero payment account — the bank or clearing account used to record card payments collected through MyApprentice as paid in Xero. Leave it empty to not record these payments in Xero. Caution: if your Stripe account also feeds Xero (bank feed or Xero payment service), recording here too can double-count the cash.

Step 3: Push a single invoice to Xero

Finance, an Admin, or the Business Owner pushes one invoice.

1. Open Quotes & Invoices and open the invoice to push.
2. Choose a Xero push action:
   • Send to Xero (Draft) — creates the invoice in Xero as a draft for review before authorisation. Use this when you want to check the invoice in Xero first.
   • Send to Xero (Authorised) — creates and authorises the invoice in Xero immediately, placing it into the awaiting payment flow.
3. Confirm the action if prompted.
4. The invoice’s Xero sync status updates to Synced once the push succeeds. You send the invoice to the client from MyApprentice; sending authorises it in Xero so the client can pay it.

Step 4: Push multiple invoices to Xero

1. From the Quotes & Invoices page, select Send all to Xero.
2. Authorised invoices are pushed to Xero to await payment. Draft invoices are only included if you tick the include invoices still in draft checkbox — with it ticked, both draft and authorised invoices are pushed in the bulk push.
3. Review the invoice statuses after the bulk push completes.

Step 5: Review sync status

1. The invoice list includes a Xero sync status indicator. The sync statuses are:
   • Synced (pushed successfully).
   • Not synced (not yet pushed or sync did not complete).
   • Failed (sync failed and requires correction).
2. Open an invoice to see further sync detail or an error message.

Step 6: Sync payment status from Xero

1. After a client pays an invoice in Xero, pull the payment state back into MyApprentice: use Sync All on the Quotes & Invoices page to reconcile all open invoices at once, or open a single invoice and select Sync Xero Status. A card payment taken through MyApprentice’s Stripe is pushed to Xero automatically when the Xero payment account is set.
2. For Xero-connected businesses, payment settlement is managed through Xero and the Mark as paid option does not appear in MyApprentice.

Step 7: Resolve a sync error

Use this when a push fails and the invoice shows Xero sync status: Failed.

1. Open the invoice to read the error message in the Xero section.
2. Address the common causes and resolutions:
   • Xero connection expired — the most common error. The Business Owner, Admin, or Finance reconnects via Business Settings → Integrations → Connect.
   • Missing Xero account code — set a default account code in Business Settings → Integrations → Xero settings.
   • Duplicate invoice number in Xero — change the invoice number in MyApprentice before re-pushing.
3. Also check the client details, invoice lines, GST/tax treatment, account code, totals, and that the correct Xero organisation is still connected.
4. There is no separate Retry Sync button — after correcting the cause, re-push the invoice using Send to Xero (Draft) or Send to Xero (Authorised).
5. If a sync failure is caused by an expired connection and a Supervisor encounters it, the Business Owner, Admin, or Finance must reconnect, as Supervisors cannot manage the Xero connection.

Step 8: Disconnect Xero

1. To disconnect, the Business Owner, Admin, or Finance navigates to Business Settings → Integrations → Xero section and selects Disconnect.
2. The local quote and invoice lifecycle in MyApprentice continues to work fully after disconnecting.

Common Issues & Limitations

• Connection required first. Invoices cannot be pushed until Xero is connected.
• Only invoices sync. Quotes are not synced to Xero.
• Xero connection expired. This is the most common sync error — the Business Owner, Admin, or Finance reconnects from Business Settings → Integrations.
• Duplicate invoice number. If Xero already has an invoice with the same number, change the number in MyApprentice and re-push.
• Wrong organisation connected. Disconnect and reconnect, selecting the correct organisation during Xero authorisation.
• No Retry Sync button. Re-push using the standard Send to Xero actions after correcting the cause.
• Mark as paid hidden. When Xero is connected, payment is managed in Xero and the Mark as paid option does not appear in MyApprentice.
• Supervisor access. Supervisors do not have Business Settings access and cannot connect or manage Xero.
• Xero Integration feature toggle. If the Xero Integration feature is disabled, Xero connect, disconnect, push, and sync are unavailable; the local quote and invoice lifecycle still works.

What Happens Next

Synced invoices appear in Xero as Draft or Authorised depending on the push method used; you send them to clients from MyApprentice, and sending authorises the invoice in Xero so the client can pay. Payment recorded in Xero can be pulled back into MyApprentice with Sync All (or Sync Xero Status on a single invoice), closing the loop between job delivery, invoicing, and accounting.

Related Guides

• Invoicing Workflow
• Creating a Job and Completing the Work
• Client Enquiry to Accepted Quote