The following article outlines the steps required to connect Xemplo to your existing Xero account. By connecting Xemplo to Xero you unlock the ability to export invoices and RCTIs from the Timesheets
Initial Setup
Step 1: Add Integration
While logged in as a user with Administrator privileges, navigate to Company Settings and then to the Integrations page. The page provides a list of integrations that are available for Xempo:
Click the Start Setup button next to Xero to start the setup process.
Step 2: Login to Xero
At the first screen you will be provided with information about the Xero integration. To get started with the setup process click the Connect to Xero button
You will be redirected to Xero and asked to login to your account. Use your Xero login details to continue. Once logged in successfully you will be asked to allow Xemplo to connect to your account. To proceed, click the Allow access button.
If you are managing multiple Xero companies you will also have the ability to select the account you wish to connect to. Please check this selection to ensure it is the correct company before proceeding.
Step 3: Select accounts to syncronise
Once access is allowed you will be directed back to Xemplo and asked to select the Xero accounts you wish to use in Xemplo. These are the accounts that you wish to use when exporting invoices or RCTIs. Select any accounts that you wish to use for account mapping purposes (see section "Account Mapping" for more information) and click continue:
Step 4: Select expense account
In the next step you will be asked to specify an account to be used when expenses reimbursements are included in invoices. This allows you to select a different account to standard invoice lines (e.g. invoice lines containing invoiced timesheet hours) so that you can track expenses separately in your General Ledger.
When a selection has been made, click Finish Setup
Step 5: Complete Setup
All of the required steps for setup have now been completed and Xero will now be shown as a connected application on the integrations page:
Account Mapping
Once Xero is connected to your Xemplo account you can choose how you would like invoices to be generated. Xemplo allows flexibility to define the specific account codes you wish to use when invoices are exported. This process is called Account Mapping and can be done in various places:
Engagements
When creating or editing engagements you have the ability to activate pay categories to use within assignments. This step allows you to enable only the pay categories specific to the assignment's needs. For example you could enable pay categories related to hourly payments because the assignments are going to be paid at an hourly rate. When enabling these pay categories you also select the account that should be used when invoices or RCTIs are generated containing the pay category.
For example, in the following screenshot we are enabling a pay category called "Ordinary Hours" and selecting the following Xero accounts:
- Staffing Revenue (200) will be used for invoicing and is selected using the Invoice account code field. This means that any Ordinary Hours that are invoiced will use the Staffing Revenue account when the invoice is exported to Xero.
- Contractor Payments (477) will be used for RCTIs and is selected using the Expense account code field. This means that any Ordinary Hours that are used in an RCTI will use the Contractor Payments account when the RCTI is exported to Xero.
Xero Invoice
Xero Bill (exported RCTI)
Assignments
Within assignments you have the ability to override account codes. This means that you can customise the account codes used for invoices and RCTIs based on specific assignments. Similar to the engagements screen the account codes are provided in a dropdown list for easy selection:
Rate templates
When creating or editing Rate templates you also have the ability to select account codes. Similar to assignments, these are set within a rate template rule:
Modify Settings
From time to time you may wish to modify the Xero integration settings to faciliate changes made to your accounting processes. This could require the importing of additional accounts or setting a different code to be used for expenses.
To modify settings, login to Xemplo as an Administrator and go to Company Settings and then to Integrations.
Click on the Xero panel to open the integration settings:
Imported accounts
Click on "Click here" link within the Imported Accounts section to open the list of Xero accounts. Toggle account(s) on or off to change the accounts that are available to use in Xemplo.
Note - if accounts are currently being used for mapping in Xemplo they cannot be deactivated without first being removed from all mappings.
Expense account
To change the account used for expenses simply select a new account from the account list:
Contact group for Independent Contractors
When RCTIs are exported Xemplo will create a new contact card if the worker doesn't already exist in Xero. When these contacts are created you can optionally nominate a contact group for the contact to be assigned to. This grouping is particularly useful for TPAR requirements in Australia (https://central.xero.com/s/article/The-Taxable-Payments-Annual-Report).
Disconnecting
To disconnect from your Xero account, login to Xemplo as an Administrator and go to Company Settings and then to Integrations.
Click on the Xero panel and at the top of the integration settings panel click Disconnect from Xero
Your Xero account will now be disconnected. If you wish to reconnect your Xero account please follow the Initial Setup steps again.
See also: Troubleshooting Common Xero Errors