Xero is accounting software designed for small businesses. The Xero+Elite integration syncs invoices created in Elite with Xero, and payments allocated in either system sync with the other. Interested in the integration? Visit Momentus Connect, read more about it on the app card, and click Initiate Request. A member of the Momentus team will be in touch.
In this article:
Sync Invoices
To use the integration to sync invoices:
- Create an invoice as usual in Elite.
- Do not allocate any payments; the invoice must be created and synced before allocating payments so that the payment is correctly created and allocated in Xero.
- You may allocate credits. When credits are allocated, a negative Credit line item is created on the synced invoice in Xero.
- To allocate deposits that were invoiced and the payment applied to the deposit invoice, select the deposit invoice in the list of charges. More details are below.
- Send the invoice, either by emailing the invoice or by marking it as sent. Sending the invoice triggers the integration and the invoice will be synced to Xero.
- You are able to see the progress of the sync in the Activity Log in Momentus Connect. Navigate to Momentus Connect. On the integration app card, click More Information to open the integration page and go to the Activity Log tab.
- Once the invoice is sent:
- A log is created in Momentus Connect noting the Elite invoice number sent and the Xero invoice number created.
- A Xero invoice ID is added to the Invoice slider in Elite. This ID is in the form of a Global Unique Identifier (GUID), not the Xero invoice number.
- The invoice displays in the Invoice list in Xero. Note that this invoice format will not match your Elite invoice template. The invoice in Xero is created as AUTHORISED.
- The Elite billing contact is matched to a Xero contact based on name and email address. If a match is not found, one will be created.
What gets synced to Xero:
- Line Items:
- All standard line items with their descriptions, quantities, and prices.
- Service charges appear as separate line items.
- Package breakdown items (the main package item itself is not synced; totals are calculated by aggregating the breakdown items).
- Tax information based on your tax mapping configuration.
- Discounts. If multiple discounts exist on a line, they are aggregated into a single discount value.
- Line items are excluded if the price is zero or negative or if the quantity is zero or negative.
- Credits and Deposits:
- Credit allocations applied during invoice creation appear as a negative line item labeled Credits.
- Deposit invoices selected from the list of charges appear as a negative line item labeled Advance Deposit.
- Tax Handling:
- Elite tax codes are mapped to Xero tax rates based on the integration configuration.
- If no tax mapping is found, the default tax rate you configured is used.
- Line without tax in Elite use a 0% or exempt tax rate in Xero.
- All invoices use tax-exclusive amounts.
- GL Codes:
- Elite GL codes are matched to Xero account codes.
- If an Elite GL code doesn't exist in Xero, the default GL code you configured during setup is used
Sync Payments
When a payment is allocated to a sent invoice in Elite or to an invoice in Xero, that payment is synced to the other system. Payments can be allocated after invoices are created.
When a payment is allocated in Elite:
- The payment is automatically synced to Xero.
- A payment record is created in Xero using the default bank account configured during setup.
- The payment is applied against the corresponding invoice in Xero.
- A Xero payment ID (GUID) is added to the payment record in Elite.
- The invoice in Elite will be marked as out of date. Click the warning on the invoice details slider to update the invoice document.
When a payment is allocated in Xero:
- The integration detects the payment automatically (via invoice update notifications).
- A payment record is created in Elite.
- The payment is allocated to the corresponding invoice in Elite.
- A Xero payment ID is added to the payment in Elite.
Credits
Credits in Elite are not synced as standalone documents. Instead, credits must be applied when you create the invoice. When credits are allocated, a negative Credit line item is created on the synced invoice in Xero.
Deposits
Deposit invoices sync to Xero just like other invoices, and when you allocate payments to a deposit invoice those payments will sync as expected.
When creating your final invoice and need to allocate the deposit, select the deposit invoice from the list of charges just as you would when not using the integration. The full amount of the deposit invoice (not the amount paid, if less) will be credited to the final invoice.
If the deposit has not been paid or isn't paid in full, see the strategies for handling this in What if a deposit is not paid?.
Integration Notes
- If multiple taxes exist on an Elite line item, only one tax will be applied in Xero. This may cause totals to diverge between systems. To avoid issues, use only one tax per line item in Elite.
- Do not add payments during invoice creation. Create and send the invoice first, then add payments afterward.
- Discounts cannot exceed the line item total. For example, if a line item total is $1,000, the discount cannot be $1,050.
- Once an invoice is synced to Xero, you cannot update it by changing the Elite invoice and re-sending. Use credit memos for corrections.
- Xero calculates tax on a per-line basis and rounds to two decimal places, then sums the tax. If Elite calculates differently, slight variances may occur.
- All invoices use tax-exclusive amounts.
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If a Xero GL account type which is not Revenue (
ACCREC), a ValidationException error will be returned from Xero and the invoice will be rejected. This error is visible in the Momentus Connect Activity Log. For more details about GL account configuration see Set Up Xero in the Configure the Xero+Elite Integration article.