How to integrate Archdesk with Xero

Archdesk provides ONE-WAY integration with the accounting system Xero. What it means is that you can seamlessly transfer your financial documents from Archdesk to Xero with just one click. 

In this article you will learn:

 

Things to keep in mind: 

  • Archdesk allows you to create invoices and credit notes and helps you exchange them with your clients and suppliers in a fast and easy way. 
  • Archdesk has the Financials functionality in order to be able to track the financial health per project and for all the projects cumulatively. 
  • The Financials functionality allows for reporting on the projected cost vs real spend. 
  • HOWEVER Archdesk is not an accounting system. Xero is. That's why we join forces so that Archdesk does best what we do best which is help you manage your construction and production projects and Xero can do what they do best, which is your full accounting. 

 

FIRST ACTIVATION

To activate the integration between Archdesk and Xero you need to go to Settings&Preferences -> Integrations -> Activate.  

Click on ACTIVATE. This will bring up the Xero login window.
 
NOTE!!! If you have multiple companies you work with, make sure you select from the drop-down the correct one you wish to connect to. 
 
Log into your Xero account. 
 
 
The system will bring you back to Archdesk and will ask you to connect your Accounts to Xero (so that the VAT tax levels and the nominal codes match).
 
Match the VAT tax levels. Once done, scroll down to match the nominal codes. 
The tax accounts need to be matched and here you can also set up the Reverse VAT taxes - per Sales or Purchase Invoices. You need to select from the drop-down the proper VAT tax level to match Archdesk with Xero. 
 
NOTE!!! Inside the Accounting system, you must have the Reverse VAT turned on before attempting the activation. 
 
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Match the accounts. Don't forget to Save and Activate
 
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The popup in the bottom right corner will inform you about the integration activation. 
 
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🚨Your Chart of Accounts should be the same in Archdesk as it is in Xero. During the implementation, we have added the Nominal Codes provided by your company but if during the integration you notice they are different, please contact us at support@archdesk.com  
 
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🚨The first integration is very important. Please read carefully what happens upon your first transfer. 

  1. Once you activate the integration, Archdesk starts transferring the invoices automatically meaning you don't need to export CSV to then import it to Xero. The systems connect directly.

  2. When performing the first activation, Archdesk will try to transfer all your invoices as the system needs to learn which invoices have already been transferred and are already in Xero. If you had transferred some of your invoices manually, you will need to delete the drafts of the "duplicates" in Xero.

  3. After the first integration the system will only send out the new invoices you create from that point on.

  4. The integration is active for an unlimited amount of time. This means that as long as the connection remains Active, the data will transfer through. To check if the connection is active, you must go under Settings and Preferences > Integrations and see the info in green. 
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  5. The transferred invoices in Xero will be saved as drafts. You need to go to Xero and approve the ones that are new in Xero. Bulk approval is possible in Xero.
     

FOLLOWING TRANSFERS

Whenever you need to have the invoices issued in Archdesk to appear in Xero, check the Integration status. Make sure the connection with Xero is Active. If the connection is Active, then the data flow is automatically done: create the invoice and it will be transferred as draft tp Xero. 

If the connection is no longer active, you will have to reactive it. Please follow the steps below:

1. Go inside Xero and from the Menu, select the "Settings" option

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2. A new page will appear and you will have to select the "Connected Apps" option. 

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3. This will bring you to the page with the Apps that have a connection to your Xero account.

From the list, please choose Archdesk and click on the 3 dots > Disconnect. 

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4. A pop-up window will appear, where you will have to choose the reason (optional) and click on Disconnect App. Once that is done, you can move forward to Archdesk.

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5. Inside Archdesk, you will have to perform the same steps as for the FIRST ACTIVATION. 

 

🚨Make sure that the invoices and credit notes are assigned to a specific existing contact in Archdesk. If you type in the contact's details manually, Xero will not know what to do with that invoice and will not transfer it.  

🚨If there are reference numbers in Xero, for the contacts, then they must match with the ones in Archdesk.  It's better to create contacts in Archdesk first and then let the system mirror them in Xero. 

If the contact exists in Archdesk, click on the yellow bar to select the client from the Contacts list. If the contact doesn't exist in Archdesk, you can quickly create it without leaving the Invoice Creator. Click on the shortcut clock icon-> create contact-> Business/Individual Contact. Create the contact, save, and then select it by clicking the yellow button.

 

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 ISSUES WITH INTEGRATION

Sometimes during the activation, the Integration Status Report shows that not all of the transfers have been made. 
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Depending on the error message there may be a few reasons this happens: 
  • if the error message indicates that the document cannot be transferred due to incorrect tax, check the data on the invoice and correct it, then remove the record on the integration Status log and sync again.
  • if the error message indicates that there has been an issue with the token, then it may mean that you tried to activate the integration twice. 

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If the error keeps occurring, please contact Archdesk support.