Xero Configuration
You need to first connect to Xero using a username and password that has full access to your Xero account. You many need to choose the correct company also from the login screen that Xero will show you when you try and connect the two systems.
Integration with Xero is quite straightforward, but once connected your Events and Invoices are required to use rules that work with Xero.
The most basic Xero rule is if you issue a Xero invoice and take payment you can not then edit the invoice in anyway, it is completely locked after payment. To edit any Xero invoice that has been paid, you have to first void the payment, then edit the line items, then re-apply the payment, which affects the original reconciliation date. This rule affects how Function Tracker works, How you handle this basic rule should be discussed with your Accountant.
The main option to consider is how you wish to handle voiding payments. You do not require direct access to Xero to do this, all can be done from within Function Tracker. This option is mainly affected by the option to turn on or off "Allow Creations Of Multiple Invoices"
The default Function Tracker option is to not allow the creation of multiple invoices per event. This means you can only create One Deposit Invoice and One Final Invoice per event. You can though Refresh Invoices which will also update Xero Invoices even after payment. BUT to do this, the payment will be voided then re-applied, this will affect your reconciliation date and should first be discussed with your Accountant.
If you choose to "Allow the Creation of Multiple Invoices" you will NOT be able to refresh Invoices after a payment has been made or adjust line Item quantities, this option prevents changes to reconciliation dates, as we will not automatically void and re-apply existing payments for you.
This option will though affect how you build your event if you create multiple invoices and take payments, for example, you will NOT be able to edit 10 x White Wines and change to 13 x White Wines if this line item has been sent to Xero on an invoice that has been paid, as the Xero invoice is locked and therefore the Function Tracker invoice is locked and the Function Tracker line item is also locked. You can though ADD the 3 x White Wines to the event as a new line item, and create a new invoice which will be sent to Xero and you can then take payment for just the 3 x White Wine.
It is very important that you discuss voiding of payments and reconciliation dates with your Accountant and use the appropriate setting above.
It is also very important that you understand that you should never edit the Xero invoice directly, Do not change or add line items that have been sent to Xero from Function Tracker, the changes will not sync back into Function Tracker. All changes to line items must be made from within Function Tracker.
Once connected, you need to first map the relevant categories of Function Tracker to your Xero Chart of Account numbers. If these mappings and also the ones for Bank Account, Deposit Account and Tax are not mapped correctly, then Invoices will not be sent to Xero.
NOTE: All Xero COA accounts require a numerical prefix. If there is no prefix, then sending invoices to Xero from Function Tracker will fail.
Try to map all the Function Tracker categories to a relevant Xero COA number. Failing to do so, may prevents invoices being sent to Xero.
These are your Default mapping and will be used unless you apply an Advanced mapping option. You will see blue cog icons adjacent to many of the options, clicking on these will present you with alternative options that will over-ride your default options.
There is also an option to map each Function Tracker category by Event Space if required, turning this on will affect all the Advanced Mapping options.
There are also further options if you use Spit Package Categories in Function Tracker
The mapping to you Xero Bank Account and Deposit Account may require some changes to your Xero COA numbers. Again, make sure that both have a numerical prefix in Xero
Generally the Bank Account and Deposit Account will not be the same. The mapping for the Deposit Account affects the creation of Deposit Invoices. It must be mapped to a Xero COA number that is a Liability Account and has Payments Enabled. If not, sending deposit invoices to Xero will fail.
You may need to create a new Xero COA number as shown in the image below
The Bank Account mapping also has advanced options linked to the Function Tracker "How Paid" options that will override you default options if required.
The Bond mapping affect the creation of Bond invoices that are sent to Xero, again, like the Deposit mapping, it must be mapped to a Xero COA number that is a Liability Account and has Payments Enabled.
The Invoice Status mapping affects how your Xero invoices are created. You should discuss this with your Accountant, they may require that new invoices as first created as Draft Invoices in Xero which they then approve.
It is very important to map your taxes, otherwise your Xero invoices will show no tax at all. Click on the large Red Button to setup your tax mappings.
There are two main taxes you should map, your Revenue (Income) and your Expenses.
Once mapped, they can be deleted or edited from the configuration page
You also should map your options for Non Taxable Items, again there are two options, one for Revenue and one for Expenses
At this point, you should be able to create a new invoice in Function Tracker that will be sent to Xero. Please first test this as best possible.
If the invoice is sent to Xero successfully you will see two Green Icons
Clicking on the first will take you directly to the invoice in Xero. The second icon will display the Xero invoice history.
If you see a Red icon it means that your invoice was not successfully sent to Xero. Click on the Red icon to view the error message created by Xero.
In general, the error will refer to the category such as Catering has not been mapped to a Xero COA number or in the case of Deposit Invoices, you are not mapped to a Xero COA number that is a Liability Account and has Payments Enabled.
If you correct the mapping, you can refresh the invoice using the Manual Refresh Icon and it will send through to Xero successfully.
If there is neither a Green nor Red icon, you are not connected to Xero
Payments can be made either from within Function Tracker or Xero. If you make a payment from Function Tracker it will appear in Xero instantly and also a Green Icon will appear adjacent to the Payment Receipt. Clicking on this will take you directly to the Transaction in Xero.
If you make a payment in Xero and the Invoice is 14 or less days old, the payment made in Xero will sync back to FT automatically after about 15 minutes. You can always though run a manual sync from Function Tracker to check for and update payments that may have been made in Xero. To do this click on the Refresh Icon found in the Event Payments Records area.
