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Implement and Manage the Xero Integration

Duoplane Retailer accounts
Available on Professional, Premium, and Enterprise plans

Duoplane integrates with the Xero accounting platform to sync items, vendors, and vendor invoices.

 

Initial set up

  1. Run a sync to allow Duoplane to import the account list. See the "How to run a Xero sync" section below for how to initiate an import of your Xero accounts.
  2. Map your Xero accounts to the corresponding accounts in Duoplane and configure other accounting preferences. Navigate to your Accounting settings (Settings > Accounting settings) and ensure that each entry in the Account mapping section is complete. You can also change other accounting-related preferences on that same screen.

What happens during an export

1. Completion of the setup (initial export only)

The final part of the setup takes place during the initial export to Xero. Duoplane will create several items in Xero. Specifically, Duoplane will create the following in Xero:

  • A shipping expense item to be used to record shipping fees on vendor invoices
  • A handling expense item to be used to record handling or drop ship fees on vendor invoices

2. Update of your company's accounting closing date

The first step of any export is to save your company's accounting closing date (aka it's "Period lock date").  Duoplane uses this to make sure that it does not create a transaction in Xero dated prior to the lock date. For example, if Duoplane is attempting to export a sale dated March 28, 2013, but the period lock date is March 31, 2013, the transaction will instead be dated April 1, 2013.

3. Vendor export

Next, Duoplane will create or update vendors in Xero.

Which vendors? Any vendors who have products or invoices that will be exported later in this process will be exported at this time.

Create or update? If Duoplane had not previously exported that vendor to Xero, Duoplane will create a new vendor in Xero. Otherwise, the vendor data in Xero will be updated, but only if you have it configured to do so in your accounting settings. (In your accounting settings, you can set it so that existing vendors are left as-is.)

If your Xero account already contains vendor records, Duoplane will first look for matching vendors before attempting to create new records.

What information is added when a new vendor is created?

  • Name: The name of the vendor. If you set an "Accounting system name" for this vendor, that name will be used. Otherwise, it will use the default name of the vendor.
  • Contact information (first name, last name, email address): This is set to the name and email address of the primary accounts payable contact as specified in Duoplane. The accounts payable contacts are those vendor contacts who are set to receive payment reports.
  • Address (street address and phone number): The accounts payable address for the vendor. If no accounts payable address is set in Duoplane, then Duoplane exports the vendor's main address.

4. Item export

Which items? Any item that appears on a vendor invoice that is pending export.

What information? Duoplane will create an equivalent item in Xero with the item's name, price, and cost. Duoplane will not set tax rates for the items.

The item code of the Xero item will be either the Retailer SKU of item in Duoplane or the numeric ID assigned to that item by Duoplane. (This can be configured in your accounting settings.

If you don't want your Xero account to be populated with item records, Duoplane can also be configured to use a single generic item on all of the transactions that we create. If you choose to use a generic item, the sync process will skip this step.

5. Vendor invoice export

Next Duoplane will create a Bill in Xero for every new vendor invoice in that has been created Duoplane. Usually we create one invoice for every shipment in Duoplane, but you do also have the option to batch several shipments onto a single invoice in Duoplane.

The bill will include:

  • Line items
  • Shipping cost to be paid to the vendor (if set)
  • Handling or drop ship fees to be paid to the vendor (if set)

Other invoice details:

  • Reference: The invoice number as input into the Duoplane shipping record.
  • Invoice date: The creation date of the shipment being invoiced. If the accounting closing date is after the invoice date, the day after the accounting closing date is used.
  • Due date: The invoice date plus the number of days set for the "Payment terms" for this vendor.
  • Tax: Set to "No tax"
  • Status: Set to "Approved" or "Authorised"

6. Invoice payment import

Next, Duoplane records any payments that have been made on previously exported invoices. This information is used to create vendor payment reports.

All payments and credit memos that have been applied to paid bills are recorded in Duoplane. You can have Duoplane send a report your vendors that details how to apply payments.

 

How to run a Xero sync

  1. In the Accounting menu, click Accounting Sync.
  2. Click the  Authenticate with Xero button
  3. You will redirected to Xero and asked to authorize Duoplane for access to your Xero account.
    1. Log into Xero if you are not already
    2. Make sure that you are logged into Xero under the correct account and choose the correct Xero company to sync
    3. Click the Authorize button in Xero
  4. Once you are redirected back to Duoplane, click the Run export button