Xero Integration

Introduction

This guide explains how to connect Fr8Labs Accounting with Xero.

You continue creating invoices, customers, and suppliers inside Fr8Labs FMS.
Xero remains your single source of truth for accounting.
Payments in Xero sync back into Fr8Labs, so you can still use tools like automated SOA.

👉 Once the integration is live, you hardly need to log into Fr8Labs Accounting. Most daily finance work is done directly in Xero.

How it works

1. Invoice flow

flowchart TD
    A["Fr8Labs FMS (Create + Post)"] --> B
    B[Fr8Labs Accounting] --> C
    C["Xero (authorised invoice)"] --> D
    D[Xero payments/webhooks] --> E
    E[Payments & Status] --> B

Create your invoice in Fr8Labs FMS.
When you submit/post it (drafts are not sent), it is created in Xero in real time.
Posted invoices cannot be edited in Fr8Labs Accounting.
To change a posted invoice: delete/void it in Xero, then use Duplicate in Fr8Labs to re‑create.

2. Customers and suppliers

During onboarding, the Fr8Labs team syncs your customers and suppliers to Xero and links them.
After that, when you add a new customer or supplier in Fr8Labs, we create/link it in Xero automatically.
If a customer/supplier isn’t mapped in Xero yet, invoice creation is blocked with a clear message so nothing goes out of sync.
Make sure each customer/supplier has basic contact details (primary contact) so it can be created in Xero.

3. Accounts and tax

Fr8Labs Accounting uses the same accounts and tax codes as your Xero setup.
The Fr8Labs onboarding team will map these for you. If a required mapping is missing, you’ll see an error when posting the invoice.

4. Currencies

Invoice currency from Fr8Labs is sent to Xero.
Multi-currency handling (FX) is fully managed inside Xero.

5. Payments

Record payments in Xero. The payment will sync back to Fr8Labs automatically and update the invoice balance.
Timing: near real time via Xero webhooks.

6. Cancellation/Deletion

If an invoice is voided/deleted in Xero, any submitted invoice in Fr8Labs is automatically set to Cancelled.
Draft invoices in Fr8Labs are left as-is if Xero deletes/voids the linked invoice (no auto-delete of drafts).
Cancelled invoices remain visible for audit purposes.

Getting Started

1. Contact Fr8Labs

Let your Fr8Labs representative know you want to activate Xero integration.
Agree on a cutover date.

2. Prepare before cutover

Review customers and suppliers: ensure the ones you invoice have contact details.
Align names/contacts with Xero to reduce duplicates.
Ensure any draft invoices in Fr8Labs aren’t already created in Xero.

3. Cutover day

Customers and suppliers are synced and linked by the Fr8Labs team.
Charge codes (items) are set up and mapped; if you need new ones, contact the Fr8Labs team.
If setup is clean, invoices posted in Fr8Labs start appearing in Xero immediately.

4. After cutover

Customer/supplier automation is fully switched on.
Ongoing invoice posting flows directly into Xero.
Use Fr8Labs for invoice creation and SOA; do your accounting and reconciliation in Xero.

Worked example: Sales invoice and payment

Create and post the invoice in Fr8Labs FMS

Example: Customer “ABC Logistics”, add your charge codes and submit.
Result: The invoice appears in Xero within seconds as an Authorised invoice.

Record the payment in Xero

Receive the payment in your Xero bank account and apply it to the invoice.
Result: A Payment Entry is created automatically in Fr8Labs and the invoice balance updates.

Need to change the invoice?

Void/delete it in Xero first.
In Fr8Labs, use Duplicate to make a corrected invoice and post it again.

Tip: If you see a message that the customer or supplier isn’t set up for Xero yet, complete their details or contact the Fr8Labs team to link them.

Error Handling

Scenario	What happens	What to do
Customer/Supplier not mapped to Xero	Clear error; invoice is not created	Create/link the customer/supplier; try again
Missing account/tax or charge code not set up	Clear error when posting invoice	Contact Fr8Labs team to map accounts/tax or set up the charge code
Payment recorded in Xero	Payment syncs back to Fr8Labs automatically	No action needed
Need to edit a posted invoice	Posted invoices can’t be edited	Void/delete in Xero; then Duplicate the invoice in Fr8Labs
Xero voids/deletes an invoice	Submitted invoice becomes Cancelled in Fr8Labs	No action needed; create a new invoice if required

Troubleshooting

Customer or supplier isn’t set up for Xero
- Symptom: Error when posting an invoice saying the customer/supplier is not linked.
- Fix: Open the customer/supplier in Fr8Labs and complete the primary contact; if still blocked, contact the Fr8Labs team to link it to Xero.
Account or tax not mapped
- Symptom: Error on posting about missing account or tax setup.
- Fix: Contact the Fr8Labs team to map the correct revenue/expense account and tax for your charge codes.
Charge code (item) missing in Xero
- Symptom: Error mentioning an item/charge code not being set up.
- Fix: Ask the Fr8Labs onboarding team to create/map the new charge code to Xero before you post the invoice.

Best Practices

Always add a primary contact for customers and suppliers you invoice.
Before cutover, reconcile customers, suppliers, and charge codes so both systems match.
Use Fr8Labs as your mirror of Xero — avoid double entry.
For disputes or corrections, start with Xero as the final source of truth.

⚠️ Notes

Customer and supplier onboarding/sync is handled by the Fr8Labs team. Once live, new ones are created/linked automatically.
Charge codes (items) are not auto‑synced. If you need a new charge code, contact the Fr8Labs onboarding team to set it up and map it to Xero.

Limitations

Draft invoices in Fr8Labs are not auto-deleted if their counterpart is deleted/voided in Xero.
Charge codes are created/mapped by the Fr8Labs team (no automatic item sync).

Future plans (optional)

Optional auto-cleanup of Fr8Labs drafts when the Xero invoice is deleted/voided.
Self-service charge code setup with safe validations.