What the Xero API gives you
Xero's API can create invoices and credit notes, sync contacts, apply payments, record bank transactions and pull reports. A custom integration uses it to keep Xero in step with your platform, so nobody exports CSVs or re-keys orders. See the Xero API integration guide.
Who it's for
- WooCommerce and custom shops Every order becomes a correctly coded Xero invoice, payments are matched when they arrive and refunds become credit notes. See Xero and WooCommerce, or for OpenCart, OpenCart and Xero.
- SaaS and subscription platforms An invoice for each billing period, marked paid when the payment succeeds and left awaiting payment when it fails.
- Service businesses and agencies Invoices raised in Xero the moment a job is marked complete in your job, time-tracking or CRM system, with the right tracking categories. See automating invoices with the Xero API.
- Stripe users Stripe takes the payment, the matching Xero invoice is marked paid within seconds, and payouts are recorded as bank transactions. See Xero and Stripe.
- GoCardless users Direct Debit payments applied to invoices when they're confirmed, not when they're first created. See GoCardless and Xero.
- Accountancy platforms and groups Several Xero organisations managed from one platform. Accountants can also onboard clients from Companies House into Xero.
Why custom rather than a plugin
Xero plugins for WooCommerce handle a simple order-to-invoice sync with one VAT rate. They don't reconcile Stripe or GoCardless payments, handle reverse charge or mixed VAT properly, or connect to more than one organisation. A custom build does, and you own it.
How it's built
- Connected the way Xero requires Xero uses OAuth 2.0, so you approve the connection once from your own Xero login and never share your password. The connection refreshes itself in the background, and you're alerted if it ever needs approving again, rather than invoices quietly stopping.
- Mapped with your accountant Account codes, tax rates, tracking categories and how each kind of sale should be recorded are agreed with whoever does your books before anything is built. The integration follows those rules exactly, including zero-rated, exempt and reverse charge items where they apply.
- Never a duplicate Each order, invoice and payment in your platform is linked to its record in Xero, so running a sync twice, or retrying after a network blip, updates the existing record instead of creating another one.
- Within Xero's limits Xero allows 60 calls a minute, 5,000 a day and 5 at the same time for each organisation, and the limits can't be increased. Busy shops are synced in batches and queued, so a sale day doesn't trip the limits and lose records.
- Payments matched properly Payments are applied to the right invoice when the money is confirmed, and payment provider fees and payouts are recorded so your bank reconciliation lines up.
What's included
- Every sync can safely run twice without creating duplicates
- Error logging, alerts for failed syncs and automatic retries
- Tested in Xero's demo company before touching your live books
- A handover document, and the code is yours
Not included: your Xero subscription, tax advice (your accountant agrees the mapping and I build it), Xero Payroll, and changes to your platform outside the integration.
Payment is 50% to start and the balance on completion. For what drives the price, read what a Xero integration costs.
How to get a price
Send a short written spec by WhatsApp, text, email or the form: your platform, how you invoice and take payment, and what you do by hand now. I'll reply within 24 hours with a quote.