What syncs with Xero
Which information moves between Shiftly and Xero, in which direction, and when, including what happens if you disconnect.
Once Xero is connected, Shiftly and Xero share information in a few specific ways. This page explains what moves, in which direction, and when.
Who this is for
Owners and managers using the Shiftly web platform with Xero connected.
How the information moves
| What | Direction | When |
|---|---|---|
| Pay settings | Xero → Shiftly, then Shiftly → Xero | Your payroll calendars, earnings rates and accounts are read from Xero when you set up pay settings. When you post, Shiftly creates any earnings rate you left blank. |
| Employees | Xero → Shiftly | When you pick them in the setup's Import employees step, or with Import from Xero on the People page. Staff are matched by email address. Later changes in Xero come across only when you select Re-sync user on the employee. See Import staff from Xero. |
| Employees | Shiftly → Xero | A new employee you add with Add and onboard into Xero is created in Xero when they finish onboarding. For someone linked to Xero, changes to their details in Shiftly (such as address, bank, tax or super) are sent to Xero. Sync to Xero on an employee sends someone who's already in Shiftly across to Xero, without onboarding them again. See Keep staff in sync with Xero. |
| Leave types | Xero → Shiftly | When you connect, in the setup's Import leave step, when you choose Refresh leave catalogue on the Xero card or Sync now on Leave Types, and automatically once a month. |
| Leave balances | Xero → Shiftly | Read from Xero whenever you look at a linked employee's leave. Shiftly's own balances are hidden while Xero manages leave. |
| Approved leave | Shiftly → Xero | Sent when you approve a request for a linked employee, using a leave type that came from Xero. Unpaid leave isn't sent. Cancelling a request that was sent asks Xero to remove it. The request shows whether it was sent, with Retry sync if it failed. |
| Tracking categories | Xero → Shiftly, then Shiftly → Xero | Read from Xero when you pair tags with tracking options, or create tags from them in the setup's Tags to tracking step. When you post timesheets, each line carries the tracking option paired with its tag, or posts untracked if there isn't one. See Pair tags with Xero tracking options. |
| Timesheets and pay | Shiftly → Xero | Sent when you post approved timesheets, as drafts or already approved depending on Send timesheets as approved. On an award Shiftly fully supports, the employee's pay template and payslip are filled in too. Otherwise only the hours are sent. |
Good to know
- Shiftly prepares, Xero pays. Everything Shiftly sends is there for you to review and finalise in Xero. Shiftly never finalises a pay run.
- Leave you enter in Xero stays in Xero. Shiftly doesn't bring leave applications back from Xero, so they don't appear in Shiftly's leave list or on the roster. The balance Shiftly shows is Xero's own.
- Only linked employees sync. Someone who isn't linked to Xero is skipped when you post timesheets, and their leave won't reach Xero. See Approve or decline leave requests.
If you disconnect Xero
Disconnecting stops timesheet posting, staff sync and leave sync straight away (see Manage or disconnect your Xero connection). The links between your staff and their Xero records are kept, so reconnecting picks up where you left off. Leave moves back to Shiftly:
- Your leave types go back to Shiftly's own.
- Shiftly sets each employee's opening balances from their Xero balances. If some can't be matched, you're notified to review them.
- Pending leave requests are cancelled, and staff are asked to send them again.
Related
Pair tags with Xero tracking options
Post every Xero timesheet line with the tracking option of its tag, pair options one by one or all at once, and create tags from your Xero tracking options.
Reference
The quick-answer shelf, with FAQs, fixes for common problems, plain-language definitions, and a running log of what's new in Shiftly.