Understanding Xero Sync
LiteWork synchronizes invoices, quotes, and contacts with Xero, eliminating double data entry.
What Syncs
To Xero: Invoices, quotes, and contacts you create in LiteWork can be posted to Xero for accounting and reporting.
From Xero: Import your existing Xero contacts, invoices, and quotes into LiteWork to maintain a complete history.
What doesn’t sync: Bank transactions, payments, purchase orders, attachments, and Xero tracking categories stay in Xero only. Internal LiteWork notes and tags stay in LiteWork only.
Feature Compatibility
Xero has a simpler data model than LiteWork. The table below shows which features transfer when syncing:
| Feature | Syncs to Xero | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Document number | ✓ | |
| Document date | ✓ | |
| Due date | ✓ | |
| Reference | ✓ | |
| Contact details | ✓ | |
| Line item description | ✓ | Basic text only |
| Quantity, unit price, discount | ✓ | |
| Line item tax settings | ✓ | |
| Sections/groups | ✗ | LiteWork only |
| Enhanced descriptions | ✗ | LiteWork only |
| Line item durations | ✗ | LiteWork only |
| Internal notes | ✗ | LiteWork only |
LiteWork-only features: Sections, enhanced descriptions, durations, and notes are stored safely in LiteWork but won’t appear in Xero. When you sync a document back from Xero, these features remain intact in LiteWork—they transfer back and forth safely within your LiteWork data.
Sync Options
Manual sync: Click “Post to Xero” when you’re ready. This gives you full control to review documents before they reach your accounting system.
Auto-sync: Enable this in LiteWork Settings → Xero Integration if you want documents to sync automatically when you save them.
Sync Status
Each document shows its sync state:
- Not synced – Only in LiteWork
- Synced – Successfully posted to Xero
- Updated locally – Changed in LiteWork since last sync, needs re-posting
- Sync failed – Error occurred, click for details
Best Practice
Choose one system as your primary source of truth. Most users create documents in LiteWork (for the better editing experience) and post to Xero (for accounting). This prevents conflicts from editing in both places.
Auto-Sync for Contacts: When connected to Xero, contacts sync automatically in the background. See Auto-Sync Feature for details.
Contacts now sync automatically, so you typically don’t need to manually sync contacts before invoices. However, if Auto-Sync is disabled, ensure contacts exist in Xero before posting invoices.