Xero integration: quote and invoice in Chippie, keep the books in Xero

Two-way sync. Clients, invoices and payments go across to Xero on their own, and when an invoice is paid or voided in Xero, Chippie updates too. Your accountant works in Xero; you never type an invoice twice.

Start free, connect Xero on Pro

Key takeaways

Two-way: clients, invoices and payments go to Xero; paid and voided invoices come back.
It runs on its own when you save a client or invoice and when a job is completed. No export files.
GST is set per line: GST on Income, or GST Free Income for GST-free lines.
Included on Pro ($25 a month, 2 users) and Team ($45, 4 users). Not on the free plan.
One Xero organisation per Chippie business. Credit notes and overpayments stay in Xero.

What goes across, and which way#

The two-way sync between Chippie and Xero
	Direction	What happens
Clients	Chippie to Xero	Created or updated as Xero contacts: name, email, phone and address
Invoices	Chippie to Xero	Sent as approved sales invoices with the line items from the quote or job, each with its GST treatment
Payments	Chippie to Xero	A payment you record in Chippie is recorded against the invoice in Xero, for the amount Xero still shows owing
Paid in Xero	Xero to Chippie	Chippie marks the invoice paid and links the Xero payment
Voided or deleted in Xero	Xero to Chippie	Chippie marks the invoice cancelled, unless you have already recorded it as paid

Everything outbound happens on its own: saving a client or invoice sends it, and completing a job sends the invoice that goes with it. Changes made in Xero come back through Xero's notifications, with a daily check to catch any that did not arrive.

Why tradies want it#

In most small trade businesses one person quotes and invoices, and the books sit in Xero with a bookkeeper or accountant. Without a sync, every invoice is typed twice and every payment is reconciled by someone who was not there when it was paid. With it, the invoice you send from site is the invoice in Xero, and the payment you tick off in Chippie is the payment in Xero.

GST, handled per line#

Each line on a Chippie quote or invoice carries its own GST setting, and it goes across to Xero that way:

GST on Income at 10% for taxable lines.
GST Free Income for lines you marked GST-free.
The matching VAT codes for UK and Irish businesses.

Chippie never uses Xero's BAS Excluded code, which is meant for things that are not sales at all.

How to connect it#

Open Settings, then Integrations

On the Pro or Team plan, in the Chippie app.
Press Connect Xero

Sign in to Xero and pick the organisation to connect.
Choose your accounts

The revenue account invoice lines post to, and the account payments are recorded against.
Sync what you already have

One press sends every existing client and invoice. After that it keeps itself up to date.

Where it stops#

Common questions#

Does Chippie sync with Xero?

Yes, both ways. Chippie sends clients to Xero as contacts, invoices as sales invoices and payments against those invoices. When an invoice is marked paid, voided or deleted in Xero, Chippie updates its own copy to match.

Which Chippie plan includes Xero?

Pro at $25 a month, which includes 2 users, and Team at $45 a month with 4 users included. The free plan does not include the Xero integration.

When does an invoice go across to Xero?

Automatically when you save it and again when the job is completed, and whenever you press Sync to Xero on the invoice. You can also sync every client and invoice at once from Settings.

What happens when my client pays and my bookkeeper reconciles it in Xero?

Chippie marks the invoice paid and links the payment recorded in Xero, so it does not send a second one. A daily check picks up anything a Xero notification missed.

Does the GST come across correctly?

Each line goes across with its own tax type: GST on Income at 10%, or GST Free Income for a line you marked GST-free. Chippie never uses BAS Excluded, which Xero reserves for things that are not sales.

Can Xero change an invoice back to unpaid in Chippie?

No. An invoice that is still owing in Xero looks the same whether the customer has not paid or a payment has not synced yet, so Chippie only takes the forward steps from Xero (paid, voided) and never undoes a payment you recorded.

Can I connect more than one Xero organisation?

One Xero organisation per Chippie business. If you run two businesses with two Xero files, each needs its own Chippie business.

Do I need Xero to use Chippie?

No. Chippie quotes, invoices and records payments on its own. The integration is for businesses whose books already live in Xero.

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