Construction Invoice Integration between Plexa and Xero

Integrating Plexa's Project Construction Finance Module with Xero offers significant benefits for finance management, including time savings, accuracy, transparency, and cost efficiency. By automating key finance workflows, your company can streamline processes, removing manual finance management processes are prone to errors, delays, and inefficiencies. Here is a simply guide to using Plexa's out of the box Xero integration.

How Does the Integration work

One setup (see below), the following integration scenario occurs. An invoice is created in Plexa by the Builder, General Contractor or the sub-contractor. Once the invoice is reviewed and then approved, Plexa will talk to Xero and create a new Xero Invoice record. All the information will be carried over from Plexa. As the Plexa invoice is mapped to a cost code and project, this information maps in xero. A Plexa cost code is mapped to a Xero Account (chart of accounts), and a Plexa project is mapped to project column in the invoice itself. (note: for the project to be mapped in Xero, you may require a 3rd party xero plugin). Finally, once a Invoice is reconciled in Xero it will then be marked as 'Paid' in Plexa.

Pre-requisites:

To set up integration between Plexa and Xero, you'll need to ensure that you meet certain prerequisites and have the necessary access and permissions. Here are the prerequisites for setting up integration with Xero:

FOR XERO:

1. Access to Xero Account:
  Ensure that you have access to a Xero account with the necessary permissions to configure integrations and access the Xero API. You may need to be an administrator or have specific roles assigned within the Xero organization.

2. Xero Developer Account:
  Create a Xero Developer account or access the 'Xero Developer Dashboard'. Google to find the Xero Developer dashboard. Developer accounts provide access to documentation, tools, and resources for integrating with Xero. Note: a Xero Developer Account is a separate Xero account to your normal Xero login account.

3. API Key and Secret:
  First you need to create a new APP called Plexa. Next, generate API keys and secrets from the Xero Developer Dashboard or Xero API settings. These credentials are required to authenticate your application or integration when accessing Xero's API endpoints.

4. Testing Environment:
  Set up a testing environment or sandbox account in Xero to test the integration without affecting live data. Use this environment to validate integration logic, data mapping, and functionality before deploying the integration to production. As you can see from the screenshots Xero does offer a DEMO Company testing account

FOR PLEXA:

You must have full admin rights.

How to Integrate Plexa with Xero:

Assess Plexa's Settings>Integration Requirements: Plexa integration directly into Xero's invoice module and copies all data including attachments to Xero to create a new invoice record.

Configure API Integration: Work with the IT team to configure API integration between Plexa and Xero. You'll need a XERO Client Security ID and Token, to generate the Token its best to use Postman. View details here - https://developer.xero.com/documentation/sdks-and-tools/tools/postman/ - when you try and connect you will see the following pop-ups. Select the correct Xero company to integrate Plexa into

Your Now Connected - No Data Mapping Needed: If everything is correct, you will now see a green 'Connected' label. The good news is that no data fields between Plexa and Xero need to be mapped, its all automatic. All construction code code, project codes, invoice details, and payment statuses will be synchronized between the platforms automatically.

Test Integration: Conduct thorough testing of the integration to verify data accuracy, system compatibility, and workflow automation. Test various scenarios, such as invoice submission, approval, payment processing, and reconciliation, to ensure smooth operation.

Benefits of the Plexa/Xero real-time Integration:

• Time Savings: Automation reduces manual effort and accelerates construction invoice finance workflows, saving time for finance team members.
• Accuracy: Automated data transfer minimizes errors associated with manual data entry and improves data accuracy.
• Transparency: Real-time synchronization provides visibility into finance transactions, enhancing transparency and accountability.
• Construction Accounting Efficiency: Streamlined processes and reduced administrative overhead result in cost savings for the organization by managing your construction company better.