Connect Smokeball to your Xero account to sync payment information to Xero automatically.
About the Xero integration
When you create a finalised invoice in Smokeball, the invoice details will flow through to Xero.
- An invoice will be automatically created in Xero.
- The invoice will be saved as ‘Awaiting Payment’ under the invoice listing.
When you receive a payment or credit or you waive your invoice in Smokeball, this will automatically apply against the corresponding invoice in Xero.
- The invoice will be displayed in the ‘Paid’ listing.
- If you need to reverse the payment against the invoice in Smokeball, this will automatically reverse the payment against the invoice in Xero and it will return to ‘Awaiting Payment’ status.
- If you waive an invoice or partially waive an invoice, this will create a credit note. The credit note will map to the code you have set for Bad Debts in your Smokeball Firm Settings.
You can also download an invoice report from the Reports section in Smokeball to assist your accountant/bookkeeper with their record-keeping in Xero.
Please discuss with your accountant or bookkeeper before applying any changes to your Xero setup within Smokeball. Once the integration is activated it cannot be turned off.
Connect to Xero
- In the Smokeball Web App, select the gear icon on the top-right of the screen, then select Firm Settings.
- Select the Xero tab from the left menu, then select Connect to Xero.
- A new tab will open in the browser that redirects you to Xero. Log in to Xero with your account credentials.
- Select Allow access and wait for the window to load and confirm that your connection has been successful.
- Navigate back to Smokeball Xero Settings. There will now be a message notifying you that the connection is successfully established.
- Go to Firm Settings and select Xero from the left menu.
- Apply accounts to the newly available Xero mappings.
- Click Save.
If your Smokeball firm was set up prior to 16th March 2023, select Enable Invoice Integration, then select Download Invoice Report for your accountant’s records.
- When mapping the codes in Xero, ensure that the GST configuration for those accounts match the GST settings in Smokeball.
- For example, if GST is included in a Smokeball item but the account in Xero that it is mapped to is GST-free, this may cause discrepancies.
- When an invoice is waived, a credit note is created that is attributed to the account set in Bad Debts. If you do not select a Bad Debts account, it will default to your Fee Income account.
We recommend seeking advice from your accountant/bookkeeper if required.
Important limitations with reversal of credit notes
When an invoice in Smokeball is waived, paid, or part paid using a credit in Smokeball, a corresponding credit note is applied to the invoice in Xero.
If you need to reverse or waive the credit payment, it will not be processed in Xero. A warning message will appear when you attempt to reverse or waive the credit.
To ensure that Smokeball and Xero balances are equal:
- Log into Xero and find the credit note allocated against the invoice. Delete the credit allocation to bring it back into the Awaiting Payment status in Xero.
- Go to Smokeball and reverse or waive the credit payment against the invoice. This will mark the invoice as Unpaid in Smokeball.
- The invoice is now in the same status on both Xero and Smokeball. You can now continue to make changes or add payments to the invoice.
- If you no longer need the credit payment, make sure you delete the credit note in Xero.
If the credit is not manually removed from the invoice in Xero, any changes you make to the invoice in Smokeball will not pass through accurately to Xero. Consider reaching out to your accountant/bookkeeper to ensure the steps above are followed correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Xero plan for integration with Smokeball?
All Xero plans are compatible with Smokeball. Choose the plan that best suits your firm’s needs.
What is the best practice for integrating Xero accounts in Smokeball?
Ensure you have mapped the relevant accounts to each account drop-down menu in Smokeball. You may need to consult your accountant or bookkeeper to make sure the correct account is selected.
- Office Payments and Client Cost Recovery Income serve distinct purposes. Office Payments represent expenses (payable to supplier), while client cost recovery income pertains to recoverable costs.
- The Bad Debts, Interest Payments’ and Surcharges accounts have default mappings for convenience. If you do not use these accounts, mapping them may not be necessary.
How do I bring across invoices that were created prior to connecting to Xero?
It is not possible to sync invoices to Xero retroactively. Any pre-integration invoices will need to be manually recreated in Xero post-integration.
Troubleshooting issues with the Xero integration
The first step is to make sure that the accounts are mapped correctly. If you still have issues with syncing payments, select Disconnect Xero from the bottom-right-hand corner and reconnect to Xero.
Contact the support team if you still experience issues with syncing payments to Xero after reconnecting.