Importing invoices from Xero
Lesson 10 of 12 6 min read
Use the Xero Invoice configuration's receive settings to read invoices out of Xero, and choose which ones Supply Lens picks up.
Sometimes Xero is where a document starts. If invoices are raised in Xero and another system needs them, such as a customer's e-invoicing network or a portal, Supply Lens can read them out of Xero and route them onwards. In this lesson you'll set up receiving and choose exactly which invoices are imported.
Switch on receiving
Edit the Xero Invoice configuration and make sure Receive is selected (alongside Send if you also create invoices). Then add a Mapping From your Xero Integration, Map set to the invoice type, To the system that needs it.
The Integration's Schedule decides how often Supply Lens checks Xero for new invoices.
Where does the import start from?
| receive.setupDate | Only invoices dated on or after this date are imported. It's set automatically when the Integration is first configured, so historic invoices aren't swept up. |
|---|---|
| receive.lastImportDate | Tracks the most recent invoice imported, and moves forward after each run. The system manages it: don't edit it by hand. |
Don't edit lastImportDate
Changing receive.lastImportDate yourself can make Supply Lens skip invoices or pick up ones it
has already imported. If you need to re-import a period, contact Support.
Which invoices are imported?
| receive.includeInvoiceStatuses | The Xero statuses to import: DRAFT, SUBMITTED, DELETED, AUTHORISED, PAID, VOIDED. If empty, every status is imported. |
|---|---|
| receive.includeContactNames | If filled in, only invoices for Xero contacts with these names are imported. |
How to choose:
- Most flows only want finished invoices, so list
AUTHORISEDandPAID. Leaving the list empty would also import drafts, deleted and voided invoices. - Use
receive.includeContactNameswhen only some customers need their invoices sent onwards, for example the retailers that require e-invoices.
Where is the product code?
| receive.descriptionItemCodeSeparator | When set, Supply Lens finds the item code by splitting the line description on this character. Use it when invoices are raised with the product code in the description rather than in Xero's item code field. |
|---|
For example, if your team raises invoice lines with descriptions such as
HB1KG | House Blend 1kg, a separator of | lets Supply Lens split the description and find
the product code. Test this with real invoices before you rely on it, and pick a separator that
never appears inside a product code.
Hilltop Coffee sends e-invoices to one retailer
A supermarket customer starts requiring e-invoices. Hilltop's finance team raises that
customer's invoices directly in Xero. The implementer turns on Receive for Xero Invoice, sets
receive.includeInvoiceStatuses to AUTHORISED and PAID, and limits
receive.includeContactNames to the supermarket's contact name. A Mapping sends the imported
invoices to the e-invoicing Integration.
Recap
- Turn on Receive for Xero Invoice and add a Mapping from Xero to the target system.
receive.setupDatestops historic invoices being imported;receive.lastImportDateis managed by the system.- Filter by status and contact name so only the invoices you need are imported.
receive.descriptionItemCodeSeparatorpulls product codes out of descriptions.
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