To connect WorkGuru to Xero, the only requirement is that you must have adviser level permission to connect Xero securely.

Connect to Xero

Go to the Accounting -> Xero dashboard, and click the Connect to Xero button.

Click the Connect to Xero button.   If you are planning on sending timesheets to Xero, ensure that you select the Connect to Xero Payroll? option. Note: if you select this option, the Xero user MUST have the Payroll Admin privilege (in Xero), otherwise you encounter errors trying to export timesheet data.


Xero will prompt you to securely login in and connect to your Xero file.  Select the required organisation and click Allow Access. Note: if you have access to multiple Xero files, ensure that you are selecting the correct organisation in the list).Xero will return to your Xero dashboard and WorkGuru now has access to your Xero organisation.  

Sync Xero Data

The next step is to sync  your Tax Rates, and Chart of Accounts from Xero into WorkGuru so we can set up default accounts. In the "Before You Start" Section. Click on the following and wait for the page to reload. This will load the relevant information into the WorkGuru database.

  1. Get Tax Rates - Import the tax rates setup in the connected Xero organisation.
  2. Get Chart of Accounts - Import the current chart of accounts setup in the connected Xero organisation.
  3. Get Tracking Categories from Xero - Import the current tracking categories setup in the connected Xero organisation.

Set Default General Ledger Accounts

The most important setup step when connecting WorkGuru to Xero is to assign your default general ledger mappings in WorkGuru.   This allows WorkGuru to pre-code the relevant line items before sending transactions to Xero. This prevents the need to double enter this information in Xero.  These default accounts can be over-ridden by assigning alternate general ledger accounts on the product and/or task line item level.


Note: If the required general ledger accounts are not displaying correctly in the drop downs, ensure that the Get Chart of Accounts function has been run. If you need to create a new account in Xero, click Get Chart of Accounts to download the updated chart of account list.

Click Set Defaults and use each dropdown to assign the Xero general ledger account.  The list of accounts is contextual to the type of account is required for each setting (income accounts for sales, expense accounts for cost of goods etc):

  • Accounting Integration - Defaults to Xero.
  • DefaultSalesAccount - Default income account. Recommended Xero Account Type: Revenue.
  • DefaultExpensesAccount - Default expense account for non-stock (not FIFO) products or project disbursement purchase orders.  Recommended Xero Account Type: Expense.
  • DefaultInventoryAccount - Default stock on hand account. Note: You may not use Xero's built in Inventory account for your Stock on Hand. Create a separate Current Asset account type for SOH value. 
  • CostofGoodsSoldAccount - Default COGS account for cost of sale, stocktake and stock adjustment journals.  Recommended Xero Account Type: Direct Cost
  • RoundingAccount - Default account to map to the rounding fields on WorkGuru invoices and purchases.  Usually mapped to the built-in Xero 860 Rounding account.
  • DefaultSalesTax - Default sales tax to be used.  Usually GST on Income.
  • DefaultPurchaseTax - Default purchase tax to be used.  Usually GST on Expenses.
  • DefaultCurrency - Default currency, use IBAN ISO currency codes (AUD etc).   Must match your default Xero currency.
  • AlternateCurrencies - alternate currencies to be used for multi currency purchasing, use IBAN ISO currency codes (USD, EUR, NZD etc).
  • Do You Sell in Foreign Currencies? - Enables foreign currencies on Projects and Stock Sales.
  • Manage Reporting Categories - If reporting categories have been synced from Xero, you can enable/disable which categories and options are visible in WorkGuru.
  • Make Reporting Categories Mandatory on Purchases? - Enable reporting categories on purchase orders.  The default setting reporting category sync is available on projects/invoices only.
  • Append Invoice Product Line Description to Accounting Line Item? - By default, WorkGuru only sends the product name to the Xero invoice.  Enabling this option will also include the product description.
  • Append PO Product Line Description to Accounting Line Item? - By default, WorkGuru only sends the product name to the Xero bill.  Enabling this option will also include the product description.

Click Save to confirm the default general ledger mappings.   You can edit these in the future from the same link in your Xero dashboard Accounting -> Xero ->  Set Defaults


WorkGuru is now ready to queue information to be sent to Xero when ready.