The Xero integration lets you export invoices from Rex into Xero, then sync the payments received in Xero back into Rex against the original invoice. It saves double handling at month end. Invoices split across several lines sync to Xero as they are, with each line on its own account, so there's no need to rebuild the split in Xero. The search and page-size controls on the Sync Invoices screen also make it quick to find the invoices you need, even when you have hundreds waiting.
This article covers how to sync invoices to Xero, how multi-line invoices sync, how to search the list and change how many invoices show per page, what to do when an invoice won't sync, and how to sync payments back into Rex.
What Do I Need Before I Can Sync?
Before you can sync, you need to connect Rex to Xero and link each of your Rex accounts to its own Xero account. For more on this, see - Xero Invoicing: Invoice Settings.
How Do I Sync Invoices to Xero?
- Go to Financials > Sync Invoices in the left side menu
- In the Export Invoices to Xero list, tick the checkbox next to each invoice you want to sync
- Click Sync with Xero in the top right
- Click Sync to confirm
The number of invoices you've ticked shows as N items selected at the top of the list. Once the sync finishes, a Sync Status window shows how many invoices were synced.
Can I Sync an Invoice That's Split Across Several Accounts?
Yes. You can split an invoice into as many lines as you need in Rex, with a different account on each line, and sync it to Xero as it is. Each line lands in Xero on the Xero account its Rex account is linked to.
For example, a commission invoice with lines for salesperson commission, office commission, an admin fee and a marketing recovery will arrive in Xero as one invoice with four lines, each on its own account.
This works for:
- Commission invoices raised from the commission worksheet. See - Creating Commission Invoices.
- Custom invoices for fees and recoveries. See - Adding an Invoice.
- VPA invoices and bills, which sync the same way
Salesperson invoices and credit notes sync separately and aren't covered by this. For credit notes, see - Xero Invoicing: Syncing Credit Notes to Xero.
Please Note: Every account used on an invoice line must be linked to its own Xero account. If two Rex accounts are linked to the same Xero account, both lines will land on that one account in Xero and take its GST rate. For more on this, see - Xero Invoicing: Invoice Settings.
What Happens to the Invoice in Xero?
Synced invoices arrive in Xero with the status Awaiting Approval. This gives your finance team a chance to review each invoice before it reaches your ledger. You can approve them individually, or in bulk from Xero's Awaiting Approval list.
Rex sends each line's amount including GST, and Xero works out the GST using the rate on the Xero account the line is linked to.
Credit note invoices are the exception. They arrive in Xero as a bill, because a credit note is money your agency pays out. An invoice that combines charges and credits syncs as a normal invoice, with the credit as a negative line. For more on this, see - Xero Invoicing: Syncing Credit Notes to Xero.
How Do I Find a Specific Invoice?
Use the search box at the top right of the Export Invoices to Xero list:
- Click in the Search invoice number or address box
- Type the invoice number or the property address. Search starts once you've typed at least two characters.
- The list filters to the matching invoices as you type
Search looks across your whole pending list, not just the page you're viewing. It matches any part of the invoice number or address, so a partial address like "Cecil" will find "97 Cecil Road". Credit notes in the list are matched too.
If nothing matches, you'll see No invoices found. Clear the search box to see the full list again.
Please Note: Search only matches the invoice number or the property address. You can't search by contact, agent, amount, date or invoice type.
Will Searching Lose the Invoices I've Already Ticked?
No. Any invoices you've ticked stay ticked when you search, clear the search or change the page size. For example, you can tick three invoices, search for a fourth, tick it, and all four will be selected when you click Sync with Xero.
If you tick Select all while a search is active, only the invoices matching your search are selected, not the whole pending list.
How Do I Show More Invoices Per Page?
The list shows 10 invoices per page to start with. To show more:
- Click the 10 per page button at the bottom right of the list
- Under number per page, choose 10, 20, 50 or 100
- Click Apply
Beside the button, you'll see which invoices you're viewing out of the total (for example, 1–48 of 48), with arrows to move to the previous or next page.
Please Note: Your page size lasts for your current session only. Next time you open the screen, it will be back to 10 per page.
How Do I Jump to a Specific Page?
- Click the per page button at the bottom right of the list
- Enter the page number under jump to page
- Click Apply
Why Won't an Invoice Sync?
If an invoice can't sync, you'll see an error above the list naming the invoice and the line with the problem, for example:
Invoice-INV-1234: 'Marketing Fee' has not been linked to a Xero account.
This means the account on that line isn't linked to a Xero account Rex can use. To fix it:
- If the line has no account, click on the invoice and set an account on the line
- If the line has an account, link that Rex account to an active Xero account with a code. See - Xero Invoicing: Invoice Settings.
Then sync the invoice again.
Only the invoice with the problem is held back. Every other invoice you selected still syncs.
If you see You must select at least one or more invoices or payments before syncing with Xero, tick at least one invoice or payment before clicking Sync with Xero.
How Do I Hide an Invoice I Don't Want to Sync?
- Go to Financials > Sync Invoices in the left side menu
- In the Export Invoices to Xero list, hover over the invoice you want to ignore
- Click the menu dropdown and click Ignore invoice
The invoice will be hidden from the Sync Invoices list.
How Do I Sync Payments From Xero?
Rex can sync invoice payments from Xero back into Rex against the original invoice. This creates a payment against the relevant listing and invoice. If overpayments are enabled, they'll also be created where applicable (except for bills).
- Go to Financials > Sync Invoices in the left side menu
- In the Import Payments from Xero list, tick the checkbox next to each payment you want to sync
- Click Sync with Xero in the top right
- Click Sync to confirm
The payments list has the same page-size and jump-to-page controls as the invoices list, but it doesn't have a search box.
Payments on credit note bills are synced back the same way, which marks the credit note as PAID in Rex.
❓ FAQs
We tried a multi-line invoice before and it failed. What changed?
In most cases, one of the accounts on the extra lines wasn't linked to Xero, or two accounts were linked to the same Xero account. Check your account links first. See - Xero Invoicing: Invoice Settings.
One invoice failed. Did the whole sync fail?
No. Only the invoice with the problem is held back. Every other invoice you selected still syncs.
Why does my invoice show as Awaiting Approval in Xero?
All invoices synced from Rex arrive as Awaiting Approval, so your finance team can review them before they reach the ledger. There isn't a setting in Rex to change this. You can bulk approve them from Xero's Awaiting Approval list.
Can Rex fill in the invoice lines from the commission worksheet?
No. The first line of a commission invoice is filled in for you, and any extra lines are added by hand. You only need to enter the split once, in Rex.
Does this work for salesperson invoices?
No. Salesperson invoices sync separately and aren't affected.
Can I search by agent, amount or date?
No. Search only matches the invoice number and the property address.
I set the page size to 100 and next time it was back at 10. Why?
The page size only lasts for your current session. Every time you open the screen, it starts at 10 per page.
Why isn't there a search box on the payments list?
The payments list is built from information that comes from Xero, so it can't be searched the same way as your Rex invoices. You can still change the page size and jump to a page.
Can I filter the list by invoice type?
No. Use the search box to find the specific invoice you need by its number or property address.
Does search find credit notes?
Yes. Credit notes appear in the same list and are matched by the same search. For how credit notes sync, see - Xero Invoicing: Syncing Credit Notes to Xero.
Why did my credit note arrive in Xero as a bill?
A credit note is money your agency pays out, so it goes to the purchases side of Xero as a bill. Approve and pay it in your normal payment run.
The screen feels slow with 100 invoices per page. What should I do?
Try a smaller page size, like 20 or 50, and use the search box to find the invoices you need.
Do I need to turn any of this on?
No. Multi-line sync, search and page size are all available on every account with the Xero integration connected.