Once you connect the Xero integration, most invoices and payments sync automatically, but you can also sync any invoice by hand. This article covers what each sync status means and how to manually sync an invoice, its payments, or a batch of invoices at once.
Where to find your Xero sync status
Navigate to the Invoicing page, or open a project and click the Invoicing tab. When Xero is connected, the invoice list shows a dedicated Xero column with the current sync status for each invoice. If you also have another accounting integration connected, you'll see a separate column for it too. You can also check and trigger a sync from an individual invoice: open the invoice and look for the Xero sync status in the header.
You'll only see the Xero column and sync options if Xero is connected. If you don't see it, check your connection under Settings ➔ Third party connections ➔ Xero.
Understanding the sync statuses
The Xero column shows one of five statuses for each invoice, depending on where it is in the sync process.
Not synced: the invoice hasn't been sent to Xero yet. Instead of a status label, you'll see a Sync button in the column.
Pending: the invoice is waiting in the queue to be picked up for syncing.
In progress: the invoice is actively being synced into Xero right now.
Synced: the invoice was sent to Xero successfully.
Error: the sync failed. Select the Error status to reopen the sync options and try again.
You may need to refresh the page to see a status update after syncing, since the sync happens in the background.
Pending and In progress both mean the sync is underway: Pending means the invoice is waiting in the queue, and In progress means it's actively syncing. Neither needs any action from you. Both resolve on their own to Synced or Error.
Manually syncing invoices
You can sync one invoice at a time or sync several at once.
Syncing a single invoice
Go to the Invoicing page, or open a project and click the Invoicing tab.
In the Xero column for a Not synced invoice, select Sync. For an invoice in an Error state, select the Error status instead.
Choose Sync invoice to send just the invoice, or Sync invoice and payments to send the invoice along with its recorded payments.
You can also sync from inside the invoice itself. Open the invoice and select the Xero sync status next to the invoice status. When the status is Not synced or Error, this opens a dropdown with the same Sync invoice and Sync invoice and payments options under a Xero row.
There's no separate control for syncing an individual payment. To send payments to Xero, use Sync invoice and payments, which syncs the invoice plus any payments that haven't synced yet.
Syncing multiple invoices at once (bulk)
On the Invoicing page, select the checkboxes for the invoices you want to sync, then choose Sync invoice or Sync invoice and payments from the bulk actions.
Sync options only appear for invoices in an Error or Not synced state. A Synced invoice with all its payments already sent won't show sync options, since everything has already gone over to Xero.
Fixing a sync error
Most syncing errors come from tax items or accounts that aren't mapped correctly between Dubsado and Xero. An invoice may show an error if:
A Dubsado tax item on the invoice doesn't match the percentage rate of the Xero tax item it's mapped to.
A line item has more than one Dubsado tax applied. Xero only supports one tax item per line item.
A mapped Xero tax item or account was deleted from Xero.
A Dubsado tax item used on the invoice isn't mapped to a Xero tax rate.
No default Xero account was set.
The Dubsado invoice number matches an invoice number that already exists in Xero.
If the cause is a missing or unset default account, see the Xero payment account I want to connect is not showing up in the dropdown. For the other causes, correct the issue on the invoice or update your Xero mapping and settings, then select the Error status and choose Sync invoice or Sync invoice and payments to try again.
Hover over the Error status in the invoice list to see the reason for the error. From the invoice itself, the error message appears next to the Xero status.
If you don't fix the underlying mapping or settings issue first, syncing again will just produce the same error. Correct the cause before you retry the sync.
FAQ
The invoice says Synced, but I don't see any sync options. Is something wrong?
No, that's expected. Sync options only appear for invoices in an Error or Not synced state. A Synced invoice means the invoice, and any payments already sent, have gone to Xero successfully. If you later have unsynced payments, you can re-trigger the sync with Sync invoice and payments.
What's the difference between the Pending and In progress statuses?
Pending means the invoice is queued and waiting to be picked up for syncing. In progress means it's actively syncing to Xero right now. Both move on their own to Synced or Error, so no action is needed while you wait.
How do I sync just the payments without re-sending the invoice?
Use Sync invoice and payments. There's no separate control for syncing only payments, this single action sends the invoice and its recorded payments together.
I fixed the error, but the invoice still shows Error. What do I do?
The status won't update until you re-trigger the sync. After correcting the mapping or settings issue, select the Error status and choose Sync invoice or Sync invoice and payments. If the status doesn't update right away, try refreshing the page.