Integrating Actionstep Practice Pro + Accounting with Xero

Actionstep offers an integration with Xero that allows you to do your billing, trust/client accounting and general matter management in Actionstep and have all your accounting information automatically updated in Xero.

There are two stages to integrating Xero with the native accounting options in Actionstep Practice Management:

• Part 1: Authorizing Actionstep with Xero
• Part 2: Mapping Actionstep and Xero

Since both Actionstep and Xero use their own general ledger, currencies, and sales taxes, it is essential you map fields between the two together. By doing this, you ensure that a transaction in Actionstep that is coded to a general ledger account with a certain amount of tax is processed in Xero with the correct general ledger account and tax code.

Part 1: Authorizing Actionstep with Xero

An admin user in both Actionstep and Xero must authorize Xero to allow Actionstep to post transactions to it. This process is started with Actionstep.

To authorize the integration:

1. In Actionstep, go to Admin > Accounting. The Accounting page appears.
2. Click Connect to Xero, located on the right side of the page. 
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to create the connection. It may take a few minutes to update with details from Xero. You will then be redirected back to the Xero mapping page in Actionstep.

Part 2: Mapping Actionstep and Xero

During the mapping process, you will map accounts in Actionstep to the equivalent account in Xero.

To do this:

1. In Actionstep, go to Admin > Accounting. The Accounting page appears.
2. Click Edit next to Xero Mapping. The Xero Integration Configuration page appears.
   
   The Xero GL Account Reference list on the right side of the page shows all the general ledger (GL) accounts from your Xero account. As you map these accounts, they will be crossed out so you can see what has been mapped and what hasn't.
   
3. In the Synchronization section, choose what types of transactions you want to post to Xero:
   • Sales invoices: Toggle this option to on to allow sales invoices to be pushed through to Xero. This includes payments made to those invoices or credit notes for those invoices. 
   • Supplier invoices: Toggle this option to on to allow supplier/vendor invoices to be pushed through to Xero. This includes invoices, any payments made to those invoices, or credit notes for those invoices. 
     NOTE:  Not all users will enable this with their Xero integration, instead preferring to enter their expenses directly into Xero. However, if you want to enter supplier/vendor invoices into Actionstep to bill the expense onto a customer, you will need to switch this on.
   • Trust transactions: Toggle this option to on to allow any trust/client account transactions that you create in Actionstep to be pushed through to Xero. 
     NOTE:  You do not need to complete trust/client account reconciliations or any other transactions within Xero. Instead, it's expected that your trust/client account compliance will be completed in Actionstep. Therefore, it is uncommon for option to be used.
   • Bank transfers account: Click this drop-down list to choose a bank transfers account. Since Actionstep and Xero handle the transfer of funds slightly differently, it is worthwhile to use this account.
4. In the GL account map section, do the following:
   1. Click Add row. An empty row of drop-down fields is added. 
   2. Click the first drop-down list and choose your Actionstep Account. 
   3. Click the second drop-down list and choose the corresponding Xero Account. 
      NOTE:  As you map these items, you'll note that some are required and some are not. You can save time by mapping only the important accounts. For example, if you don't need to sync trust/client account transactions, you do not need to map your trust/client bank accounts. Similarly, if you are mapping your expenses, only map those you are likely to use. As a rule of thumb, map your bank and income accounts as well as your accounts receivable. See Detailed Explanation of Xero Mapping for Actionstep's Native Accounting for more details. 
   4. Repeat this process for each account.
5.  In the GST / Sales Tax / VAT map section, follow the instructions in Step 4 and select an Actionstep Code and map it to the Xero Input Tax and Xero Output Tax.
   
   NOTE:  Input Tax refers to tax paid on your purchases and should be mapped to your expenses taxes. Output Tax refers to tax on the sales and should be mapped to your income taxes.
6. In the Currency map section, use the drop-down lists to map your Actionstep Currency and Xero Currency. 
7. Click Save to save your changes.