Operations generates revenue. Accounting tracks it. Between them lies a gap where manual effort, data entry errors, and delayed invoicing cost organisations money.
Every case that completes represents billable work. Every new customer needs an accounting record. Every payment received needs allocation. When operational and financial systems don't communicate, someone must bridge them manually.
SwiftCase integrates with Xero to eliminate this manual bridging. Cases generate invoices automatically. Contacts synchronise between systems. Payment status flows back to operations. This guide explains how the integration works and how to implement it effectively.
The Operations-Finance Gap
Manual Processes and Their Costs
Without integration, operations and finance work in separate worlds:
Invoice creation delay: completed work waits for someone to create invoices manually. Days or weeks pass. Cash flow suffers. Customers forget what they're being billed for.
Data re-entry: information already captured in the operational system must be typed again into accounting. Customer details, service descriptions, amounts, and references all require duplicate entry.
Errors and discrepancies: manual data transfer introduces mistakes. Names misspelled. Amounts transposed. References mismatched. Reconciliation becomes detective work.
Missing invoices: in the rush of daily operations, some completed work never gets invoiced at all. Revenue leaks silently.
Payment blindness: operations doesn't know which customers have paid. Finance doesn't know which cases are active. Neither has the full picture.
The Integrated Alternative
Xero integration bridges operations and finance:
Automatic invoicing: when cases reach billable status, invoices generate automatically in Xero. No manual creation. No delays. No forgotten bills.
Synchronised contacts: customer records flow between SwiftCase and Xero. Create a client in operations, and they appear in accounting. No duplicate entry.
Payment visibility: when customers pay invoices in Xero, that information flows back to SwiftCase. Operations knows who's paid and who hasn't.
Consistent data: information captured once serves both systems. No transcription errors. No mismatched records.
How the Integration Works
Authentication and Connection
SwiftCase connects to Xero using OAuth 2.0, the industry standard for secure API access.
Initial setup: an administrator authorises the connection between SwiftCase and your Xero organisation. This grants specific permissions while keeping credentials secure.
Ongoing access: once connected, the integration maintains access automatically. Token refresh happens behind the scenes. No repeated logins required.
Multiple organisations: if you manage multiple Xero organisations, each can connect independently. Different SwiftCase workspaces can link to different Xero organisations.
Contact Synchronisation
Customer records can synchronise between systems:
SwiftCase to Xero: when you create a client in SwiftCase, their contact record can automatically appear in Xero. Name, address, email, and phone number transfer without re-entry.
Xero to SwiftCase: existing Xero contacts can import into SwiftCase. Match records by email address or create new ones automatically.
Ongoing updates: changes in either system can synchronise. Update an address in SwiftCase, and Xero reflects it. Keep records consistent without duplicate maintenance.
ID linking: once synchronised, records link by Xero contact ID. This ensures invoices associate with the correct customer regardless of name changes or duplicates.
Invoice Generation
The integration creates Xero invoices from SwiftCase case data:
Triggering: invoices can generate automatically when cases reach specified statuses, or manually when users request them. Workflow automation handles the former. User action handles the latter.
Data mapping: SwiftCase fields map to Xero invoice fields. Client becomes contact. Services become line items. Due dates, references, and descriptions all transfer according to configured mappings.
Line items: services, products, or time entries from SwiftCase become Xero line items. Quantities, descriptions, unit prices, and tax codes all map appropriately.
Invoice reference: SwiftCase case numbers or references can populate Xero invoice references. This creates clear links between operational and financial records.
Payment Tracking
Payment information flows from Xero back to SwiftCase:
Payment status: when an invoice is paid in Xero, SwiftCase case records update to reflect payment. No manual status updates required.
Partial payments: if customers pay invoices in instalments, each payment updates the outstanding balance visible in SwiftCase.
Payment allocation: when payments match to specific invoices, that linkage appears in both systems. Operations knows exactly which cases are paid.
Practical Implementation
Designing Your Invoice Workflow
Before configuring the integration, design how invoicing should work:
When to invoice: at what point in your process does work become billable? Task completion? Case closure? A specific status? Define the trigger clearly.
What to include: what information should appear on invoices? Case details, service descriptions, time entries, expenses, and fixed fees all have different handling.
Who reviews: should invoices generate entirely automatically, or should someone review before they reach Xero? Automatic works for standard cases. Review suits complex or high-value situations.
Payment terms: what due dates apply? Net 30? Due on receipt? Different case types might warrant different terms.
Configuring Contact Synchronisation
Set up contact handling to match your needs:
Sync direction: decide whether contacts should flow from SwiftCase to Xero, Xero to SwiftCase, or both directions. Each approach suits different workflows.
Matching rules: determine how to match existing records. Email address matching catches most duplicates. Name matching might create false positives.
Required fields: identify which fields must be present before contacts sync. At minimum, you'll need a name. Addresses, phone numbers, and emails improve usefulness.
Default values: set defaults for fields that might be empty. Default currency, default payment terms, and default tax settings prevent incomplete records.
Mapping Invoice Fields
Configure how SwiftCase data becomes Xero invoice data:
Contact mapping: which SwiftCase field identifies the Xero contact? Usually the linked client record with its stored Xero ID.
Line item construction: how should line items build? Options include:
- One line item per service/product
- Time entries as separate line items
- Expenses as separate line items
- Summary line items by category
Description building: what text appears in line item descriptions? Service names, case details, date ranges, and custom text can all combine.
Tax handling: how should tax codes apply? Auto-detection by service type, fixed defaults, or explicit selection all work differently.
Reference and notes: what appears in the invoice reference and notes fields? Case numbers, customer references, and custom messages help with reconciliation.
Setting Up Workflow Automation
Automate invoice generation through SwiftCase workflows:
Status triggers: configure invoice generation to trigger when cases reach specific statuses. "Completed" or "Ready to Bill" commonly serve this purpose.
Conditional logic: add conditions to handle exceptions. Cases below certain values might not warrant invoices. Certain customer types might have different handling.
Review queues: for situations requiring human review, workflow can route to approval queues before generating invoices in Xero.
Notifications: alert relevant staff when invoices generate. Finance might want to know about large invoices. Account managers might want to see what's been billed to their clients.
Common Use Cases
Service Business Invoicing
A professional services firm bills for completed engagements:
- Staff record time against cases throughout the project
- When the case reaches "Complete" status, the workflow triggers
- SwiftCase aggregates time entries by fee earner or task type
- An invoice generates in Xero with detailed line items
- The case updates to "Invoiced" status
- When payment arrives, the case shows "Paid"
No manual invoice creation. No time entry re-keying. No payment status updates.
Fixed-Fee Work
A company charges fixed fees for defined services:
- Cases include the agreed fee as a field value
- Upon completion, the workflow triggers invoice generation
- A single line item appears with the service description and fee
- The invoice references the case number for easy tracking
- Payment receipt updates the case automatically
The same process handles hundreds or thousands of similar cases without individual attention.
Deposit and Balance Billing
Some businesses collect deposits upfront with balance on completion:
- Initial deposit invoice generates when case is accepted
- The case tracks deposit payment status via Xero sync
- Upon completion, balance invoice generates automatically
- Final payment completes the case billing cycle
Multiple invoices per case work naturally with proper configuration.
Recurring Services
Subscription or retainer billing requires periodic invoicing:
- Active service cases exist for ongoing customers
- Monthly workflow triggers invoice generation for due cases
- Invoices generate in Xero with the period's charges
- Cases track accumulated billing history
- Payment status stays current throughout
Regular billing cycles run without manual initiation.
Handling Edge Cases
Invoice Corrections
When invoices need changes after generation:
Credit notes: generate credit notes through Xero for incorrect invoices. SwiftCase can track the association between original invoices and credits.
Void and re-issue: for unpaid invoices with errors, voiding and re-generating is often cleaner than credits.
Partial credits: when only some line items are wrong, credit notes can address specific portions.
Non-Billable Cases
Not every case warrants an invoice:
Skip conditions: workflow conditions can exempt certain case types from automatic invoicing. Internal cases, warranties, or goodwill work might skip billing entirely.
Manual override: even with automatic invoicing, manual controls let staff mark cases as non-billable when situations warrant.
Zero-value invoices: in some situations, issuing zero-value invoices serves documentation purposes even without payment expected.
Customer with Multiple Cases
When customers have many cases:
Individual invoices: each case generates its own invoice. Clear for tracking but potentially overwhelming for customers with many small cases.
Consolidated invoicing: accumulate charges and generate periodic summary invoices. Cleaner for customers but requires different workflow design.
Customer preference: some integration setups let customer records specify their preferred invoicing approach.
Multi-Currency Situations
International customers might need foreign currency invoices:
Currency selection: customer records or individual cases can specify invoice currency. The integration passes this to Xero.
Exchange rates: Xero handles exchange rate application. SwiftCase sees the foreign currency amount; Xero tracks the base currency equivalent.
Best Practices
Start with Clean Data
Before enabling synchronisation:
Deduplicate contacts: review both SwiftCase and Xero for duplicate records. Merging duplicates before sync prevents confusion after.
Standardise formats: ensure consistent address formats, phone number formats, and naming conventions. Sync works better with clean data.
Map existing records: if customers exist in both systems already, link them manually before enabling automatic sync. This prevents duplicate creation.
Test Thoroughly
Before production use:
Test contacts: verify contact synchronisation creates accurate records with expected field values.
Test invoices: generate test invoices and verify all details appear correctly. Check line items, totals, tax calculations, and references.
Test edge cases: try scenarios outside the happy path. Missing fields, unusual values, and error conditions should handle gracefully.
Monitor Initially
After deployment:
Watch for errors: integration logs reveal failures and anomalies. Check them regularly during initial operation.
Verify accuracy: spot-check generated invoices against case data. Confirm mappings produce expected results.
Gather feedback: ask finance staff whether invoices look correct. They'll notice issues that automated checks might miss.
Document Configuration
For future reference:
Mapping documentation: record what maps to what. Future staff and future troubleshooting benefit from clear documentation.
Workflow logic: document the conditions and triggers that govern automatic invoicing.
Exception handling: note how edge cases and exceptions should be handled.
Measuring Success
Efficiency Metrics
Track improvements from integration:
Invoice creation time: how long from work completion to invoice generation? Integration should approach zero.
Error rates: how many invoices need correction? Integration should reduce errors significantly.
Cash collection speed: does faster invoicing improve payment timing? Measure days sales outstanding before and after.
Completeness Metrics
Ensure nothing falls through cracks:
Billing capture: is all billable work being invoiced? Compare completed cases to generated invoices.
Payment visibility: are payment statuses staying current? Spot-check Xero payments against SwiftCase status.
Staff Experience
Consider the human side:
Time savings: how much time did staff previously spend on invoice creation and data entry?
Frustration reduction: are finance and operations teams finding the integration helpful?
Error handling: when problems occur, how easily are they identified and resolved?
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Invoices Not Generating
If automatic invoices don't appear in Xero:
- Verify the workflow trigger is configured correctly
- Check that all required fields are populated
- Confirm the Xero connection is active
- Review workflow logs for errors
Contact Sync Failures
If contacts don't synchronise:
- Verify contact records meet minimum requirements
- Check for duplicate matching conflicts
- Confirm sync is enabled for the relevant contact types
- Review error logs for specific failure reasons
Incorrect Invoice Data
If invoices appear but with wrong data:
- Review field mapping configuration
- Check source data in SwiftCase
- Verify calculated fields compute correctly
- Test with a known-good case to isolate issues
Moving Forward
Xero integration transforms the boundary between operations and finance from a wall requiring manual effort into a seamless flow of information. Invoices generate without intervention. Contacts stay synchronised. Payment status flows automatically.
The initial configuration investment pays dividends with every invoice that generates automatically, every contact that doesn't need re-entering, and every payment status that updates without a phone call to finance.
Start with the highest-volume, simplest invoicing scenarios. Prove the integration works reliably. Expand to more complex cases as confidence grows. The goal is an operations-finance connection so smooth that manual invoicing feels like an unnecessary burden.
Ready to connect SwiftCase to Xero?
See how automatic invoicing and contact synchronisation would work with your specific accounting setup. We'll demonstrate the integration with your Xero organisation and help you design the optimal workflow.