Xero Payroll Integration

Introduction

Ascora has built-in integration for Xero Payroll by allowing Ascora User timesheets and leave to be uploaded into Xero by getting the Pay Periods related to the Ascora User from Xero.

Getting Started

Ascora allows you to upload all user timesheets and leave periods to Xero using Xero's Employees and Pay Calendars.
The following steps will set up an Ascora User to be compatible with sending their timesheet and leave back up to Xero:

1. Connect to Xero via Administration > Accounts Integration
2. Setup Payroll by going to Administration > Payroll Integration
3. Set the Earnings Rate for the Payroll Integration
   1. Normal
   2. Time and a Half
   3. Double Time
   4. Double Time and Half

1. Click "Save Payroll Settings"

Notes

The Xero Earnings Rates are based on the Xero Pay Items available. It is possible to find the Pay Items by logging into Xero, going to Payroll -> Overview -> Pay Calendars, and opening the "Pay Items" page.
The Pay Items must either be Ordinary Time Earnings or Overtime earnings and are found under "Earnings"
See: Add a custom pay item – Xero Central for more details.

Setting up Users for Xero Payroll

To set up an Ascora User to be capable of uploading their timesheets to Xero, an Ascora User will need to have an equivalent Employee on Xero that fits the following criteria:

1. The Xero Employee has the same first name + last name as the Ascora User
2. The Xero Employee must have an associated Pay Calendar

The following steps go through the process of making this happen:

1. Start by logging in to Xero (Keep Ascora open as well for your convenience)
2. Find an Employee on Xero that matches your Ascora User by First Name and Last Name
   1. On Ascora, the users are found under Administration -> Users
   2. On Xero, the Employees are found under Payroll -> Employees

1. If a match cannot be found, add a new Employee and set the following
   1. The First Name on Xero matches the User's First Name on Ascora
   2. The Last Name on Xero matches the User's Last Name on Ascora
   3. Set the Date of birth as this is required
   4. Set the Gender on Xero as this is required
   5. Set the Address under "Address search"

1. Check if there exists a Xero Pay Calendar by going to Payroll -> Overview, and if the button under Pay Calendars states "Edit Pay Calendars", then a Pay Calendar already exists, and you can go back to an existing Xero Employee to set their Pay Calendar
2. If not, create a Xero Pay Calendar by clicking "Add Pay Calendars"
   1. Pay Period can use all periods except for "Twice Monthly". This is the only Pay Period Ascora does not (currently) support
   2. The Name can be anything
   3. The Start Date can use any date before "The First Payment Date" anything after will set the First Payment Date to the Start Date
   4. The First Payment Date can be any date past the "Start Date" Anything before will auto-set the Start Date to the First Payment Date.

1. Open the Employee you intend to manage the payroll for under Payroll -> Employees
   1. For the Employee, go to the "Employment" Tab
   2. Set the employment type to "Employee"
   3. Set the Income type
   4. Set the Employment basis
   5. Set the "Start date"
   6. If it hasn't been set, set the "Payroll calendar" to any payroll calendar. Ascora can pick up all Payroll Calendars associated with matched users.
   7. Set the Ordinary earnings rate

Integrating Employee Leave Applications

To set up an Ascora User with the ability to upload Leave Applications, the equivalent user on Xero must have Leave Types assigned to them. To do this, do the following:

1. Go to Payroll -> Employees and find the equivalent Employee
2. From the Employee Page, assign leave by
   1. Opening the "Leave" tab
   2. Clicking "Assign Leave Type"

1. Enter the required information for the desired Leave Type
2. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each Leave Type you want to be available for Ascora to Upload on the Payroll page

For adding additional leave types

Notes

The Xero Leave Types are based on the Xero Pay Items available under the "Leave" section. It is possible to find the Pay Items by logging into Xero, going to Payroll -> Overview -> Pay Calendars, and opening the "Pay Items" page.
See: Add additional leave types and assign them to your employees – Xero Central
Ascora will not upload a User Timesheet Xero when it already exists for the selected Pay Period on Xero.
Ascora will not upload a User Leave Application when it already exists for the selected Pay Period on Xero.

Testing your Xero Payroll Integration

Once Xero has been set up to support Payroll, you should be able to push Ascora Users that are assigned Payroll on Xero, as Ascora will provide the option to Select the Xero Payroll Calendars and their associated Draft Pay run from the Users on Xero.
For example:

To test if these works do the following:

1. Go to Ascora and navigate to "Administration" -> "Payroll"
2. Check the available Payroll Periods

1. Choose a Payroll Period containing your User
2. Check if the user exists for that period