Configuring Xero Exports

Learn how to set up and customize data exports from your Xero accounting account to Google Sheets with CountingKit.

Overview

After connecting your Xero account, you can configure exports to send your accounting data to Google Sheets. This allows you to analyze financial performance, track invoices and payments, monitor bank transactions, and create custom reports based on your Xero data.

Prerequisites

Before configuring Xero exports, make sure you have:

Connected your Xero account (see Connecting Your Xero Account)
Connected at least one Google Sheet or BigQuery destination (see Configuring Google Sheets or Configuring Google BigQuery)
Verified that your Xero connection is active and working properly

Creating a Xero Export

Follow these steps to create a new Xero export:

Navigate to the Export Builder
From your dashboard, go to "Export Builder" and click "Create New Export".
Select Xero as the Data Source
Choose "Xero" from the list of available data sources.
Select Your Xero Organization
If you have multiple Xero organizations connected, select the organization you want to export data from.
Choose a Google Sheet
Select the Google Sheet where you want to export your Xero data.
Configure Export Settings
Set up the export configuration as described in the sections below.
Save Your Export
Click "Create Export" to save your configuration and create the export.

Export Configuration Options

When configuring a Xero export, you have several options to customize what data is exported and how it's organized:

Data Tabs

Xero exports are organized by data types, with each type creating a separate tab in your Google Sheet. The interface uses a tab-based layout where you can configure each data type independently.

There are two main categories of data:

Transactional Data: Invoices, Contacts, Payments, Bank Transactions, Accounts, Items, Credit Notes, Bills, and Journals. These require you to select specific columns to enable the export.
Financial Reports: Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, Trial Balance, Aged Receivables, Aged Payables, Budget Summary, Executive Summary, Bank Summary, Sales by Customer, Purchases by Supplier, GST Report, BAS Report, and 1099 Report. These require you to check the "Export [Report Name]" checkbox to enable them.

For detailed information about each data type, including available columns and configuration options, see Xero Data Types.

For each data tab, you can:

Enable/Disable:
- Transactional Data: Select at least one column to enable the export
- Financial Reports: Check the "Export [Report Name]" checkbox to enable the report
Set Data Handling: Choose whether to append new data or replace existing data (for transactional data only)
Select Columns: Choose which specific data fields to include (for transactional data only)
Configure Report Options: Set periods, timeframe, and other report-specific settings (for financial reports only)

Column Selection

For transactional data tabs, you can select which columns (fields) to include in your export. Each data tab has its own set of available columns.

You can use the "Select All" and "Deselect All" buttons to quickly manage your column selections. At least one column must be selected for the data tab to be included in the export.

For a complete list of available columns for each data type, see Xero Data Types.

Date Range Options

For transaction-based data tabs (Invoices, Payments, Bank Transactions, etc.), you can specify the date range for which you want to export data:

Today: Data from the current day
Yesterday: Data from the previous day
Last 7 days: Data from the previous week
Last 30 days: Data from the previous month
Last 90 days: Data from the previous three months
This month: Data from the current month
Last month: Data from the previous month
This quarter: Data from the current quarter
Last quarter: Data from the previous quarter
This year: Data from the current year
Last year: Data from the previous year
Maximum: Maximum available data range

Note: Report tabs (Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, etc.) use the date range to determine the reporting period for the financial reports.

Report Configuration

Financial reports have specific configuration options that appear when you enable the report:

Compare Periods: Select how many previous periods to compare (1-11 for most reports)
Timeframe: Choose whether to compare by Month, Quarter, or Year
Cash Basis: For Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, and Trial Balance, enable this to only include transactions with payments
Standard Layout: For Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet, use Xero's standard report format

When multiple periods are selected, the report will include separate columns for each period, making it easy to compare performance over time.

Data Handling

For transactional data tabs, you can choose how to handle the exported data:

Replace (default): Each export run will clear existing data and replace it with new data
Append: Each export run will add new data rows without removing existing data

The append option is particularly useful for building historical datasets over time. When enabled, new data will be added to existing rows rather than replacing them.

Note: Financial reports always use replace mode, as they represent a snapshot of financial data at a specific point in time.

Pro Tip

Use the append option for transaction data you want to track over time (like invoices or payments), and use replace for data that represents current state (like contacts or accounts).

Best Practices

Start Simple: Begin with just one or two data tabs and a few essential columns
Focus on Key Data: Select only the columns you actually need for your analysis
Consider Sheet Size: Be mindful that exporting too many columns or rows can make your Google Sheet slow or hit size limits
Use Appropriate Date Ranges: Choose a date range preset that matches your reporting needs. For daily reports, use "Today" or "Yesterday". For monthly reports, use "This month" or "Last month". For comprehensive historical analysis, use "This year" or "Maximum"
Append Strategically: Use append for historical data tracking, but be aware that it will increase your sheet size over time
Create Multiple Exports: Instead of one large export with everything, create separate focused exports for different purposes (e.g., one for invoices, another for financial reports)
Check Your Exports: After creating an export, run it manually and verify the data before setting up automation
Use Reports for Analysis: The financial report tabs (Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, etc.) are great for high-level financial analysis and can be combined with transaction data for comprehensive reporting
Enable Reports Explicitly: Remember that financial reports must be explicitly enabled using the "Export [Report Name]" checkbox - they are not automatically included
Select Columns for Transactional Data: Transactional data tabs require at least one column to be selected to be included in the export

Troubleshooting

Missing Data

If your export is missing expected data:

For transactional data: Verify that you've selected at least one column for the data tab
For financial reports: Verify that you've checked the "Export [Report Name]" checkbox to enable the report
Check if the date range is appropriate for the data you're looking for
Ensure that the data exists in your Xero organization
Check if you have the necessary permissions to access that data
For region-specific reports (GST, BAS, 1099): Verify that your Xero organization is in the correct region

Export Errors

If your export fails with errors:

Check the export logs for specific error messages (see Viewing Export Logs)
Verify that your Xero connection is still active
Check if your Google Sheet is accessible and has not been deleted
Try reducing the number of columns or the date range if you're hitting API limits

Performance Issues

If your exports are running slowly or timing out:

Reduce the number of columns you're exporting
Choose a shorter date range (e.g., "Last 30 days" instead of "Maximum")
Split large exports into multiple smaller exports
For organizations with large transaction volumes, focus on the most recent or most important data