Technical guide

Xero technical guide

Everything an engineer needs to connect Xero to Salesforce: architecture, the exact build steps with real code, field mapping, the data model, security, monitoring, and the pitfalls we design out.

Platform: XeroType: AccountingDirection: Two-wayObjects: Invoice

Xero accounting sync and action automation. We have shipped it across 2 client projects and 7 build tasks.

The value is one source of truth: both systems stay current, records reconcile automatically, and every error is logged for review.

We build it the Salesforce-native way: a Connected App and Named Credentials so no secrets ever live in code, field mappings that respect your data model, and record-triggered automation that does the work.

Every Xero build is delivered by a senior Salesforce architect on a fixed price, tested end to end in a sandbox, deployed to your org, and backed by 30 days of hypercare. You own the result: documented, source-controlled, and free of black-box middleware lock-in.

the connection at a glancesync active
01Salesforce flow / Apex
02Named Credential
03Xero API
04Records
Integration facts

How Xero connects to Salesforce

The real connection surface: how it authenticates, what it is built on, the endpoints and events in play, and where the reference docs live.

Connects via
Native AppExchange managed package (Breadwinner) surfacing real-time Xero invoices and payments inside SalesforceApex HTTP callouts to the Xero Accounting API via Named Credential (OAuth 2.0)Xero webhooks POSTing Invoice/Contact change events; Flow/Apex-driven email and action automation
Package
Breadwinner for Xero
Authentication
OAuth 2.0 authorization code grant with PKCE; scoped access token (~30-min TTL) plus a rolling refresh token (~60-day); target org selected via the xero-tenant-id header
API type
REST+Webhooks
https://api.xero.com/api.xro/2.0/

Key endpoints

/Invoices/Contacts/Payments/CreditNotes/Accounts

Webhook and platform events

Invoice CREATEInvoice UPDATEContact CREATEContact UPDATE
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From our builds

What we build for a Xero integration

Xero accounting sync with Salesforce, plus email and action automation driven from Salesforce.

2client projects
7delivery tasks shipped

Accounting sync

Synced Xero accounting data with Salesforce and automated the follow-on emails and actions from the Salesforce side.

Real components we ship

Xero accounting syncEmail / action automation
Step 0

What you will need

What we confirm on both sides before writing a line of code.

A Salesforce edition with API access (Enterprise, Unlimited, or Developer)
A dedicated sandbox to build and test in
A Xero account on a plan with API access
System Administrator access on both systems
A dedicated integration user with a minimum-access permission set
Agreement on the objects, fields, and sync direction for the Xero data
How it works

From trigger to record, end to end

The production runtime flow, with what happens in each system.

runtime sequence4 steps
  1. 01

    Change in either system

    Either system

    A change in Salesforce or in Xero starts the sync.

    $Salesforce side via flow or Change Data Capture; vendor side via webhook or scheduled pull.
  2. 02

    Transform and route

    In transit

    The integration layer maps and transforms the payload between the two data models.

    $DataWeave or Apex converts between the Salesforce and vendor schemas.
  3. 03

    Push and scheduled pull

    In transit

    Records push on trigger and pull on a schedule so both sides stay current.

    $An updatedSince delta filter keeps each batch small and current.
  4. 04

    Reconciled both ways

    Both systems

    Records reconcile across systems, with every error logged for review.

    $Conflicts resolved by rule; failures land in an Error Log object for replay.
Architecture

How the data actually flows

Left to right: sources, the integration layer, Salesforce, and the outcomes it drives.

system architecture
Sources
Salesforce records
Xero
Integration layer
Mapping and transforms
Push on trigger
Scheduled pull
Salesforce
Invoice
Related records
Reports
Outcomes
Both systems current
Auto-reconciled
Errors logged

// sources feed the integration layer, Salesforce persists, outcomes ship

Data model

The objects behind the integration

The Salesforce objects we read and write, what each one is for, and the fields that carry the load.

ObjectPurposeKey fields
InvoiceThe primary Salesforce record Xero data maps onto.External_Id__c, Name, Status
AccountMatched or created for the customer or company behind the record.Name, External_Id__c
Error_Log__c (custom)Captures every request, response, and failure so anything can be replayed.Payload__c, Status__c, Related_Id__c
Sync_Log__c (custom)Tracks the last-synced timestamp per record for delta pulls.Last_Synced__c, Direction__c

Salesforce objects typically in play for Xero

AccountContactOpportunityOrdercustom Invoice object
Step by step

Build the Xero integration

Every step we follow to ship a production-grade build, with the code that matters.

1

Plan the integration and prerequisites

Before any code, we lock down access and design how Xero and Salesforce will talk.

  • A Salesforce edition with API access (Enterprise, Unlimited, or Developer) and a dedicated sandbox track
  • A Xero account on a plan with API access, plus admin rights on both systems
  • A dedicated Salesforce integration user with a minimum-access permission set, never a personal admin login
  • Decide direction (inbound, outbound, or bidirectional) and cadence (real-time callouts vs scheduled batch)
  • Budget the daily API request allocation and per-transaction callout limits up front
2

Register the app and scope OAuth in Xero

We create the connection on the Xero side and collect exactly the access Salesforce needs.

  • Create an OAuth app or scoped API token in Xero to get the Client ID and Client Secret
  • Grant the minimum OAuth scopes required, and note the API base URL and version
  • Whitelist the Salesforce callback URL if the tool uses the authorization-code flow
3

Store secrets with External and Named Credentials

We use the modern Salesforce auth stack, so no secret ever lives in code or metadata.

  • Create an External Credential (OAuth 2.0 or custom) with a named principal
  • Create a Named Credential pointing at the Xero base URL and enable the generated authorization header
  • Grant the External Credential through a permission set, so only the integration user can call out
  • This replaces legacy Remote Site Settings and hard-coded tokens entirely

Pro tip: Named Credentials, not code

Named Credentials keep the secret and endpoint out of your Apex and metadata, so nothing sensitive ships in a deployment or lands in version control.

4

Design the data model and external IDs

We make Xero records land cleanly on the right Salesforce object with no duplicates.

  • Map every Xero field to the Invoice and related objects, documenting type, picklist values, and record types
  • Add a unique, external-id, case-insensitive field on each object as the match key
  • Define owner assignment, required-field defaults, and relationship lookups
5

Build inbound ingestion

If Xero data flows in, we ingest it safely and idempotently.

  • Expose an Apex REST resource (@RestResource) or subscribe to Xero's push or Platform Events
  • Authenticate and parse the payload, then Database.upsert on the external id in bulk
  • Make it idempotent, so a retried or duplicate payload never creates a second record
InboundRecordApi.clsapex
@RestResource(urlMapping='/inbound/records/*')
global with sharing class InboundRecordApi {
  @HttpPost
  global static void upsertRecords() {
    List<Row> items = (List<Row>) JSON.deserialize(
      RestContext.request.requestBody.toString(), List<Row>.class);

    List<MyObject__c> rows = new List<MyObject__c>();
    for (Row r : items) {
      rows.add(new MyObject__c(External_Id__c = r.id, Name = r.name, Amount__c = r.amount));
    }
    upsert rows External_Id__c;         // bulk + idempotent on the external id
    RestContext.response.statusCode = 200;
  }
  global class Row { global String id; global String name; global Decimal amount; }
}
6

Build outbound sync

If Salesforce drives Xero, we call out the right way.

  • A record-triggered flow to invocable Apex, or an Apex trigger handing off to a Queueable
  • Triggers cannot call out synchronously, so the HTTP callout runs asynchronously
  • Serialize with JSON.serialize and call Xero via callout:NamedCredential, handling every status code
SyncToServiceQueueable.clsapex
public class SyncToServiceQueueable implements Queueable, Database.AllowsCallouts {
  private List<Id> ids;
  public SyncToServiceQueueable(List<Id> ids) { this.ids = ids; }

  public void execute(QueueableContext ctx) {
    for (MyObject__c rec : [SELECT Id, Name, External_Id__c FROM MyObject__c WHERE Id IN :ids]) {
      HttpRequest req = new HttpRequest();
      req.setEndpoint('callout:Service_NC/v1/records'); // secret lives in the Named Credential
      req.setMethod('POST');
      req.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json');
      req.setBody(JSON.serialize(new Map<String,Object>{
        'externalId' => rec.External_Id__c, 'name' => rec.Name }));
      HttpResponse res = new Http().send(req);
      if (res.getStatusCode() != 200) ErrorLog.capture(rec.Id, res);
    }
  }
}
7

Engineer for scale and governor limits

We build it to survive real volume, not just a demo.

  • Bulkify everything: no SOQL, DML, or callouts inside loops (100 SOQL and 150 DML per transaction)
  • Use Queueable, Batchable, or Scheduled Apex for volume, and chain jobs for large syncs
  • Add retry with backoff and a dead-letter Error_Log__c record for anything that fails
NightlySyncBatch.clsapex
global class NightlySyncBatch implements Database.Batchable<SObject>, Database.AllowsCallouts {
  global Database.QueryLocator start(Database.BatchableContext bc) {
    return Database.getQueryLocator([SELECT Id, External_Id__c FROM MyObject__c WHERE Needs_Sync__c = true]);
  }
  global void execute(Database.BatchableContext bc, List<MyObject__c> scope) {
    ServiceClient.sync(scope);       // one callout per 200-record chunk stays under limits
  }
  global void finish(Database.BatchableContext bc) { /* chain the next job or log the run */ }
}

Watch out: governor limits

Salesforce caps SOQL, DML, and callouts per transaction. Bulkify everything and move volume to Queueable or Batch Apex, or the integration will fail at scale.

8

Lock down security and compliance

We give the integration exactly the access it needs and nothing more.

  • A least-privilege permission set, field-level security, and sharing for the integration user
  • Rotate secrets on a schedule, and add Shield Platform Encryption for sensitive fields where required
9

Test like production

We prove it works before it ships.

  • Apex tests with Test.setMock(HttpCalloutMock) covering success, failure, and a 200-record bulk case
  • At least 75 percent coverage, plus sandbox UAT and a parallel run against the live system
SyncToServiceTest.clsapex
@IsTest
private class SyncToServiceTest {
  private class Mock implements HttpCalloutMock {
    public HttpResponse respond(HttpRequest req) {
      HttpResponse res = new HttpResponse();
      res.setStatusCode(200); res.setBody('{"ok":true}');
      return res;
    }
  }
  @IsTest static void syncsInBulk() {
    Test.setMock(HttpCalloutMock.class, new Mock());
    List<MyObject__c> recs = new List<MyObject__c>();
    for (Integer i = 0; i < 200; i++)
      recs.add(new MyObject__c(Name = 'Row ' + i, External_Id__c = 'EXT-' + i));
    insert recs;

    Test.startTest();     // proves the callout is bulk-safe under governor limits
    System.enqueueJob(new SyncToServiceQueueable(new List<Id>(new Map<Id,MyObject__c>(recs).keySet())));
    Test.stopTest();
  }
}
10

Deploy, monitor, and hand over

We ship it safely and keep it healthy.

  • Deploy via change sets or an SFDX and CI pipeline, and assign the permission sets
  • Turn on monitoring and alerting on the Error Log, and optionally Event Monitoring
  • Hand over with 30 days of hypercare and failure alerting
Field mapping

Example field mapping

How Xero data lands on your Salesforce records. We tailor the full mapping to your org.

XeroSalesforceNotes
Xero record idInvoice.External_Id__cUnique external id, upsert key
Xero numberInvoice.Name
Xero customerAccountMatched or created
Xero amount / totalInvoice.Total__c
Xero statusInvoice.StatusPicklist value mapping
Created / updated atLastModifiedDateEnables delta sync and audit
Owner or repInvoice.OwnerIdAssignment rules or a default owner
API & limits

Rate limits and governor limits

The platform constraints we design around, so the integration stays fast and never falls over at scale.

Specific to Xero

60 calls/min per tenant
5,000 calls/day per tenant
10,000 calls/min app-wide
Access token 30-min TTL; refresh token 60-day rolling

Salesforce platform limits

Salesforce caps API calls per 24 hours by edition and license count. We budget the daily allocation up front so the integration never starves other tools.
Per transaction, Apex allows 100 SOQL queries, 150 DML statements, and 100 callouts. We bulkify everything and move volume async to stay well under them.
Xero enforces its own rate limits. We honour them, and back off with jitter on HTTP 429 responses instead of hammering the API.
A synchronous callout can run for up to 120 seconds. Anything longer runs in Queueable or Batch Apex, never inline.
Security

Secure by design

How we keep the integration safe, least-privilege, and compliant.

Secrets stored in Named Credentials and permission sets, never in code or metadata
A least-privilege integration user, with field-level security and sharing scoped tight
All traffic over TLS, with signature verification on inbound events
Shield Platform Encryption available for sensitive fields
A full audit trail: every request and response logged for traceability
Every automation runs as a dedicated integration user, so actions are attributable and revocable
Sandbox-first delivery and change-set deployment keep production changes reviewed and controlled
Monitoring

Monitoring, retries, and reliability

What keeps the integration trustworthy in production, and how you know the moment something needs attention.

Every request and response is logged to a custom Error Log object, tagged with the related record id.
Failed calls retry with exponential backoff; anything still failing lands in a dead-letter queue for review.
Idempotency keys guarantee a retried or duplicate event never double-posts a record.
A dashboard surfaces failures, latency, and volume so problems are caught before users notice.
Optional email or Slack alerts fire on repeated failures or a stalled sync.
Testing & deployment

How we test, deploy, and hand it over

The quality gates every build clears before it touches your production org.

Apex unit tests with HttpCalloutMock cover the success path, failure handling, and a 200-record bulk case, at 75 percent or higher coverage.
The full flow is validated in a sandbox against real sample data and the edge cases that matter.
A parallel run reconciles the integration against your live system before cutover.
Everything deploys through change sets or an SFDX and CI pipeline, under version control.
Permission sets, sharing, and Named Credentials are configured in production, then we run 30 days of monitored hypercare.
Pitfalls

Common pitfalls we design out

The mistakes that quietly break integrations, and how we avoid each one.

Duplicate records on retry

Upsert on a unique external-id field so retried payloads are idempotent.

Hitting governor limits at volume

Bulkify and move work to Queueable or Batch Apex; never call out inside a loop.

Callouts failing when a token expires

Use Named Credentials so Salesforce refreshes the OAuth token automatically.

No visibility when it breaks

We log every call and surface failures on a dashboard with alerts, so an issue never goes unnoticed.

Reporting drifts from reality

External-id keys and a delta timestamp keep Salesforce and the source reconciled, so reports stay trustworthy.

Gotchas specific to Xero

The access token expires every 30 minutes and the refresh token rotates on each use and must be persisted
Multi-tenant: the correct xero-tenant-id must be sent or writes land in the wrong organization
Honor the rate-limit headers; breaches return HTTP 429 with a Retry-After header
FAQ

Xero integration: technical FAQs

How do you authenticate Xero with Salesforce?

We connect Xero using secure named credentials and store every secret in Salesforce Named Credentials with a permission set, so nothing is hard-coded or shipped in metadata.

Does the Xero integration handle bulk volume?

Yes. All Apex is bulkified, volume moves to Queueable or Batch Apex, and we respect the Salesforce governor limits (SOQL, DML, and callout caps per transaction).

How do you prevent duplicate records?

We upsert on a unique external-id field, so a retried or duplicate payload is idempotent and never creates a second Invoice.

How is the integration tested and deployed?

Apex tests with HttpCalloutMock cover the success, failure, and a 200-record bulk case (75 percent plus coverage). We deploy via change sets or an SFDX and CI pipeline.

What happens if Xero or Salesforce is briefly down?

Failed calls retry with backoff and land in an Error Log object with alerting, so nothing is lost and any event can be replayed.

Inbound, outbound, or both?

We build whichever direction you need: an Apex REST endpoint for inbound, record-triggered flows or Queueable callouts for outbound, or both for a two-way sync.

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