Deputy + Xero

Sync Your Accounting & Finance Tools - Connect Deputy to Xero

Connect Deputy to Xero with a purpose-built integration. Real-time sync, error handling, and retry logic included - deployed within 2 weeks by our experienced team.

8+ hours/week

Saved weekly

98%

Client retention

50+

Clients served

One-way

Sync direction

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Why Connect Deputy to Xero?

No single source of truth when employees live in two disconnected tools, so staff second-guess which system has the correct information

Manually copying data between Deputy and Xero wastes hours every week that could be spent on revenue-generating work

Deputy limitations compound the integration challenge: integration with accounting platforms like Xero and MYOB works well, but real-time sync can occasionally lag behind by several hours

Reporting across Deputy and Xero requires painful manual exports and spreadsheet merges

New team members take longer to onboard because they must learn manual workarounds to keep Deputy and Xero aligned

Guest booking data in Deputy and operations scheduling in Xero require manual coordination

Deputy uses a REST + Webhook API while Xero uses REST, requiring careful middleware to translate data formats between the two platforms

Xero adds complexity: advanced reporting and custom financial reports are limited on lower plans - detailed management reporting often requires exporting to spreadsheets

How We Help

Deputy offers a native Xero integration for timesheet and leave sync. The native integration works well for basic scenarios but struggles with complex award interpretations, multiple pay rates, and tracking category allocation. For those cases, use the Deputy API (REST, OAuth 2.0) with a Make or Zapier middleware layer. API rate limits: Deputy allows 200 API requests per minute. Xero Payroll API has the same 60 calls per minute limit as the main Xero API. Key gotcha: Xero Payroll is a separate API from the core Xero accounting API and requires distinct OAuth scopes (payroll.employees, payroll.payruns, payroll.timesheets). Australian Award interpretation (Fair Work Act) is complex, and Deputy handles award calculation natively, but the calculated rates must align with Xero's earnings rate configuration. Timezone handling matters for timesheet accuracy: Deputy stores times in the employee's local timezone, while Xero processes in the organisation's timezone. Superannuation calculations are handled by Xero, not Deputy, so only hours and rates need to sync.

Eliminate Manual Data Entry

Stop copying data between Deputy and Xero by hand. Our integration syncs data automatically, saving your team 8+ hours/week.

Scalable Without Extra Headcount

As your data volume grows, the integration scales with you. No need to hire additional admin staff to keep Deputy and Xero in sync, even as your business doubles.

Unlock Xero Value

Xero stands out because australian-first design means GST, BAS, and Single Touch Payroll are built in rather than bolted on as afterthoughts. Integrating it with Deputy means your team gets this benefit with complete, accurate data flowing in automatically.

Built-In Error Handling and Alerts

Our integrations include automatic retries, error queuing, and real-time notifications. If something fails between Deputy and Xero, your team knows immediately and the system self-recovers where possible.

Deputy to Xero Use Cases

Sync approved timesheets from Deputy to Xero payroll

When timesheets are approved in Deputy, push the hours worked, overtime, and leave data to Xero Payroll for processing. Eliminates manual timesheet re-entry and reduces payroll errors for hospitality and trades businesses.

Sync Deputy leave requests to Xero leave balances

When leave is approved in Deputy, update the Xero Payroll leave balance and create a leave application. Ensures leave entitlements are accurately tracked in both systems.

Sync employee records between Deputy and Xero

Keep employee details consistent between Deputy (rostering) and Xero (payroll). When a new employee is added to either system, create a matching record in the other.

Data Mapping

How data flows between Deputy and Xero

Deputy	→	Xero	Notes
Deputy Timesheet → Employee	→	Xero Payroll Employee → EmployeeID	Match by email address or a custom "xero_employee_id" field in Deputy.
Deputy Timesheet → TotalTime (hours)	→	Xero Pay Run → Timesheet → NumberOfUnits	Deputy stores time in hours with decimal fractions. Xero Payroll accepts decimal hours.
Deputy Timesheet → OperationalUnit (Area/Location)	→	Xero Pay Run → Timesheet → TrackingCategory	Map Deputy areas/locations to Xero tracking categories for cost centre reporting.
Deputy Leave → LeaveType	→	Xero Leave Application → LeaveTypeID	Map Deputy leave types (Annual, Sick, Personal) to Xero Payroll leave types.
Deputy Leave → StartDate / EndDate	→	Xero Leave Application → StartDate / EndDate	Both systems use YYYY-MM-DD date format.
Deputy Employee → PayRates	→	Xero Payroll Employee → OrdinaryEarningsRateID	Deputy can store multiple pay rates per employee. Map the primary rate to Xero ordinary earnings.
Deputy Timesheet → Overtime hours	→	Xero Pay Run → OvertimeEarnings	Deputy calculates overtime based on award rules. Push overtime hours to the correct Xero overtime earnings rate.

Deputy + Xero Integration FAQ

The most common data objects synced between Deputy and Xero include employees, shifts, timesheets. We map each data type to its counterpart in the target system, including custom fields, metadata, and relationship data. The exact scope is tailored to your workflow during the discovery session.

Yes. We have built integrations for Hospitality & Tourism businesses that rely on both Deputy and Xero. The integration is customised to your industry-specific workflows, data structures, and compliance requirements. Book Free Assessment to discuss your specific needs.

Integration pricing depends on complexity, including the number of data objects synced (employees, shifts, timesheets), sync direction, custom business rules, and volume. Most Deputy to Xero integrations fall within our standard integration tier. Book a free assessment to get a specific quote for your requirements.

Yes, every integration includes 3 months of post-launch support. We monitor sync health, troubleshoot issues, and make adjustments as your workflow evolves. Ongoing maintenance plans are available for businesses that want continuous optimisation.

Most Deputy to Xero integrations are completed within 2 weeks. We start with a discovery session to understand your specific workflow, then build and test the integration. Complex setups with custom business logic may take up to 4-8 weeks.

Yes. All data is transferred over encrypted connections (TLS/SSL). We follow least-privilege API access, using OAuth 2.0 authentication with scoped permissions, never store credentials in plain text, and log all sync activity for audit purposes. For Australian businesses with compliance requirements, we can implement additional safeguards.

Typical accounting & finance data synced includes employees, shifts, timesheets, and related metadata. We map each field to its counterpart in Xero and handle any format differences automatically.