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Xero Troubleshooting

This article contains Troubleshooting related to Xero integration

Natasha Tyrrell avatar
Written by Natasha Tyrrell
Updated over a week ago

Xero Troubleshooting error messages

"This invoice is locked by Xero because it has an invalid status for modification."

Resolution:
This error appears when there's an FI invoice with same number that is already voided in Xero.
In addition to invoice being voided in Xero, there are few other cases as follows where Invoice gets locked by Xero and error 'Invoice is locked by Xero....' appears when you are re-exporting invoice:

1) Invoice is Approved in FI and synced to Xero
2) Invoice is Approved in Xero after sync

The link 'Xero Invoice' next to 'Xero export error' (refer image) indicates that Invoice was successfully exported to Xero once, and you are re-exporting.

Any attempt to re-export an invoice already locked by Xero triggers the error message, irrespective of whether invoice data has been changed or not.

If you need to add service/product items to an approved invoice, solution is to create a copy of FI Invoice and export the copy to Xero after voiding the original invoice.

If you want to export payments to Xero then either export the invoice only once with the payment applied, or export the invoice in draft status

  • then approve in FieldInsight and add the payment

  • then export the invoice to Xero with the payment applied


"Xero is not authorized"

Resolution:
Click ‘Authorize’ link in the error message & re-login to Xero.

'The document DueDate field must be specified'

Resolution:   Ensure that the invoice being exported to Xero has a Due date.


'One or more line items must be specified'

Resolution:
A blank invoice without any billable item cannot be exported to Xero. At least one billable line item for service/product must be there in the invoice.

'Payments can only be made against Authorised documents'

Resolution:
Click 'Approve' button on FieldInsight invoice page after adding payment and then export the invoice to Xero.
[Note: Export of invoice with payment can only be done once, as Xero does not allow re-export if there's Payment data against an invoice.]

'Item code 'XYZ' is not valid'

To resolve check you account settings in Settings - Integrations - Xero settings, in the popup check that all your accounts are correctly linked to the chart of accounts in Xero

My Invoices are not exported to draft status in Xero

Opne Settings - Add-ons and click on the Edit settings buttons next to Xero. In the Document section check Always sync invoices to DRAFT.

Changes to items are not updated in Xero

When I make changes to the items on an approved invoice in FieldInsight and click export the changes are not added to the invoice in Xero - this is because Approved invoices are locked in Xero and cannot be modified

"The existing contact with name ‘N1’ cannot be updated to use new name ‘N2’. There is an existing contact with that name.”

OR


"Another contact has this contact number. Please enter a different contact number."

Resolution:
These errors appear when you change the name of a contact in FieldInsight and try to export an invoice with that contact to Xero. You need to change the contact back to original name.

Alternate solution steps:
i) Create new customer 'Test customer for Xero Sync.' / 'Test Account-Customer for Xero Sync.' in FieldInsight. Replace (change) the customer of FieldInsight invoice with 'Test Customer for Xero Sync.' before exporting to Xero.
ii) Export the invoice to Xero
iii) Change customer of that Invoice back to original in Xero & FieldInsight after the sync.

[Note: An entirely new customer 'Test customer for Xero Sync.' has to be created for this workaround.]

For MYOB troubleshooting see: 

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