Getting WooCommerce orders into Xero shouldn't mean re-typing them. Whether you want new orders to flow automatically or you need to import your recent order history, here's how order syncing to Xero actually works — and how to keep everything reconciled.
How order syncing works
A sync connector watches for WooCommerce order events and pushes each order to Xero as an invoice. You choose when that happens:
- On order creation — the invoice is created as soon as the order is placed.
- On processing — after payment is confirmed and the order is being fulfilled.
- On completion — once the order is marked complete.
Most stores sync on processing or completed, so only real, paid sales reach Xero. Each invoice carries one line per product, plus shipping and any fees, with GST applied.
Importing past orders
When you first connect, you usually want your recent orders in Xero too — not just the ones that come in from now on. A good connector lets you queue historical orders in one go. With OZ BookSync, the Sync past orders tool brings the last 7, 30 or 90 days (or all time) into Xero as drafts. Already-synced orders are skipped, so you can run it safely more than once.
Avoiding duplicates
Syncing should be idempotent — running it twice for the same order must not create two invoices. OZ BookSync tracks which orders have synced and returns the existing invoice instead of making a new one, so retries and re-runs are safe.
Keeping it reconciled
- Totals match. The invoice total should equal the order total to the cent — including fees, shipping and any rounding. That's what makes bank reconciliation painless.
- Refunds sync too. A refund in WooCommerce should create a credit note in Xero, so your accounts reflect returns automatically.
- Failures are visible. If an order can't sync, you want to see it in a log — and ideally get an email — so nothing slips through silently.
What if a sync fails?
Failures usually come from a setting Xero doesn't accept — an account code that doesn't exist, a currency that isn't enabled, or a tax rate that's been renamed. A good integration surfaces Xero's exact reason so you can fix it and retry from the sync log, rather than guessing.
Summary
Order syncing removes the manual data entry between WooCommerce and Xero: new orders flow through automatically, past orders import in a couple of clicks, and refunds are handled for you. See the setup guide to get started, or read how to connect WooCommerce to Xero first.