You can use the Employee Importing feature within the Payroll Settings module to import the employee data stored within your Xero platform. Using the Xero Payroll import feature will import the following data:
- Employee details.
- Leave Categories.
- Pay Categories.
However, it is essential to note that the import process may not always yield accurate and complete data due to varying Xero settings. Therefore, you must verify the imported information thoroughly. Pay particular attention to the following points:
- Opening Balances are not included in this import and will need to be manually entered.
- Employee leave allowances and accrual rates should be checked for accuracy.
- Tax file numbers may have to be added manually for imported employees.
Warning
When using any Xero integration features within the payroll platform, you need to have at least Standard + Payroll admin access on your Xero platform.
Important
If you have used an external Id before, you cannot save this data point if you have enabled the Unique External Id setting. You can read further information on this setting in the following article. The payroll platform does not import leave balances when setting up new employees.
- Log into your Payroll platform.
- Click the Business Settings menu.
- Click the Payroll Settings submenu.
- Click the Import Employees button.
- Select the Xero Payroll option in the Import Employees From drop-down.
- Click the Enable this Connection button.
- Enter your Xero login information and click the Log In button.
- Enter your 2 Factor Authentication code and click the Confirm button.
- Click the Allow Access button.
- Click the Import button.
Helpful Hint
You will now see on your screen a status message showing the successful uploading of your Xero employee data into your payroll platform.
One critical aspect to be mindful of when importing employees from Xero is the potential discrepancies in Leave and Pay Categories. Any categories imported from Xero will be 'Blank' and so might not align with the compliance standards, particularly concerning the STP Phase 2 regulations.
To avoid issues such as incorrect data being sent to the tax office, we strongly recommend taking the following steps:
- Assign Native Pay Categories and Leave Accruals: Before proceeding, assign the appropriate native categories to employees.
- Delete Imported Categories from Xero: After assigning the correct categories, delete any categories that were imported from Xero to prevent them from being mistakenly used. Categories Imported from Xero will include a long External ID.
Failing to follow these steps could result in issues with tax reporting and employee payment processing. For instance, pay categories imported from Xero might be blank from a tax reporting perspective, defaulting to wages.