1) What is Xero user management and why is this important
2) Data ownership and recommended data match frequency
i) Data ownership
ii) Recommended data match frequency
3) Performing a manual user sync
i) Determining if a user is synced
4) Create new user in Xero and import + manual sync (recommended)
5) Create new user in Easy Employer and perform application sync
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1) What is Xero user management and why is this important?
It is important to understand and manage users between Easy Employer and Xero appropriately. This is because most employee (type) users will only be aware of the Easy Employer system (e.g. interacting with it) and the success of a payrun relies on the user data already being matched & synced between Easy Employer and Xero. Failure to appropriately manage users (and their data) may result in error messages when exporting your payrun from Easy Employer, these error messages will need to be resolved before the payrun can be exported successfully.
NOTE: There is more than one way to manage users and their data between Easy Employer & Xero. Organisations need to determine which workflow best suits their organisation and document this accordingly in their own internal product documentation.
Easy Employer recommends that users are initially created in Xero, then imported into Easy Employer via a 'manual user sync'.
2) Data ownership and recommended data match frequency
i) Data ownership
Ultimately the payroll application Xero, is (or becomes) the owner (and "maintenance point") for the majority of users data. This includes (but is not limited to):
- Users full name.
- TFN, superannuation details, banking details.
- Payslip email address.
Once a user is 'synced' between Xero and Easy Employer - the majority of user fields are locked from editing. This is because Xero is the 'owner' of the data, you will need to update the data record in Xero and perform a manual sync (see below). For the remaining fields that are unlocked in Easy Employer (including but not limited to):
- Emergency contact details.
- User 'known as' name.
Easy Employer will remain the 'owner' of these specific fields. This is because these fields are not available in Xero (therefore cannot be synced). There are other 'general user details' which need to be maintained in Easy Employer (not integrated).
- Pin code (set by the user when online sign up completed)
- Location (GPS coordinates on map)
- City
- Communication preferences
- Comments
- Status; active, inactive or terminated
- Termination date (when terminated)
- Online access
- Probation dates
- Roles
- Permissions
- Notes and roster notes
- Pay conditions
- Abilities
- Availability
- Leave requests
- Rules
ii) Recommended data match frequency
It is recommended (at a minimum) to perform a manual user sync from Xero (to) Easy Employer prior to your expected pay run. Depending on your organisation size, this may need to be done prior to the day of the payrun (so any matching issues / exceptions can be addressed prior to payroll export).
In the event you need to update any locked data fields (e.g. 'sync link' already exists) in an Easy Employer users record, these will need to be updates in the 'Xero employee' record (Xero), then a 'manual user sync' will need to be actioned to refresh the data shown inside of Easy Employer.
3) Performing a manual user sync
- Click Organisation on the top navigation bar.
- Click Import / Export.
- Select Import / update users.
Here you confirm the source is 'Xero' and select the payroll entity you wish to import from. Remember that you connect your payroll entity to a particular Xero account. - This will bring you to the 'import users summary page'. By default the toggles will only show users of 'probable review'. Depending on the volume of users and review need, you may choose to 'toggle all' the display toggles.
In the example below a new Xero employee 'Matthew Johns' has been detected and the import function is suggesting that we create a new record inside of Easy Employer.
i) Determining if a user is synced.
- With the 'import users summary page' open, select the 'Toggle All' display toggle to show all records.
- By reviewing the users record, you can determine if a 'sync link' already exists. Begin by ensuring the 'update existing' radio button is selected.
- From there the Easy Employer user name will be shown in the dropdown. This Easy Employer user record should match the data records in the table below (data in Xero employee record).
- If there is a long string of data besides the users name in the drop down field; this means the user record in Easy Employer already has a 'sync link' to a Xero employee record.
4) Create new user in Xero and import + manual import (recommended).
- Capture the employee details using your standard process (e.g. new employee form).
- Onboard the employee into Xero
- Perform a 'user import' (organisation -> import/export -> import/update users) to import the Xero employee into Easy Employer.
- Further to this typical tasks to perform inside of Easy Employer may include (but are not limited to):
- Update their details / settings located in the tabs of their profile page.
- Assign to roles.
- Assign to award / pay conditions.
- Grant online access.
- Configure clocking preferences.
5) Create new user in Easy Employer and perform application sync.
- Capture the employee details using your standard process (e.g. new employee form).
- Add the users details into Easy Employer. You will need to ensure the following details are defined / configured at a minimum.
- Update their details located in the tabs of their profile page (depending on the employees permissions and online access status, they might be able to enter these details themselves).
- Assign to roles.
- Assign to award / pay conditions.
- We recommend that you then perform an 'application sync' (see 'related articles section') to sync the Easy Employer account data to the Xero account data (e.g. new Easy Employer user record, create a new Xero employee record). It's recommended this is actioned prior to your pay run. Depending on your organisation size, this may mean performing an application sync prior to the day of your pay run to allow for adequate time to address any warnings / issues.
- Further to this typical tasks to perform inside of Xero prior to processing the pay run (in Xero) may include (but are not limited to):
- Configure Xero employee tax scales.
- Add any Xero employee deductions.
- Configure any Xero employee salary sacrificing details.
- Configure additional banking details if the Xero employee needs their pay to be dispersed to multiple bank accounts.
NOTE: If you choose not to follow the 'application sync' recommendation, on the proviso the user is on the next payroll report (e.g. 1x timesheet shift exists for the user for a role under the linked payroll entity) a payroll report warning will be displayed. This is to advise it has been detected that a user is not already synced.