Connecting your StoreFeeder account directly to your accounting software is one of the most effective ways to reclaim hours of administrative work. The integration automatically syncs sales, payments, and customer data, putting an end to manual data entry and messy spreadsheets. This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough for setting up the StoreFeeder and Xero integration in 2026, including configuration settings and common troubleshooting tips.
Why Integrate StoreFeeder with Xero?
For any multi-channel e-commerce business, a disconnection between your order management system and your accounting ledger creates risk. It leads to manual reconciliation, potential for costly data entry errors, and a delayed understanding of your true financial position. Integrating StoreFeeder with a tool like Xero bridges this gap.
The core purpose is to automate the flow of financial data. When a sale happens on any of your connected channels (like Amazon, eBay, or Shopify), StoreFeeder processes the order, and the integration pushes the relevant details straight into your Xero account. This direct connection offers several key benefits:
- Reduced Administrative Work: You eliminate the need to manually export sales reports from StoreFeeder and import them into Xero. This automation saves dozens of hours per month and frees your team to focus on growth, not data entry.
- Improved Accuracy: Manual entry is prone to human error—a transposed number or a missed sale can throw off your books for an entire reporting period. Automation ensures that the data in Xero perfectly mirrors the sales data in StoreFeeder.
- Real-Time Financial Clarity: Instead of waiting until the end of the month to reconcile your accounts, you get an up-to-date view of your revenue, cash flow, and accounts receivable. This allows for better decision-making based on current financial data.
- Streamlined Bank Reconciliation: When payments from your various storefronts and payment gateways are automatically recorded in Xero, matching them against bank deposits becomes much faster and simpler.
How to Connect StoreFeeder to Xero: The Native Integration
While you can use third-party tools or custom APIs for complex setups, the vast majority of businesses will find that StoreFeeder’s built-in native integration is the most direct and reliable method. It is designed to handle the core requirements of syncing sales and payment data with just a few configuration steps.
Step 1: Get Your Accounts Ready
Before you begin the integration process, double-check that you have what you need. A little preparation ensures a smooth setup.
- Admin Access: You must have administrator-level permissions in both your StoreFeeder and Xero accounts to authorize the connection and configure the settings.
- Chart of Accounts: Take a moment to review your Chart of Accounts in Xero. Do you have specific accounts set up for your different sales channels (e.g., "Amazon UK Sales," "Shopify Sales")? Do you have bank or clearing accounts for each payment gateway (e.g., "Stripe Clearing," "PayPal Account")? Having these ready makes the data mapping stage much easier.
Step 2: Locate and Install the Xero App in StoreFeeder
The connection process starts inside your StoreFeeder dashboard.
- Log into your StoreFeeder account.
- Navigate to the 'Settings' section in the main menu.
- Look for a sub-menu labeled 'Miscellaneous' and within that, click on 'Integration Manager'.
- In the Integration Manager, you will see a list of available apps. Find the 'Xero' integration and click an 'Add Integration' or 'Install' button next to it.
This action will initiate the connection process and guide you to the authorization flow.
Step 3: Authorize the Connection to Xero
You now need to grant StoreFeeder permission to access your Xero organization.
- Once you click to add the integration, StoreFeeder will redirect you to a Xero login page.
- Enter your Xero credentials to log in.
- Xero will display a consent screen asking you to allow StoreFeeder to access your organization's data (like contacts, invoices, and payments). Select the correct Xero organization from the dropdown menu if you manage more than one.
- Click "Allow Access" or "Authorize" to approve the connection. You will then be redirected back to the StoreFeeder dashboard.
Step 4: Configure Your Sync Settings
This is the most important step, where you tell StoreFeeder exactly how to post data into Xero. Take your time to get these mappings right.
Within the Xero integration settings in StoreFeeder, you’ll find several configuration tabs or sections:
- Invoice Settings: Choose the default status for invoices sent to Xero (e.g., 'Draft', 'Submitted for Approval', or 'Approved'). For most workflows, sending invoices as 'Approved' is best, as it allows payments to be applied immediately.
- Account Mapping: This is where you connect StoreFeeder data to your Xero Chart of Accounts. You will need to map:
- Sales Account: Where should the revenue from your product sales be recorded? You can often map this by channel for more granular reporting.
- Shipping Account: Map shipping charges collected from customers to a specific revenue account in Xero (e.g., "Shipping Income").
- Bank Accounts: Map each payment method in StoreFeeder (e.g., 'PayPal', 'Shopify Payments', 'Stripe') to the correct bank account or clearing account in Xero. This ensures payments are applied correctly for easy reconciliation.
- Tax Rate Mapping: You must map the tax rates used in StoreFeeder to their corresponding tax rates in Xero. For example, your "UK VAT - 20%" rate in StoreFeeder must be mapped to your configured "20% (VAT on Expenses)" rate in Xero.
- Synchronization Schedule: Set how often you want data to sync. Options typically include near real-time, every hour, or once a day. For most businesses, an hourly or daily sync is sufficient and prevents unnecessary API calls.
Step 5: Run a Test and Verify
Before enabling the full automatic sync, test the connection with a small amount of data. Some integrations allow you to manually push a single order or a small date range. Send a few recent orders over to Xero and check the following:
- Did the invoice appear in Xero as expected?
- Is the customer information correct?
- Are the sales amount, tax, and shipping mapped to the correct accounts you selected?
- Was the payment recorded and applied to the correct bank account?
If anything looks incorrect, go back to Step 4 and adjust your configuration mappings. Running this test prevents headaches from having to fix hundreds of incorrectly posted transactions later.
What Data Syncs Between StoreFeeder and Xero?
Understanding which data flows between the systems helps you manage your bookkeeping effectively. Here’s what the native integration typically handles:
- Orders and Invoices: Every qualifying order in StoreFeeder will create a corresponding sales invoice in Xero. This includes customer details, line items (products), quantities, prices, discounts, shipping, and taxes.
- Customers/Contacts: If a customer from an order doesn't already exist in Xero, the integration will create a new contact. If they do exist (based on name or email), it updates the existing contact.
- Payments: When an order is marked as paid in StoreFeeder, the integration creates a payment record in Xero and applies it to the corresponding invoice.
- Products: Product information such as SKU and name is passed to the invoice line items in Xero, but the integration does not typically manage inventory levels within Xero. StoreFeeder remains your source of truth for stock counts.
- Refunds and Credit Notes: When you process a refund in StoreFeeder, it can be configured to automatically generate a credit note in Xero, ensuring that your revenue figures remain accurate.
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Common Issues & Troubleshooting Solutions
Even with careful setup, you might encounter an issue. Here are some of the most common problems and how to solve them.
- Problem: Sync Errors in the Log
Solution: Check the integration log in StoreFeeder. It often provides a specific error message. Common causes include an item on an order that isn't mapped to a sales account or a payment method that does not have a bank account assigned in the settings. Revisit your mapping configuration to fix the missing link.
- Problem: Authentication Has Expired
Solution: For security, the connection between StoreFeeder and Xero may need to be re-authorized every few months. If syncs suddenly stop, go into your integration settings and look for a "Reconnect" or "Re-authorize" button. You will simply need to log into Xero again to refresh the token.
- Problem: Duplicate Invoices or Contacts in Xero
Solution: This can sometimes happen if you were manually entering data before enabling the sync. Check your settings to ensure StoreFeeder is not set to re-sync orders that have already been created in Xero. It’s important to void any duplicates in Xero and stick to the automated workflow moving forward.
- Problem: Sales are Posting to the Wrong Account
Solution: This is purely a mapping issue. Return to the integration settings in StoreFeeder and carefully review your Account Mapping section. Ensure that each revenue type, channel, and payment method is directed to the correct account in your Chart of Accounts.
Final Thoughts
Integrating StoreFeeder and Xero is a foundational step toward creating an efficient, scalable accounting workflow for your multichannel business. By automating the transfer of sales and payment data, you not only save significant time but also improve the accuracy and timeliness of your financial reporting.
Keeping your financial data accurate simplifies tax compliance and provides the clarity needed for sound business planning. When complex tax questions arise—such as those involving multi-state sales tax nexus or income sourcing rules—having an immediate and reliable research tool is invaluable. We built Feather AI to deliver quick, citation-backed answers from authoritative IRS and state sources, helping you resolve complex issues confidently and efficiently.