Forthcast works with Xero

Direct answer: Forthcast syncs confirmed purchase orders directly to Xero, automatically creating bills for accounting reconciliation. This eliminates manual data entry and ensures your inventory reorders appear in your accounting system without double-handling.

Managing inventory and keeping your books accurate shouldn't require entering the same information twice. When you confirm a reorder in Forthcast, that purchase order needs to exist in Xero for proper accounting. Manual transfer of this data wastes time and introduces errors.

The Forthcast integration with Xero solves this by creating a direct connection between your inventory reordering and your accounting records. Once you confirm a purchase order in Forthcast, the system handles the rest.

How it works

1. You generate and review a purchase order in Forthcast based on your inventory forecasting and reorder points.
2. When you confirm the reorder in Forthcast, the system automatically captures all purchase order details including supplier, items, quantities, and costs.
3. Forthcast creates a corresponding bill in Xero with matching information, properly categorized for your accounting workflow.
4. The bill appears in Xero ready for payment processing and reconciliation, with no manual data entry required on your part.

Why merchants use Forthcast with Xero

• Eliminate duplicate data entry. Typing the same purchase order information into both your inventory system and accounting software is tedious and time-consuming. The integration means you confirm once in Forthcast, and Xero receives the bill automatically.
• Reduce accounting errors. Manual transcription creates opportunities for typos, wrong amounts, and mismatched supplier details. Automated sync ensures the numbers in your accounting system match your actual purchase orders exactly.
• Keep financial records current. Bills appear in Xero as soon as you confirm reorders, giving you an up-to-date picture of your payables and committed spending. Your accountant or bookkeeper sees pending inventory costs without waiting for you to manually enter them.
• Save time on month-end reconciliation. When your purchase orders already exist as bills in Xero, matching them to payments and reconciling accounts payable becomes faster. You spend less time hunting down missing information or explaining discrepancies between systems.

Frequently asked questions

How do I set up the Forthcast and Xero integration?

Connect your Xero account through the Forthcast app settings by authorizing access to your Xero organization. You'll need admin permissions in Xero to grant the necessary access. Once connected, Forthcast will begin syncing confirmed purchase orders as bills automatically, with no additional configuration needed for each reorder.

How quickly do bills appear in Xero after I confirm a purchase order?

Bills sync to Xero within minutes of confirming a reorder in Forthcast. The system processes the confirmed purchase order and creates the corresponding bill in near real-time, so your accounting records stay current throughout the day as you make reordering decisions.

What happens if the integration disconnects or my Xero authorization expires?

Forthcast will notify you if the connection to Xero is interrupted or if your authorization needs to be renewed. Purchase orders confirmed during a disconnection period won't sync automatically, but you can reconnect your account and the system will allow you to manually trigger syncs for any orders that were missed. Your inventory forecasting and reordering in Forthcast continues to work normally regardless of Xero connection status.

Does this integration work with all Xero subscription plans?

The Forthcast integration works with standard Xero plans that support bill creation through connected apps. You'll need active subscriptions to both Forthcast and Xero, and your Xero account must have API access enabled (which is standard for most plans). If you're using a legacy or restricted Xero plan, check with Xero support to confirm third-party app integrations are supported.

What happens if I need to modify a purchase order after it's already synced to Xero?

If you edit a confirmed purchase order in Forthcast after it has created a bill in Xero, you'll need to update the bill in Xero manually to reflect your changes. The integration creates the initial bill based on confirmation, but subsequent edits don't automatically sync to prevent accidental overwrites of bills you may have already processed or paid. This gives you control over your accounting records while still saving time on the initial entry.