Contact & SupportFAQ's - Accounting Link for Xero
FAQ Topics
General
What is Xact Link for ACT! and Xero?
Xact Link for ACT! and Xero is an add-on for the popular ACT! contact management system; the Link is developed by Xact software solutions.
What does the link do?
The link connects ACT! with your Xero accounting software, by doing so it provides the ability to create contacts from ACT in addition to exposing some of Xero accounting software functions to ACT! such as raising a new customer invoice.
What is the goal in linking ACT! with Xero accounting software?
The idea is to streamline the process of creating contacts and managing their information within the business as well as providing the front office staff with controlled access to customer's financial data so that the staff can serve the customers more efficiently.
What other features does the link provide?
The link adds the following features to ACT!:
- Create Xero contact from ACT!
- Link any existing contact record in ACT! to a Xero contact record
- View customer and supplier invoices for Xero contacts from within ACT!.
- Create customer and supplier invoices from within ACT! *
- Update the details of your Xero contact from within ACT!
- Import / Export contact records from / to Xero & ACT!
- Create PDF files from existing transactions and attach them to the customer's history tab, documents, or email them directly from within ACT!.
How does the link work?
Once installed the Link adds a new Tab to the ACT! contact detail screen, it also adds a new Menu item under the ACT! Tools menu.
What does linking a contact means?
When a contact is linked, a Xero customer ID is recorded in a nominated field in ACT! so when an ACT! contact is displayed, Xero contact details and it's transactions are displayed on the Link tab. Aside from Xero contact ID, no other data is kept/copied inside ACT! and no changes are made to either side without user operations.
How does the link enable viewing or creating of invoices?
When a contact is linked, invoices can be viewed and created from within ACT!. When a linked ACT! contact is loaded, the link will then pull the invoices from Xero and display them on the tab, no data is copied into ACT! and each time it loads a list of invoices in real-time. Creating a new invoice also follows the same pattern.
I have more than one Xero organisation, can I use multiple organisations linked?
The quick answer is no. Although technically from the link you could disconnect and specify a different organisation, when you link.
Compatibility
View system requirements here
Prerequisites
What are the prerequisites for running the link?
The following is a list of software and software components that need to be in place before you can successfully install and use the link:
- A supported version of ACT! is installed and working with no issues
- A Xero account
- Installation of ACT! with the latest patches applied
What are the requirements for running the link?
Xact Link for Xero has the same requirements as ACT!
Installation
How do I install the link?
Installation is simple; all you need to do is to un-zip the software package and run the Setup.exe file, simply follow the installation instructions and make sure that the link is installed to the right directory. Xact Link for Xero Setup Wizard will run when the link is initialised for the first time in ACT!
Is there an installation reference guide?
Yes, the link comes with a quick installation guide
Can I have ACT! running while installing the link?
It is strongly recommended that ACT is not running when installing the link.
Where should the link be installed?
The installation directory is the Plugins sub directory which can be found under the ACT! for windows or ACT! for Web Folders. The default paths for these folders are:
For 32 bit operating system:
- C:\Program Files\ACT\Act for Windows\Plugins\
- C:\Program Files\ACT\Act for Web\Plugins\
For 64 bit operating system:
- C:\Program Files (x32)\ACT\Act for Windows\Plugins
- C:\Program Files (x32)\ACT\Act for Windows\Plugins
Do I need to be an administrator when installing the link?
Yes you need to be logged on with a Windows user that have administrator privileges.
Can I install the link without having ACT! on my machine?
Since the link is an integrated Add-on for ACT! you must have a compatible version of ACT! installed and running in order to use the link.
Configuration
I have installed the link, how do I configure it to work with my Xero account?
Our product supports multiple authentication methods for connecting your Xero account. For long term usage, we recommend the private application method. Detailed instructions for connecting ACT with Xero are provided.
What is the Link field?
The Link field is used to store the Xero contact ID in ACT!, the ID is used to link an ACT! contact to its respective Xero record. Ideally your ACT! administrator should create a field for that purpose prior to installing the link.
Can I choose any field for Link Field?
Yes, however it is very important that you choose a field that are not used anywhere else and preferably not visually accessible to the ACT users (to avoid being accidently modified).
My database has customised contact fields can I configure the link to map for import/export to them?
Yes, the link can be configured to map your Xero contact fields to any ACT! field of your choosing, keep in mind that when mapping fields you should only map field pairs of similar data types.
What is the email integration function used for?
The email integration function is used to provide the option to send existing invoices to an ACT customer; the transaction is converted to a PDF document and emailed as an attachment.
Can I customise the template used to create the PDF file?
Yes, it is possible to customise the template to change the layout, add static text and images, to do so you will need some familiarity with HTML.
Is it possible to have more than one template?
Yes but only one template can be active at a time.
What can I use to edit the HTML template?
It is possible to use Notepad or Wordpad, you can also use any of the freely available HTML editors such as Notepad ++
Troubleshooting
I have configured the link the Xero tab in ACT is disabled
Make sure it is currently connected to Xero and the contacts are linked.
Xero tab stops working / disconnected after 30 minutes of use
This is a restriction of the the Public authentication method which is recommended for trial usage only. For seamless connection with Xero, we recommend the private authentication method is configured.
Contact and Support
I have a question that is not answered here, how can I contact you?
Certainly, you can get our contact details through our website www.xactsoftware.co.nz or you can E-mail us at support@xactsoftware.co.nz , for sales you can email sales@xactsoftware.co.nz
Do you offer any support packages?
No, we offer support on case by case basis, all support requests are subject to Xact software's terms of service, you are welcome to contact us if you wish to obtain a copy of our Terms of Trade document.
What support methods do you offer?
We offer Phone support, Remote support and on-site visits; please note that in some cases we may need to arrange a time in advance to assist with your support queries.