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Troubleshooting common Xero export errors

Lisa Kirby
  • Updated
This guide will list some of the common errors you may get when exporting to Xero, the possible causes and how to fix them.

Validation Exception Error

Possible Reasons

  • Leave names do not match between Deputy and Xero
  • Hire date is after the start of the pay period

Possible Solutions

  • Check leave items in the timesheets, and use this to match the leave name in Xero - they must match
  • If pay rates have been changed recently, re-sync the employee, or re-approve the timesheet
  • Check leave names in Deputy and edit them to match in Xero

Employees Not Found

Possible Reasons

  • Xero connection drop-out
  • Name/email of employee doesn't match between Xero and Deputy

Possible Solutions

  • Disconnect Xero and reconnect
  • check names and emails match exactly in Xero and Deputy.

Invalid Leave Period

Possible Reason

  • Xero pay calendar does not match the date range set in Deputy

Possible Solutions

  • Match the exported pay period between Deputy and Xero

Timesheet is not a Draft Timesheet

Possible Reasons

  • The timesheets have already been approved in Xero

Possible Solutions

  • In Xero, revert timesheets to "Draft" status

 

Timesheet already exists/Timesheet cannot be overwritten

Possible Reasons

  • Employee has submitted a timesheet in Xero

Possible Solutions

  • Decline the timesheet and revert it to 'Draft' status. Attempt to export the timesheet again

Pay Element not found

Possible reasons

  • The earnings rate configured in Xero is not correct.

Possible Solutions

  • In Xero, you will need to make sure that each employee has an Ordinary Earnings Rate (set on each employee's Employment tab). This earnings rate must be a pay rate with the Type "Ordinary Time Earnings" and the Rate Type "Rate per Unit". The Unit Type must be "Hours". If it is not, you will receive a "Pay Element Not Found" error when exporting.
 

Rates exported to Xero (from Deputy) are wrong, even AFTER re-syncing the employee and re-approving the timesheet

Possible Reasons

  • Employee is syncing to previous (discarded) employee profile in Xero

Possible Solutions

  • Turn off Auto-Sync
  • Check if there's a duplicate employee in Xero (check under history)
  • Check if employee shares an email in Xero with another employee
  • Contact Deputy Support, as we may need to edit settings in the backend

Superannuation Error

Possible Reasons

  • No superannuation in employee's template in Xero

Possible Solutions

  • Add superannuation in employee's pay template in Xero

Scope Not Recognised

Possible Reasons

  • Xero account is from a country we do not integrate with/support

Possible Solutions

  • We can only export to Xero instances from Australia, New Zealand, United States and United Kingdom

Export Failed - Xero Validation Exception Earnings Rate Does not Exist

Possible Solutions

  1. Check which team member(s) are causing the problem by exporting in small batches to isolate the problem

  2. Check pay template (check if Allowances items are set up as hourly)

  3. Check if the latest pay rates have been synced

  4. Sync team members, unapprove then reapprove.

Export Failed - Employee - happens when retrieving data of this Employee from Xero

Possible Solutions

  • Check base rate is assigned in the Employment and Pay Template tab and then export again.
  • Contact Support

Employee Pay Template Error (US accounts only)

Currently, Deputy pulls ordinary rates from Xero. However, in the case of our award library, you can override Xero's pay rates in favour of Deputy's. There is a known issue where exporting Deputy's rates over Xero's will cause duplicate pay items, and thus, creates errors within Xero. Such errors include incorrect overtime rates and employees all being paid the same amount when different rates are to occur.

To fix this, log into Xero and edit the employee's pay template. Ensure that they are assigned the correct pay rules in the employee payment tab. In addition, if the user uses shift loading or period loading with a fixed hourly rate, these pay rules should be assigned to the employee's template (see image below).

fixed_employee_template.png

You will also need to modify and correct the employee ordinary rate within the employee's profile in Xero.

fixed_employee_template.png

Please note that if the employee template is not fixed, the hourly rate from that pay rule will inherit the existing pay item, causing every employee to have the same hourly rate.

This error exists only for our customers in the US. This will not affect Xero users in AU.

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