Time tracking integrations for Xero Payroll help streamline and automate employee time tracking while ensuring accuracy, efficiency, compliance, and more.
Xero is a popular cloud-based software for accounting, payroll, invoicing, and financial reporting. The software is praised for its payroll capabilities and simple, user-friendly interface. While it offers basic time tracking, its functionality may fall short for businesses requiring more comprehensive features. If you would like to find out more about all the pros & cons, read our honest, in-depth Xero review.
Luckily, businesses using Xero that want more advanced features like overtime tracking can use Xero for what it does best while integrating it with a dedicated time-tracking app.
Plenty of options can provide the time-tracking features you want while easily integrating with Xero. In this article, I cover the top 4 Xero time tracking integrations.
Let’s jump in.
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
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Best all-in-one Xero time-tracking integration
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Good for salons and other appointment-based businesses
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Good for professional services companies that track billable hours
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How I Chose the Best Xero Time Tracker
When searching for Xero time tracker integrations, I looked for the following features.
Must-have features
First, I ensured they had the following core features:
- Flexible time tracking, including the ability to track time with a timer, manually, or with bulk entries.
- Seamless integration with Xero so you can automate payroll processing.
- Task and project tracking so you can assign hours or track time for specific work and better allocate resources.
- Reporting capabilities that let you visualize when your team members clock in and out and uncover any issues.
I also looked for:
- Ease of use. The app should have a simple user interface.
- Affordability for any business size and budget.
Finally, I sought out features that make a Xero time tracker great:
- Time sheets help you track and view employee hours—from their schedules to payroll. Timesheets that easily integrate with employee schedulers are a plus.
- Time off, break, and overtime management make it easy to stay in compliance with laws and regulations.
- Accessibility enables users to track time via mobile, desktop, or even offline.
The 4 Best Xero Time Tracking Integrations of 2024
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Connecteam — Best all-in-one Xero time-tracking integration
The Xero time clock integration I like best is Connecteam. An all-in-one employee management solution, Connecteam offers a robust time-tracking clock, attendance management, time-theft prevention, and more. Let’s look closer at everything Connecteam offers.
Seamless integration—and quick data transfers
First off, Connecteam integrates seamlessly with Xero and provides excellent training documentation to get you started. You’ll be set up and ready to go in just a few minutes.
Start by aligning payroll periods on both platforms and establish a connection between them. Then, simply link Connecteam users to Xero, set your standard pay rules, and align your paid time off (PTO) policies. After this, you’ll be ready to export timesheets directly to Xero for payroll processing.
Accurate employee time clock and tracking
Connecteam is a time clock app that lets you track employee or contractor time however it works best. Your team can easily clock in and out via a mobile app. Or, deploy Connecteam as a time clock kiosk app (a standalone device employees can use to clock in onsite). You and your employees can even fill out work hours manually.
Connecteam uses tracked time to generate timesheets for payroll.
Time tracking with GPS
Connecteam’s real-time GPS tracker lets you view exactly where your employees are clocking in and out, as well as where they’re working. I believe privacy is important, so I appreciate that Connecteam tracks location details only while workers are on the clock.
You can also set up the geofence time clock, which creates a virtual boundary around a real geographic area. This feature lets you restrict clocking in and out to specific locations.
Together, the GPS tracker and geofencing help you feel confident your workers are where they should be. They prevent team members from clocking in on each other’s behalf or engaging in other forms of time theft (where you pay employees for time they haven’t actually worked).
Time off, overtime, and break tracking
Connecteam offers simple time off management and tracking. This helps ensure you calculate PTO for payroll accurately.
Its overtime tracking can also calculate overtime for you, ensuring you pay your team accurately for their extra hours. You can even customize overtime settings using your time zone to ensure compliance with state laws. As a bonus, you can have the system alert you when employees go into unapproved overtime—it can even prevent them from clocking in or automatically clock them out.
The break management software helps you set up automatic paid and unpaid breaks for shifts, prompting your employees to take their required breaks and factoring break times into payroll calculations. I appreciate how this helps you comply with meal and rest break laws.
Automated reporting
Connecteam can generate automated reports—including live reports based on employees’ clock-in statuses. It can notify you if a worker is late to clock in or misses it entirely.
Need to understand the time spent on specific tasks, projects, or clients or at particular job sites? Create custom reports to monitor these.
Connecteam can even filter specific jobs and automatically send reports to the client for invoicing.
Various other features
Connecteam offers various other features for managing your workforce, and many of these can be used alongside its time tracker. For example, the employee scheduler integrates directly with the time clock. This means that when an employee clocks in, they can access important shift information from the schedule. And the team instant messaging can be used to chat about hours, payroll, and more.Overall, Connecteam’s features make it an ideal time tracker and more.
Key Features
One-click integration with Xero
Accurate time tracking from anywhere
Kiosk app
GPS and geofencing
Time tracking for specific projects, clients, or sites
Time off, overtime, and break management
Pros
Great customer service and training
Offers a forever-free plan
Easy and intuitive to use
Various workforce management features
Cons
More integrations still in development
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Start your free trial -
Timely — Good for salons and other appointment-based businesses
Timely is a time-tracking and scheduling app originally developed for salons. Customers can book directly with their service provider on the online booking system based on rules you or your team set. Or, if you prefer, you can manually accept, change, or decline bookings. Timely will keep track of the hours worked on these appointments. However, that’s the extent of its time tracking.
One thing I like about Timely is that you can use the “Minimise Gaps” feature to book back-to-back sessions and avoid open time slots. Plus, you can use dashboards to keep track of your team’s time-sheets, appointments, and shifts.
However, Timely is more expensive than some other Xero time-tracking apps, and some users may find it difficult to set up. Plus, because it focuses on appointment-based businesses, I think it’ll fall short for businesses that don’t book appointments with customers and need more robust time tracking.
Key Features
- Direct booking
- Ability to book back-to-back appointments
- Automated waitlist feature
- Manager dashboard
Pros
- Easy to use
- Useful and simple-to-understand help guides
Cons
- Initial setup can take some time
- Not suitable for non-appointment-based businesses
Pricing
Starts at $16/user/month, for 6-50 users Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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MinuteDock — Good for professional services companies that track billable hours
Focused on firms like accounting, law, or consultancies, MinuteDock offers employee and contractor time clock/tracking. It lets you and your team track basic shift time, as well as the time spent on specific clients, projects, or tasks. Use a live timer or enter time manually, then send billable hours straight to Xero. Businesses can also use this information to generate invoices for clients.
Unfortunately, transferring information from MinuteDock to Xero can sometimes take a while. Minutedock is also more expensive compared to similar Xero time-tracking apps. Also, it might not be ideal for businesses that don’t use billable hours.
Key Features
- Project, task, or client-based time tracking
- Manual or time-based tracking
- Ability to generate billing invoices based on hours worked
- Reporting and analytics
Pros
- Good customer service
- Client invoicing
Cons
- More expensive than other apps
- Difficult to integrate with Xero
Pricing
Starts at $19/month + $9/additional user Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
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Deputy — Good for simple time clocking and tracking
Deputy is a time-tracking app that offers an employee time clock/tracking, manager approval and oversight, and time verification. Its compliance features ensure your team takes required breaks and helps you manage overtime. Additionally, I appreciate that you can use GPS facial recognition and location stamps to ensure your employees are clocking in and out from the appropriate locations.
While Deputy integrates with Xero, setting up the integration can be tricky. Also, at times the system can be a bit laggy, which I find can make accurate time tracking challenging.
Key Features
- In-app clock-in feature
- GPS and facial recognition
- Compliance features
- Live updates about who’s working when and where
Pros
- Easy to use
- Offers good customer service
Cons
- Difficult to integrate with other systems
- Users report it can be laggy at times
Pricing
Starts at $4.5/user/month, for Scheduling or Time & Attendance Trial: Yes — 31-day Free Plan: No
Compare the Best Xero Time Tracking Integrations
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| Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
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Starts at $16/user/month, for 6-50 users
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Starts at $19/month + $9/additional user
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Starts at $4.5/user/month, for Scheduling or Time & Attendance
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| Free Trial |
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14-day
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31-day
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Free Up to 10 users
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Best all-in-one Xero time-tracking integration
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Good for salons and other appointment-based businesses
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Good for professional services companies that track billable hours
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Good for simple time clocking and tracking
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| Available on |
The Benefits of Xero Time Tracking Tools
There are numerous benefits to using a Xero time clock app integration. Here are some:
- Additional advanced features: A dedicated time tracking app lets you gain functionality beyond what Xero offers—like automated clock-outs and break management.
- Industry-specific features: Using an app that’s made for your industry—whether that’s a salon, law firm, or something else—ensures you’ve got the features you need.
- Better mobile accessibility: Distributed teams needing the best mobile functionality will benefit from an app with dedicated mobile time tracking. This often includes features specifically created to allow on-the-go—including offline—tracking.
- Cost and time savings: The right Xero time tracking app can automate detailed reports for projects and shifts, freeing up time for more meaningful work. Automated reports can also help you spot other negative patterns that might be impacting your profits and productivity—like attendance problems—so you can address them.
- Customization options: Customizations—like customizable overtime settings—can enhance your time tracking and payroll calculations.
- Improved payroll and invoicing: You’ll make the most of Xero’s functionality by using a Xero time tracker that automates the payroll or invoicing processes based on logged hours or transfers time sheets.
- Reduced time theft: With an app that offers GPS tracking and geofencing, you can ensure your team clocks in and out only at the right times and in the right places. Read more about common time-tracking problems and challenges and possible solutions.
- Improved compliance: Keep track of break times and overtime to pay your employees accurately while complying with labor laws.
FAQs
Does Xero offer time tracking?
Xero does offer a time-tracking feature. But businesses looking for advanced time tracking should use dedicated time tracking apps that integrate seamlessly with Xero.
Does TSheets and MYOB integrate with Xero?
Yes, TSheets (now known as QuickBooks Time) can integrate with Xero to report time-tracking information for payroll processing. However, plenty of other apps also integrate with Xero or MYOB and offer much more functionality than only time tracking, like Connecteam.
Does Xero offer scheduling?
Xero doesn’t have a built-in scheduling feature. But it integrates with apps that do—like Connecteam.
Does Xero offer location tracking?
Xero does offer location tracking, but it has some limitations. For example, the feature creates “suggested time entries” based on employees’ location, which requires manual confirmation by the employees. This could potentially lead to inaccuracies if not regularly monitored.
The Bottom Line On Time Trackers for Xero
Xero has plenty of happy customers, but sometimes organizations need additional features. That’s where time tracker integrations come in. Automatically track employee hours while using your chosen integration’s added features—then seamlessly transfer that data to Xero.
While there are many great time trackers, Connecteam is one of the best. As an all-in-one solution suitable for any business, it goes beyond simple time tracking to include advanced location tracking, customizations, compliance features, and more. Plus, it’s intuitive to use and fits any budget: it’s free forever for teams of up to 10.
Want to learn more?