Preparing timesheet and billing exports for payroll, invoicing and Xero

Approved timesheets usually end up somewhere else: a payroll provider, an invoicing tool or an accounting system. The export is the hand-off, and most problems at that stage come from sending the wrong records, the wrong format or a file nobody checked.

This guide covers how to choose the right export, what to check before sending it, and what "works with Xero" should and shouldn't mean.

Start from approved records

Export from approved work, not from what has been submitted. Submitted timesheets can still be returned and changed, and a file built from them may not match what is finally approved. If you need to share work in progress, label the file clearly as provisional.

Pick the file for the job

• A spreadsheet (Excel) when someone needs to sort, filter or add their own columns, such as a payroll provider checking hours.
• A PDF when the file is a record to keep or send as-is, such as a timesheet a client asked to see.
• A CSV when another system will import it. Imports are strict about column names and formats, so use a file built for that system's template.

Check before you send

A minute of checking saves a correction later:

1. Count. Does the number of rows match the number of timesheets you expect for the period?
2. Dates. Is the period right, and is every row inside it?
3. Totals. Do the totals look right, and are different currencies kept separate rather than added together?
4. Content. Does the file contain only what the recipient needs? Leave out private notes and personal details unless they're required.

Xero-compatible files versus a Xero integration

These are often confused:

• A Xero-compatible file is a CSV laid out the way Xero's import expects. You download it and upload it to Xero yourself, and you stay in control of what goes in.
• A direct integration connects the two systems so data moves automatically, usually after you sign in to Xero and grant access.

JN Tempo provides a Xero-compatible file, not a direct integration. Nothing is sent to Xero unless you upload the file yourself.

How exports work in JN Tempo

Timesheet and people exports

From the timesheet and people lists, choose Export, then Excel or PDF. Admins also have an Export CSV button on the Approved timesheets page for payroll. You can export the rows you selected or every record matching the current filters, not just the page on screen, and JN Tempo shows how many records the file will contain before you download it.

Exports only contain records you're allowed to see, checked on the server when the file is made. Managers' exports cover only their assigned contractors, and contractors can export only their own timesheets. Private notes are left out unless an admin ticks the option to include them. Files download straight to your device and each export is recorded in the audit history.

Custom reports

Admins can build a report under Reports → Custom reports: choose a dataset, columns, filters and grouping, preview it, and export to Excel or PDF. Each dataset says what one row means, so nothing is counted twice. Templates are private to the person who saved them.

Billing run exports

Each contractor billing run can be exported from its page:

• Excel and PDF, built from the run's saved lines, so they match what you see on screen.
• Xero bill import (CSV), laid out for Xero's bill import template. Before using it, add your account code, tax rate and supplier names on the Suppliers & export tab. Try the file in Xero's demo company before relying on it.
• Excel with bank details isn't available yet, because storing bank details isn't switched on. Once it is, only admins your organisation has authorised will be able to use it, and each such export will be recorded without the details themselves.

JN Tempo doesn't add VAT or other taxes or convert currencies, so check the tax rate and currency settings in Xero when you import.

Every export described here is included in every JN Tempo plan. See pricing, or read how billing schedules decide which work goes into a billing run.