Inventory-to-books sync for month-end

> Cost: Paid. Cin7 Core starts at $349/month; Xero is extra.

Honest note: this is rules-based syncing between two systems, not AI. The big numbers ("15+ hours a week freed", month-end from 3–4 weeks to a few days, about 60% fewer errors) come from a Cin7-published story and are partly the founder's own estimates. A big share of the gain came from the brand's outsourced accounting partner, which uses its own tools and a 13-week cash-flow model. Cin7 alone won't do that part. Read this as: get a clean Cin7 → Xero feed, then hand it to a good bookkeeper.

Prerequisites

• A Cin7 Core account with your products and stock loaded.
• A Xero organisation with the same base currency as Cin7, and the accounts you'll map (sales, cost of goods sold, inventory, and so on). Ask your bookkeeper which.
• Xero access at advisor level (or report-view permission), and the "Integration: Accounting - Xero" permission in Cin7.
• Lot (batch) numbers, if you sell products with expiry dates or that may need a recall.

Step-by-step setup

Step 1. Set lot tracking when you create the product. For products with lot or batch numbers, choose the costing method FIFO (Batch), FEFO (Batch) or Special (Batch) when you create the product. You'll then enter batch numbers when stock is received. Decide this up front; it's set when the product is created.

Step 2. Connect Xero. In Cin7 Core go to Integrations → Xero → Connect to Xero. Choose whether to keep existing data, sign in to Xero and click Allow Access.

Step 3. Map your accounts. Match each Cin7 account to a different Xero account (click Reload accounts from Xero if one is missing), then click Continue. Map your tax rates, choose whether to import customers and suppliers, and click Complete. Do this step with your bookkeeper. It can't be undone, and the account is locked while data migrates.

Step 4. Turn on automatic sync. Go to Integrations → Xero → Autosync. Set the start date, time of day and frequency, add an email (or mailing list) for error alerts, and save.

Step 5. Choose how sales post. For each sales channel, pick Individual, Daily consolidate, Monthly consolidate or No sync. Busy online stores usually choose daily consolidation so Xero isn't flooded with tiny invoices.

Step 6. Check the sync. From any Cin7 screen, open the Xero menu and use Sync now to test, then See sync history to confirm it worked.

Step 7. Hand month-end to your bookkeeper. Agree a routine: they reconcile from the Xero feed, and you fix anything that failed in Cin7 first. A recall report for lots is available under Cin7's inventory reports.

What success looks like

Invoices, bills and stock values reach Xero without anyone retyping them. Your bookkeeper's month-end questions shrink to a few exceptions, and you can answer "which batch went to which retailer?" from a report.

Common issues & fixes

• Sync errors about accounts: two Cin7 accounts are mapped to the same Xero account, or one is missing. Reload accounts and remap.
• Currency mismatch: Cin7 and Xero base currencies must match before you connect.
• Need to start over: Advanced Settings → Disconnect from Xero. Plan it with your bookkeeper, because data already posted stays in Xero.

Optional: Maintenance

• Weekly: open See sync history and clear any errors.
• Monthly: your bookkeeper checks the stock value in Xero against Cin7's inventory report.

Copy-paste prompt

I'm connecting my inventory system (Cin7 Core) to Xero. My bookkeeper will review this. We sell [DTC online / wholesale to retailers], carry stock in [NUMBER] locations, and have lot numbers on [PRODUCTS].
1. List the Xero accounts I'll typically need (sales by channel, cost of goods sold, inventory asset, freight, discounts) and what each is for, in plain English.
2. Suggest whether each sales channel should sync individually or daily-consolidated, and why.
3. Write a short month-end checklist for me and my bookkeeper.
Don't give tax advice; flag anything to confirm with my accountant.

Sources

• Case: Cin7 customer story (kids' hygiene brand). Credit: the founder and the brand's outsourced accounting partner (vendor-published).
• Cin7 Core Help: Xero integration (connect and map accounts)
• Cin7 Core Help: Xero sync options
• Cin7 Core Help: Batch and lot tracking
• Cin7 pricing