Getting started with SpendStream

SpendStream will ensure you pass on every relevant billable expense to your clients, remove the end of month backlog and save you hours of time on admin.

All it requires is setting up a few rules in SpendStream, then automation takes care of the rest as your transactions are reconciled in Xero.

Here is a brief outline of the set up steps:

1. Connect Xero to SpendStream
2. Create your assignment rules in SpendStream
3. Review your assignments in SpendStream

After you have set-up and reviewed the assignments your Xero transactions will be automatically coded as billable expenses based on the assignment rules as they are reconciled.

Connecting to Xero

This step will connect your Xero instance to SpendStream.

1. Click ‘connect to Xero’
2. Use your Xero credentials to log in
3. Select your desired organisation (tenant)
4. You will be redirected to the SpendStream dashboard

Creating assignment rules in SpendStream

This step allows you to generate the rules that will automate the coding of your client’s billable expenses. Please be aware that SpendStream assignment rules will only be applied to transactions that have been reconciled in Xero, never before.

1. Go to ‘Rules’ and click ‘create rule’
2. Give your rule a label so you can easily identify it. For example if you need to pass on material costs to ACME Corp you might call it ‘ACME materials’.
3. Select a rule type;
   • a. Tracking category: This data is pulled from Xero. A tracking category and its options can be assigned to a transaction to allow a business to see how different areas of a business are performing. Here is more information on setting up tracking categories and options.
   • b. Reference tag: When the rule is saved a unique reference tag will be generated for you. This tag will then need to be applied to your transactions in your Xero bank rules.
4. If using a tracking category select a tracking option from the predefined options shown from Xero.
5. Select the contact you would like the billable expense to be assigned to.
6. If you would like to run the rule in review mode toggle the switch to on. That way you can check it is working correctly before setting it live.
7. Create the rule.

Reviewing your expense assignments

SpendStream keeps a record of all expense assignments it performs. SpendStream will look for newly reconciled transactions every 24 hours but you can request a date range to sync if you would like to assign expenses that were reconciled prior to connecting SpendStream.

You are able to request a sync of transactions for a specified date range. This is useful if you recently added a new expense assignment rule and you want to sync historical transactions.

1. Select ‘request date range sync’
2. Select your date range (from to date)
3. Click ‘submit’
4. Please allow a few minutes for the sync to complete after submitting your request.

Note: 20 days is the maximum date range allowed for a sync request. You can request multiple syncs if needed.

Rules in review mode

If you’ve been running a rule in review mode, you can still create transactions in Xero directly from SpendStream. While a rule is in review mode, each transaction must be manually approved by clicking “Create in Xero.” This step is required for every expense until you’re confident the rule is working correctly and switch review mode off. Once review mode is disabled, the rule will apply automatically without needing manual confirmation.

To process expenses in review mode:

1. Locate expenses marked as ‘Review’
2. Click ‘Create in Xero’
3. The expense will then be created and linked in Xero.

Helpful articles

How to use tracking categories in Xero to apply expense assignments with SpendStream.

You can read more about tracking categories in Xero.

How to add reference tags through a bank rule in Xero.

You can read more about reference tags and bank rules.

How to historically apply SpendStream assignment rules

You can read more SpendStream syncing and syncing historical transactions.