Xero and Google announce new partnership

Keeping track of customer relationships just became easier, thanks to a partnership between cloud-based accounting experts Xero and Google.

Through integration with Google’s Gmail platform and Google Apps for Work, emails are taken straight from a user’s inbox and incorporated into the accounting workflow, providing small business users with CRM functionality within the Xero environment. Tighter integration with Google Apps for Work enables users to export content seamlessly from Xero to Google Sheets and to collaborate with customers, suppliers and financial advisors.

“Our global relationship with Google bolsters Xero as a real-time business platform for business owners,” said James Maiocco General Manager at Xero.

“Our integrations provide a smarter and simpler way to manage the daily workflows associated with all aspects of their business operation.”

Available immediately for Xero users, the Gmail integration helps small business owners, accountants and bookkeepers to save time, get actionable insights and better manage their business relationships.

“Google is encouraged to see a deeper Xero integration with Gmail and Google Apps for Work to help small businesses streamline their workflow and deliver a beautiful user experience,” said Rahul Sood, general manager for Google Apps for Work at Google.

“Businesses have come to expect simple, seamless processes and enterprise-grade security from all their cloud applications. Google and Xero can deliver this together to help small businesses focus on what they do best.”

The latest updates build on a range of established integrations between the two services and include the following capabilities:

• Get actionable insights from a single view of your contacts’ activities: A redesigned, single-screen view of all contact activity and a redesigned cash-in graph make it easier to understand your financial relationship with any contact. A new activity-focused panel shows all transactions with that contact, helping to create actionable insights.
• Easily access the latest information about your business contact with Gmail: You can now see a live view of Gmail messages alongside other contact information, giving you a complete view of interactions with your customers or suppliers. You can initiate a new invoice or quote from a Gmail message displayed in Xero. You can save the email message itself in Xero for future reference. The integration with Gmail means you always have access to the latest information on that business relationship.
• Drive new opportunities with Smart Lists: Smart Lists is now integrated with Contacts in Xero, enabling businesses to segment your contacts based on factors like location and purchase history, to find revenue gaps and opportunities. You can use that data to chase debtors, create sales campaigns and more.
• Get the convenience of single sign-on (SSO): Xero users can use the convenience of using their Google Apps account to seamlessly log in to Xero.
• Find your business contacts on the go with Google Maps integration: Xero integrates with Google Maps on web and mobile, allowing contact details to be located on Google’s leading mapping service.
• Take actions on your business with reports: Export Xero Reports to Google Sheets to collaborate, share and analyse.
• Enhance your social profile with Google+ promotion: Automatically display your Google+ presence on customer invoices, driving your brand and more ways for your customers to stay in touch.

Xero also supports Xero for Android, enabling users to create and send invoices, add receipts and create expense claims. Integration with Google Maps provides address details.