Here is a clear, structured Help Center article you can publish as is. It is written in a neutral documentation voice, avoids any informal phrasing, and explains exactly how RentalTide and Xero work together.

How RentalTide and Xero Work Together: Product Sync, Inventory, and Accounting Guide

This guide explains how RentalTide and Xero integrate for products, inventory, pricing, and POS accounting. It defines which system is the source of truth for each type of data, how syncing works, and what to expect during setup and daily use.

1. Overview

RentalTide integrates with Xero to manage revenue, inventory movement, and cost of goods sold (COGS). Each system has fields and functions the other does not, so the integration follows a clear “source of truth” model:

Xero controls product, cost, and inventory data.
RentalTide controls POS layout, tags, and all staff-facing display settings.

This model keeps accounting accurate while allowing full flexibility in the POS.

2. What Xero Controls (Source of Truth)

Xero is the master for all accounting-critical fields. When importing from Xero into RentalTide, these values are always respected and updated.

Xero owns:

SKU (ItemCode)
Item Name and Description (used on invoices)
Sales Price
Cost Price
Quantity on Hand
Sales Account (Revenue GL)
Inventory Asset Account
Cost of Goods Sold Account
Tax Rate

Any change made to these fields in Xero can be synced into RentalTide through the “Import from Xero” function.

3. What RentalTide Controls (Source of Truth)

RentalTide is the master for all POS-specific or staff-facing elements. These do not overwrite Xero, and Xero does not store these fields.

RentalTide owns:

POS categories
POS folders
POS layout and tiles
Tags
Staff-facing product labels
Images
Location and kiosk assignment
Price groups and dynamic price rules
Variant IDs (internal system references)

These fields only affect how staff interact with products inside RentalTide. They do not affect accounting records.

4. How Product Import and Syncing Works

4.1 Uploading Products Into Xero

To set up products for syncing, items must first exist in Xero. Upload them using Xero’s item import template, including:

ItemCode (SKU)
Name
Description
Sales Price
Cost Price
Sales Account
Inventory Asset Account
COGS Account
Tax Rate

Once accepted by Xero, this becomes your master item list.

4.2 Importing Products From Xero into RentalTide

In RentalTide, go to:

POS → Import → Import from Xero

RentalTide will display all Xero products. For each item:

If it does not exist in RentalTide, it will be created using Xero’s data.
If it already exists, RentalTide updates only the Xero-owned fields:
- Price
- Cost
- Quantity on hand
- Active status
RentalTide-specific fields remain unchanged.

This ensures financial data matches Xero, while your POS layout remains intact.

5. How Inventory Quantities Sync

RentalTide does not generate inventory quantities itself. All quantities come from Xero.

When you sell an item in RentalTide:

The sale is included in the daily settlement.
Settlement creates an invoice in Xero.
Xero reduces the quantity on hand.
Xero posts the COGS entry.

Because Xero handles all stock tracking, the quantity will always match the accounting inventory.

If you adjust stock manually in Xero or update via purchase orders, importing again into RentalTide will bring the updated quantity in.

6. How Cost of Goods Sold Is Calculated

RentalTide does not calculate COGS. All COGS activity happens inside Xero:

When a purchase bill or purchase order is approved, Xero debits Inventory Asset.
When an item is sold (from the RentalTide invoice), Xero posts:
- Dr Cost of Goods Sold
- Cr Inventory Asset

This ensures accurate stock valuation and avoids double posting.

7. How Daily Sales Post to Xero

7.1 Settlement Process

RentalTide uses a daily settlement model. At till closing:

All POS activity for the day is summarized.
Payments (cash, card, account charges) are grouped.
A single invoice or journal is sent to Xero.

7.2 What Xero Receives

Xero receives:

A summary invoice with all items sold that day
Quantities and prices from RentalTide (matching Xero items)
Payment information for cash and card transactions
GST based on Xero’s tax settings

7.3 Inventory and COGS

When Xero receives the invoice:

Inventory quantity decreases
COGS is posted automatically

The POS never posts COGS, so double counting cannot occur.

8. Handling Differences in Columns Between Systems

RentalTide and Xero have different datasets because they serve different purposes.

Xero tracks:

Financial fields
Tracking flags
Asset and liability movements

RentalTide tracks:

POS visuals
Staff workflows
Price groups
Kiosk assignment

During import or export:

Xero-only fields stay in Xero
RentalTide-only fields stay in RentalTide
Shared fields are synchronized where applicable

There is no requirement for both systems to have identical column sets. Instead, each system maintains the fields it owns and syncs only where appropriate.