📋 Requirements
Before you begin, make sure:
You have access to Buildern.
Your Xero account is connected to Buildern.
You have permission to manage Sub/Vendors and Accounting Integrations.
Understanding Sub/Vendor Syncing
Buildern synchronizes Subcontractors and Vendors with Xero Contacts.
In Xero, a contact can be classified as:
Supplier – when bills are created for the contact.
Customer – when invoices are created for the contact.
Supplier and Customer – when both bills and invoices exist.
Buildern maintains a clear distinction between Clients and Sub/Vendors.
Only Xero contacts classified as Suppliers are eligible to sync with Buildern Sub/Vendor profiles.
ℹ️ Note - Contacts classified only as Customers are intended for Client syncing and cannot be synced as Sub/Vendors.
Option 1: Sync Sub/Vendors During Xero Integration Setup
Sub/Vendors can be synced while connecting Buildern and Xero or later through the Accounting Integration settings.
To sync Sub/Vendors during setup:
Navigate to Settings → Accounting Integrations.
Connect your Xero account.
Complete the integration setup steps.
Open the Sync Sub/Vendors window.
The synchronization window contains two tabs:
Xero to Buildern
Buildern to Xero
Each row allows you to determine how contacts should be matched.
Available options include:
Not Matched - The contact will not be linked or synchronized.
Create New - A new contact will be created in the destination system and linked automatically.
Select Existing Contact - Links the record to an existing contact.
Once a contact is selected, it becomes unavailable for additional mappings to prevent duplicate connections. After reviewing your selections click Save.
💡 Tip - Review all mappings carefully before saving to avoid creating duplicate contacts across platforms.
If you skipped synchronization during the initial setup, you can run it later.
To do so:
Navigate to Settings → Accounting Integrations.
Open your Xero integration.
Click Sync Sub/Vendors.
Complete the synchronization process using the same steps described above.
Option 2: Sync Sub/Vendors from the Sub/Vendor Profile
You can also sync individual Sub/Vendors directly from their profile.
To access the sync settings:
Click the People icon.
Navigate to Sub/Vendors.
Create a new Sub/Vendor or open an existing profile.
Within the Sub/Vendor profile, locate the Sync with Xero section.
Available options include:
Not Matched
Create New
Select Existing Contact
Choose the desired option and save your changes. The Sub/Vendor will then be synchronized with Xero.
The Sync column displays synchronization status. Sub/Vendors that are connected to Xero display the Xero icon. You can click the icon to open the corresponding contact directly in Xero.
Additional Sync Information
CIS Deduction Rates (Xero UK)
If you are using the Xero UK version and CIS deduction rates are configured for a Supplier in Xero, those rates are automatically carried over to Buildern during synchronization.
Contact Synchronization
When syncing a Sub/Vendor from Buildern to Xero, the first contact associated with that Sub/Vendor profile is synchronized to Xero.
ℹ️ Note - Only the primary contact is synchronized from Buildern to Xero during the sync process.
This is just one of many ways Buildern helps simplify construction management.
Happy building!