The Xero Power BI Connector
Built on Your Database
SyncTools syncs Xero to your own database on an automated schedule. No row limits. No API throttling. Connect Power BI, Tableau, Metabase, or any BI tool that speaks SQL.
- Your database — PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, or Azure SQL
- Flat $50/month — unlimited rows, no overages
- Works with AU, NZ, UK, and US Xero accounts
No credit card required. Setup in under 15 minutes.
The native Xero Power BI connector exists — but it hits Xero's API limits on any real-world data set.
Row caps, throttling, and gateway requirements make it impractical for finance teams with more than a few months of history. SyncTools moves the data into your database first, so Power BI never touches the Xero API at refresh time.
Why the Native Xero Power BI Connector Falls Short
Xero does offer a native Power Query connector — you can install it from Power BI Desktop's connector marketplace. For a small set of reports with minimal history, it works. But for finance teams running serious reporting workloads, it breaks down quickly in three ways.
Row limits and pagination. Xero's API returns data in pages of 100 records by default. The native connector surfaces this as a hard cap that requires manual pagination workarounds to retrieve full data sets. For a business with two years of invoices, this means incomplete data unless you write custom Power Query M code — and even then, you're fighting the API on every refresh.
API rate throttling. Xero enforces per-minute and per-day API call limits. A Power BI report with several data entities — invoices, bills, contacts, bank transactions, journal lines — can exhaust a significant portion of your daily API quota on a single refresh. Teams running multiple reports or multiple users refreshing simultaneously hit these limits routinely.
No cloud refresh without a gateway. Power BI Service cannot reach the Xero API directly for scheduled refresh. You need an on-premises data gateway installed on a machine that stays online — adding infrastructure overhead most teams don't want to manage. This is especially painful for distributed AU, NZ, and UK finance teams who rely on cloud-first tooling.
SyncTools eliminates all three problems. It syncs Xero data into a database you own on an automated schedule — Power BI then reads from your database via its native SQL connector, with no API calls at refresh time, no row limits, and no gateway required for cloud-hosted databases.
How SyncTools Works
Three steps. No ODBC drivers. No custom SQL required on day one. No gateway needed for cloud refresh.
Architecture
Connect Xero
Connect your Xero organisation via OAuth — SyncTools never stores your Xero password. Works with AU, NZ, UK, and US Xero accounts. SyncTools pulls invoices, bills, contacts, bank transactions, journals, tracking categories, and more. You can also add QuickBooks Online to sync both into the same database.
Choose your database
Bring your own PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, or Azure SQL instance — or use the SyncTools-hosted database for zero infrastructure overhead. SyncTools creates the schema automatically and runs the initial historical sync. No DBA required.
Connect Power BI
Point Power BI Desktop or Power BI Service at your database using the built-in SQL Server connector. Scheduled refresh runs against your database — not the Xero API. No gateway required for Azure SQL or cloud-hosted databases. Reports stay live on your configured schedule.
What Xero Data Syncs to Your Database
SyncTools syncs the Xero financial data you need for reporting — structured into query-ready tables with header and line-item detail. No raw API dumps. No JSON to parse.
Accounts Receivable
- Invoices (header + line items)
- Payments received
- Credit Notes
- Contacts (customers)
Accounts Payable
- Bills (header + line items)
- Purchase Orders
- Bill Payments
- Contacts (suppliers)
Banking
- Bank Transactions
- Bank Accounts
- Bank Transfers
- Receipts
General Ledger
- Manual Journals
- Journal Lines
- Chart of Accounts
- Tax Rates
Master Data
- Items / Products
- Tracking Categories
- Currencies
- Branding Themes
P&L & Balance Sheet
- Revenue by period
- Gross margin
- Assets & liabilities
- Net income
Line-item detail matters. The native Xero Power BI connector typically returns invoice headers only — SyncTools syncs both header and line-item tables, giving you row-level reporting on quantity, unit price, account code, and tracking categories across every transaction.
Xero Tracking Categories (Divisions, Regions, or custom dimensions) are synced as separate tables and can be joined to invoice and bill lines — making segment-level P&L reporting straightforward in Power BI without custom M code.
Which Databases Does SyncTools Support
Bring your existing database infrastructure — or use the zero-setup hosted option. Either way, the data lives in infrastructure you control, not inside SyncTools.
Key differentiator: Most Xero ETL tools sync to a proprietary data warehouse you can't access directly. SyncTools writes to a standard SQL database — any tool that speaks SQL works immediately, with no vendor-specific query language to learn.
PostgreSQL
Most popular open-source DB
Fully supported. Ideal for teams running Postgres in AWS RDS, Google Cloud SQL, or on-premises. SyncTools creates and manages the schema automatically. Popular with AU and NZ teams on AWS.
MySQL / MariaDB
Common in existing infrastructure
Supported natively. If your stack already runs MySQL — common in hosting environments and ecommerce backends — SyncTools writes directly into it. No custom configuration required.
SQL Server
Enterprise environments, Power BI's native source
Sync Xero to SQL Server and connect Power BI using its built-in SQL Server connector. No ODBC setup. No custom connector required. The most direct path for Power BI-heavy Microsoft shops.
Azure SQL
Cloud-first Microsoft stack
For organisations already on Azure — common in UK enterprise. Sync Xero to Azure SQL and connect Power BI Service using the managed SQL connector. No gateway required for cloud-to-cloud connections.
SyncTools-Hosted Database
No infrastructure to manage. SyncTools provisions a dedicated database for your organisation and keeps it running. Ideal for AU, NZ, and UK teams that want zero DevOps overhead. Power BI connects via the hosted database's SQL endpoint — no gateway required.
QuickBooks + Xero Together in One Database
Multi-entity businesses, franchises, and accounting firms often run a mix of Xero and QuickBooks Online across their client base or subsidiaries. SyncTools can sync both into the same database — giving you a unified reporting layer without duplicate BI infrastructure.
Multi-entity reporting
Sync several Xero organisations and QuickBooks companies into one database. Build consolidated P&L, cashflow, and AR/AP dashboards across your entire group in Power BI — without manual data merging.
Platform migration
Migrating from QuickBooks to Xero (or vice versa)? Run both syncs in parallel during transition. Your Power BI reports stay live on historical data from the old platform while the new one builds up history.
Client reporting
Accounting firms can sync multiple client organisations — each Xero or QuickBooks company into its own schema in a shared database. One SyncTools account per company at $50/month flat.
One-way sync guarantee: SyncTools reads data from Xero and QuickBooks and writes to your database. It never writes data back to either accounting platform — your records are never at risk.
If you're connecting QuickBooks Online, Sage, MYOB, NetSuite, Dynamics 365 Business Central, or Zoho Books to Power BI, see the full details at QuickBooks Power BI Connector, Sage Power BI Connector, MYOB Power BI Connector, NetSuite Power BI Connector, Dynamics 365 Power BI Connector, and Zoho Books Power BI Connector — the same database sync architecture, adapted for each platform's data model.
Flat $50/Month. Unlimited Rows.
No per-seat pricing. No row-volume overages. Your price doesn't change whether you have 1,000 invoices or 1,000,000.
SyncTools — Per Company
- All Xero entities — AR, AP, Banking, GL, Tracking Categories
- All supported databases — PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, Azure SQL
- SyncTools-hosted database option included
- Automated sync — hourly, daily, or custom schedule
- Unlimited rows — no overage fees
- QuickBooks Online support included
Competitors charge by row volume or per data source. At $50/month flat, your cost doesn't scale with your Xero transaction history.
Trusted by Teams Worldwide
Thousands of accounting firms and finance teams rely on SyncTools to streamline reconciliation and save hours every month.
Customers who are Trusting Us
Haider Ali
Business Owner
"Excellent app. Very easy to work with. Very knowledgeable, understanding, and open to any requests."
Tom Brookes
Finance Director
"Best in class. If you use Linnworks and Xero, SyncTools is a phenomenal tool, far superior to any alternative we've tried."
Deborah Whitfield
Customer
"I recently installed SyncTools and it is easy to use. The team worked quickly, kept me informed, and now everything runs smoothly."
Heather Cook
Customer
"Best Xero connector on the market. Excellent customer support and continuous development from an app that does exactly what it says."
Harvey Uppal
Customer
"AWESOME: Excellent tool and has saved us so much time. Credit to the support team for being so helpful in setup and post-setup."
Geoff Ainsworth
Customer
"Excellent tool: Does what it says and connects seamlessly & if you have any issues the support is amazing!"
Nirav Khiroya
Customer
"Fantastic support: The team has always been diligent and proactive about fixing any bugs that arise. Would highly recommend them."
Robert Morris
Customer
"Have been using the Linnworks Xero connector for a couple of years now. It is very reliable and the developers are keen to improve it."
Connie Sturman
Customer
"I just looked in the connector and it looks like they were able to get the purchase orders synced... thank the team for us. Thank you for your help."
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I connect Xero to Power BI?
Is there a native Xero Power BI connector?
What are the limitations of the native Xero Power BI connector?
Does SyncTools support all Xero data entities?
Does SyncTools work with databases other than SQL Server?
Can I use SyncTools with Tableau or Metabase instead of Power BI?
How much does SyncTools cost?
Does SyncTools work with QuickBooks as well as Xero?
Does SyncTools write data back to Xero?
Ready to Connect Xero to Power BI Without the Limits?
SyncTools syncs Xero to your own database on an automated schedule. Connect Power BI, Tableau, or any BI tool via SQL. Flat $50/month, unlimited rows. Works with AU, NZ, UK, and US Xero accounts.
Setup in under 15 minutes. No credit card required for trial.