How does the Accounting Sync Workflow works with Xero?

The Accounting Sync Workflow is an AI-powered automation available on the OFX platform that helps your business maintain a smooth, uninterrupted sync between OFX and your connected Xero account.

The workflow currently includes an automated Lock Date Resolution feature. When a Bill or Expense fails to sync to Xero because its date falls within a locked financial period (i.e. your accounting books have been closed for that period), the workflow automatically detects the issue, adjusts the date, and re-attempts the sync — without any manual intervention required on your part.

Before you begin:

Ensure you are connected to your Xero account.
Confirm your subscription is on a Full Suite plan with AI Workflows enabled.

Where to find and activate the Workflow:

You can find the Accounting Sync Workflow in the same area as other AI Workflows in OFX.

Log in to your OFX account.
Navigate to AI Workflows from the navigation menu.
Find the Accounting Sync Workflow.
Select Activate workflow or Configure workflow settings.
Turn on the workflow option for the accounting sync automation you want to use.

Available Workflows and settings may depend on your plan, permissions, accounting integration, and enabled features. AI Workflows are generally available on Full Suite plans.

How to view the actions the Workflow has taken:

You can view the actions taken by the Accounting Sync Workflow from the workflow configuration settings.

Log in to your OFX account.
Go to AI Workflows in the navigation menu.
Find the Accounting Sync Workflow.
Select Configure workflow settings.
Make sure the Auto-fix lock date error is switched on - The transactions (bills/expenses) will automatically be pushed to the next valid transaction period.
Open the History tab.

The History tab provides a record of Workflow activity, so you can review what the workflow checked or changed. For Lock Date Resolution, this can help you confirm when a Bill or Expense was detected as falling in a locked Xero period, what action the workflow took, and whether the re-sync was successful.

Next steps:

Here is how the Accounting Sync Workflow Lock Date Resolution operates, step by step:

A sync is triggered: When a Bill or Expense in your OFX account is ready to be synced to Xero, the platform initiates the sync automatically.
A lock date failure is detected: If the date on the Bill or Expense falls within a period that has been locked in Xero (i.e. your month-end books are closed for that period), Xero rejects the sync. The Accounting Sync Workflow detects this failure automatically.
The date is automatically updated: The workflow updates the date of the affected Bill or Expense to the next available date — that is, the first date that falls after the locked period in Xero.
The sync is re-attempted: With the updated date, the Workflow automatically re-submits the Bill or Expense to Xero. The sync proceeds as normal.
Confirmation: Once the sync is successful, the Bill or Expense appears in Xero with the updated date. No further action is required from you. Please note: The date on the Bill or Expense record in OFX will be updated to reflect the adjusted date used for the sync. This is done to ensure consistency between your OFX records and what is recorded in in your Xero account.

Why is this important:

Keeping your accounting records in sync is essential for accurate financial reporting and smooth month-end reconciliation. A common challenge for businesses is that team members sometimes submit expenses or bills after the accounting period has already been closed (locked) in Xero. When this happens, the sync fails — and without automation, someone would need to manually identify the error, update the date, and retry the sync.

The Accounting Sync Workflow removes this friction entirely. By automatically detecting lock date failures and resolving them in real time, it ensures your Bills and Expenses continue to flow into Xero without delays or manual workarounds. This is especially valuable for businesses with distributed teams or high volumes of expense submissions, where late submissions relative to month-end close are common.