Xero is a first-class adapter. The Connections catalogue always posts Connect or Reconnect for slug xero. That is not the same as a registered PayBlah Xero app reading your organisation.
When the package is unconfigured, the card says PayBlah has no app registered with Xero yet, so this connects to sample data rather than your books. Sandbox stays inside PayBlah. It does not open Xero’s authorize page.
What to use for your real invoices
Import CSV or XLSX (not .xls). Required map fields: Contact first name, Invoice number, Due date, Amount outstanding. Company name is optional. Currency is the workspace currency, not a file field. Google Sheets is not an importer.
Connect Xero (what the button does now)
- Sign in as an Admin → Settings → Connections.
- Under Accounting software, find Xero.
- Click Connect. If a row already exists, use Reconnect from the catalogue, or Disconnect on the card.
- Sandbox / unconfigured: the app returns to its own callback with fixture data. You should see a Xero connection card, often with sandbox — fixture data.
- If the row can sync, Sync now is available. If status is Needs reconnecting, the page says Sync needs a live grant — use Reconnect.
- Open Invoices and Customers and treat fixture names as sample data, not your debtors book.
When production OAuth later exists
The same Connect button is intended to send an Admin to Xero to pick the organisation. PayBlah would then read the nine allowed invoice fields (plus a postal address only if reminder letters are on). Until vendor registration and credentials exist on this installation, do not follow that vendor-redirect path as current behaviour.
Expected result
Today: a sandbox Xero row and/or your CSV/XLSX register. Not: live invoices from your Xero organisation. Connecting does not email customers. Firm and Final still need approval.
If something goes wrong
- Non-Admin → “Only an Admin can connect accounting software.”
- Last error “This connection has no credentials — reconnect it.” — expected on showcase/sandbox rows that cannot poll a vendor.
- Do not keep retrying in hope of reaching real Xero until the product says a PayBlah Xero app is registered.
Sage and QuickBooks
The same honesty applies to QuickBooks and Sage Accounting on the same list. FreeAgent, MYOB and similar names are not launched.