For practices integrated with Xero Practice Manager, Xero's best practice recommendation for a fixed fee set-up is a single Job in Xero Practice Manager that is used for invoicing and, under that Job, to have XPM Tasks that represent the interim tasks that are performed for the client.
When the Legacy Workflow Jobs function is enabled for your practice, XPM Tasks set up for active Jobs in Xero Practice Manager are synced to FYI and are created as Workflow Jobs, "sub-jobs" within the overall Billing Job. FYI recommends XPM Workflow Jobs for practices using the fixed fee set up in Xero Practice Manager who want to monitor and track their XPM tasks.
Note: Once enabled, XPM Workflow Jobs cannot be disabled. We recommend reviewing the features to ensure this will be suitable for your practice before enabling the setting.
Summary of XPM Workflow Jobs
Once enabled, XPM Workflow Jobs are synchronised from Xero Practice Manager for any Billing Job with a Job State with a "Standard" Type i.e. Job States considered to be open. Refer to Managing Job States.
XPM Workflow Jobs in FYI can be maintained in the same way as Billing Jobs, allowing you to select from any of the custom Job States that have been set up for your practice. You can then monitor and track activity using these Job States.
You can maintain one annual Billing Job for a client but use the Job States to control and track each of the XPM Workflow Jobs. For example, you have an annual Billing Job set up for a Client Group that covers all the services for that group. Within this, you can have XPM Workflow Jobs for the interim jobs for the year, such as the BAS and GST for each quarter.
XPM Tasks will still appear in the XPM Tasks section in the Job drawer for the Billing Job in the Workflow Jobs tab.
Displaying XPM Workflow Jobs
You can display XPM Workflow Jobs in lists, in the Job workspace and display the Job Drawer in the same way as Billing Jobs.
XPM Workflow Jobs State
As you can't assign a State to a Task in Xero Practice Manager, XPM Tasks will create a Workflow Job with a state of either "Incomplete" or "Complete" when synchronised to FYI. The status of the Task in Xero Practice Manager will determine the Job State i.e. outstanding tasks will have a Job State of "Incomplete". Completed Tasks will have a Job State of "Complete".
Once synchronised to FYI, you will be able to update the Workflow Job in FYI with the available FYI Job States for your practice. An FYI Admin can set up any additional Job States as required to use for XPM Workflow Jobs. Refer to Job States and Managing Job States.
When the XPM Workflow Job is moved to a "Completed" or "Cancelled" state in FYI, the Task in Xero Practice Manager will be auto-completed. Likewise, if the Task is marked as Completed in XPM, the Workflow Job will be updated to "Completed" in FYI.
A user without permission to edit Jobs can only change the State and, if your practice has Job Cabinet Security enabled in your Practice Settings, the Cabinet. An FYI Admin, or a user in a User Group that has Permissions enabled for Edit Job can make changes to any of the fields that can be edited (refer to Managing User Groups).
Updating XPM Workflow Jobs
XPM Workflow Jobs can be updated in FYI. Jobs Bulk Update can also be used to update multiple XPM Workflow Jobs at the same time. Changes can also be made in the Job drawer and Job - Summary and the State can be changed by dragging the Job in the Jobs Board. Refer to Updating XPM Workflow Jobs and Creating New Jobs.
Recording Time for XPM Workflow Jobs
You can use FYI to record time against the XPM Workflow Jobs which are linked to the relevant Task for the Job in Xero Practice Manager for billing.
Enabling and Setting up XPM Workflow Jobs
For information on enabling XPM Workflow Jobs, the initial sync from Xero Practice Manager, and setting up Custom Fields for Assigned User(s) in XPM Workflow Jobs, refer to Enabling and Setting up XPM Workflow Jobs.
Displaying the Job Type in the Jobs Lists and in the Jobs Board
When XPM Workflow Jobs has been enabled for your practice, the Jobs lists in FYI reflect both Xero Practice Manager Jobs and the XPM Tasks.
Job Type is available in the columns that can be selected in the Jobs list (refer to Using the Jobs Lists). This shows either "Billing” or "Workflow". This can be saved in the views.
The Job Type displays in the Jobs Lists and in the Job - Summary tab as "Billing" or "Workflow". It displays as the following icons:
Billing Job
Any Jobs synced from Xero Practice Manager, or created in FYI by an automation and then synced to Xero Practice Manager. Workflow Job
Any XPM Workflow Jobs created via a sync with Xero Practice Manager Job Tasks when Legacy Workflow Jobs is enabled for your practice.
The following example is the Jobs list filtered for a specific Group. The Jobs list is displayed as follows.
When the Job Type column is added to a view, this can be used to sort and filter the view and the Job Type can be included when saving a view.
Refer to:
- Adding/Removing/Moving Columns in the Jobs Lists
- Sorting and Filtering Jobs Lists
- Saving Changes to the View Layout, Modifying and Deleting Views.
XPM Workflow Jobs are included in the Client - Jobs tab.
XPM Workflow Jobs display in the Jobs Board. For this, it is useful to set up and save a view that shows only the XPM Workflow Jobs.
Displaying the Billing Job column for Workflow Jobs
When viewing the Jobs List, add the optional "Billing Job" column to display the Billing Job for each Workflow Job. The name will be displayed as a link to easily open the Billing Job Workspace.
Refer to Adding, Removing and Moving Columns in the Jobs Lists
Job Workspace
XPM Workflow Jobs can be displayed in the Job Workspace in the same way as Billing Jobs. Refer to Displaying Information for a Job.
Job - Summary
The Summary tab provides a snapshot of the Job Details. All users can update the Job State or Cabinet from the Summary tab.
An FYI Admin, or a user in a User Group that has Permissions enabled for Edit Jobs, can edit various details such as the Partner and Manager in the Job - Summary tab. For full details, refer to Updating XPM Workflow Jobs and Creating New Jobs.
The Type displays if the Job is "Billing" or "Workflow". The Billing or Workflow icon displays in the header of the Job Details.
Job - Summary tab (for a Billing Job)
The following is an example of the Job - Summary tab for a Billing Job.
For a Billing Job, click the Open in PM icon on the Summary tab (in the top right-hand corner of the Job Details pane in the Summary tab) to open the job in Xero Practice Manager.
Job - Workflow Jobs tab (for a Billing Job)
The Job workspace for a Billing Job includes a Workflow Jobs tab which displays the details of all the XPM Workflow Jobs for that Billing Job.
Job - Summary tab (for an XPM Workflow Job)
The following is an example of the Job - Summary tab for an XPM Workflow Job.
Job - Billing Job tab (for an XPM Workflow Job)
XPM Workflow Jobs shows a Billing Job tab which displays the details of the Billing Job that the XPM Workflow Job belongs to.
Job Drawer
You can display the Job drawer for a Billing Job or for an XPM Workflow Job. The State can be changed from the drawer. An FYI Admin, or a user in a User Group that has Permissions enabled for Edit Jobs, can make other changes from the drawer. If your practice has Job Cabinet Security enabled in your Practice Settings, you can select a Cabinet for any XPM Workflow Job. Refer also to Using the Job Drawer.
Job Drawer (for a Billing Job)
The following is an example of the Job drawer for a Billing Job.
The Job drawer for a Billing Job includes a Workflow Jobs section which shows the XPM Workflow Jobs for that Job.
Job Drawer (for an XPM Workflow Job)
The following is an example of the Job drawer for an XPM Workflow Job.
Displaying XPM Workflow Jobs in your Home - My Jobs
Your Home - My Jobs tab displays all active Jobs that you have been assigned to, including XPM Workflow Jobs.
The view selector is available in your Home - My Jobs. This allows you to select a saved view for XPM Workflow Jobs or a view that displays the Job Type.
Assigned Users
The names of the Assigned User(s) display on the Job - Summary tab in the Assigned field and they display in the Job drawer in the Assigned Users section.
The initials of the Assigned User(s) are displayed in the Jobs Board (from the Jobs list and from Home - My Jobs).
Adding Assigned Users
For XPM Workflow Jobs, the Assigned Users are added with Custom User Roles. The Custom User Roles that you want to use for the Assigned Users need to be set up by an FYI Admin in your Practice Settings in the Mappings tab before selecting the name of the User as the Custom Field in the XPM Workflow Job. Refer to Managing Mappings.
An FYI Admin or a user in a User Group that has Permissions enabled for Edit Custom Fields can then select the relevant user(s) that are the Assigned users for the XPM Workflow Jobs in the Job - Custom Fields tab. Refer to Job Custom Fields.
Note: It is important to set up the Custom Fields that will be used for the Assigned Users in the Mappings tab before selecting the user in the Custom Fields tab of the XPM Workflow Jobs.
If the Custom Fields has not first been mapped, even though the User has been selected for the relevant Custom Field it will not show in the Job - Summary. The Assigned field will be displayed as "Unknown", and the XPM Workflow Job will not show in the relevant User's Home - My Jobs tab.
If this is the case, you need to use Jobs Bulk Update, select the Custom Field that has now been mapped and select the Name of the User you want to apply. If the Assigned User that has been updated is still not showing, refresh the Job - Summary (press Ctrl+F5 or refresh the browser).
Note: Assigned users for XPM Workflow Jobs do not sync to Xero Practice Manager and they are used only for display in FYI and to determine the XPM Workflow Jobs that are included in the relevant user's Home - My Jobs.
Job Category
The Job Category assigned to the Billing Job is populated against the XPM Workflow Jobs and this can be used as a filter in views.
Deleting the XPM Task or Job in Xero Practice Manager
- If the XPM Task is deleted in Xero Practice Manager, the XPM Workflow Job is marked as "Cancelled" in FYI.
- If the overall Job is deleted in Xero Practice Manager, the Job and any Workflow Jobs will be deleted from FYI during the next Job synchronisation.
Creating Time for a Billing or XPM Workflow Job
Time can be entered for a Billing or XPM Workflow Job from the Job drawer.
Create Time displays and the Time can be entered in the same way as for a document and the Job is automatically selected.
The following is an example of adding Time to an XPM Workflow Job.
When adding a Time entry for a Billing Job, the relevant XPM Workflow Jobs display in the XPM Task field. If there is only one XPM Workflow Job this is automatically selected.
The Time entry displays in your Home - My Time. Refer to Time Overview and Displaying and Updating Time.