Xero and Retool: Complete Integration Guide 2024

 

Integrating Retool with Xero

 

Integrating Retool with Xero can be a powerful way to visualize and interact with your accounting data, allowing you to create customized dashboards and applications tailored to your business needs. This guide provides a detailed step-by-step process for integrating Retool with Xero using Xero's API.

 

Prerequisites

 

• Ensure you have accounts for both Retool and Xero.
• Basic understanding of API concepts and OAuth 2.0 authentication.

 

Registering an App in Xero

 

• Log in to your Xero account and navigate to the Xero Developer Portal.
• Click on the "My Apps" section and select "New App."
• Provide your app details such as name, company URL, and privacy policy URL.
• Set the redirect URI to a URL that Retool will provide later.
• Save your changes and note down the generated Client ID and Client Secret.

 

Setting Up OAuth 2.0 Authentication

 

• Go to your Retool account and create a new resource with "REST API" as the resource type.
• Select OAuth 2.0 as the authentication method.
• Fill in the following details:
• Authorization URL: https://login.xero.com/identity/connect/authorize
• Access Token URL: https://identity.xero.com/connect/token
• Client ID: Your Xero app client ID
• Client Secret: Your Xero app client secret
• Redirect URI: Use the redirect URI provided by Retool.
• Scope: openid profile email accounting.transactions (or other required scopes)

 

Configuring API Requests in Retool

 

• In Retool, use the "Query Editor" to create a new query.
• Select your Xero API resource from the resource dropdown.
• Specify the endpoint for the Xero API of interest, e.g., GET /api.xro/2.0/Invoices.
• Configure any required request headers or params. Typically, JSON format is used for data exchange.
• Test the query to ensure it fetches data correctly.

 

Building a Retool Application

 

• Create a new application in Retool using the fetched data from Xero.
• Drag and drop components such as tables, charts, or forms to display the data retrieved from your Xero queries.
• Bind components to your Xero query data using Retool's data binding features.

 

Connecting Actions and Triggers

 

• Configure Retool components to trigger new queries or perform actions based on user interactions.
• Use Retool's JavaScript editor to transform data or call additional APIs as needed.
• Example: Set up a button to refresh transactions data by re-running the relevant Xero API query.

 

Testing and Iteration

 

• Test the Retool app thoroughly to ensure that it interacts with Xero as expected and reflects real-time data updates.
• Iterate on the design and functionality of the app to meet business requirements and provide valuable insights.

 

Deploying Your Integrated Application

 

• Once the application is tested and refined, deploy it within your organization for use.
• Ensure ongoing maintenance for API credentials and access, updating them if necessary.

 

By following these steps, you can successfully integrate Retool with Xero, allowing for dynamic visualizations and interactions with your accounting data directly from Xero. This setup leverages the power of Retool's UI capabilities enhanced by Xero's robust API.