Home › Blog › Time To Pet Xero Integration Problems (And What Actually Works)Time To Pet Xero Integration Problems (And What Actually Works) Chintan Prajapati March 27, 2026 15 min read IntroductionA Melbourne-based dog walking business asked us to sync invoices from Time To Pet into Xero. Simple ask. Should be a one-hour Zapier setup.It wasn’t.Time To Pet has no public API, no webhooks, and no invoice triggers in Zapier.Their only accounting connection is QuickBooks, which doesn’t even support Australian GST properly.We built a working proof of concept. Then we hit a wall. This is what happened.Our Attempt to Integrate Time To Pet with Xero (Real Case Study)A dog walking business in Melbourne came to us with what sounded like a simple job.They run their operations on Time To Pet (TTP) and do their books in Xero.What they wanted was pretty straightforward:When an invoice is created in Time To Pet, it automatically creates a matching draft invoice in Xero.Pretty standard stuff for an accounting integration: Invoice numbers need to match between the two systems. All line items should sync (description, quantity, unit price) GST has to map correctly at 10% for Australia Contacts should be found in Xero or created automatically. No duplicate invoices Everything lands in Xero as DRAFT, never auto-approvedWe’ve done this kind of work dozens of times. Xero is our bread and butter. We’re an Xero-certified integration team.It should have been easy.Time To Pet homepage. Great product for scheduling and client management. Source: timetopet.comHow We Tried to Build a Time To Pet Xero Integration Using ZapierBefore we even got on a call with the client, we built a complete proof of concept. A 4-step Zapier automation, tested end-to-end, is working perfectly.This is what the Zap looked like:Step 1: Webhook CatchA Zapier webhook receives the TTP invoice data via POST. Invoice number, client name, email, dates, line items, quantities, unit prices, total, currency.Step 2: Xero SearchBefore creating anything, the Zap searches Xero for an existing invoice with that same number. First line of duplicate defence.Step 3: Duplicate FilterIf the invoice already exists, the Zap stops. This catches retries, re-runs, and accidental double-fires.Step 4: Create Draft Invoice in XeroIf the invoice is new, the Zap creates a Draft ACCREC invoice in Xero with these mappings:FieldValueTypeACCREC (Accounts Receivable)StatusDRAFT (hardcoded, never changes)Invoice NumberMatches TTP invoice numberContact NameFrom TTP client nameContact EmailFrom TTP client emailDateTTP invoice dateDue DateTTP due dateCurrencyAUDLine Item DescriptionFrom TTP line itemsLine Item QuantityFrom TTP quantityLine Item Unit AmountFrom TTP unit priceAccount Code200 (Standard Sales – Australia)Tax TypeOUTPUT2 (GST on Income – 10%)Line Amount TypeEXCLUSIVE (GST calculated on top)Test results: Invoice INV-2001 created in Xero as DRAFT, all fields correct Contact auto-created (name and email matched) Line items synced: Dog Walking sessions, Qty 5, Unit $30, all good. GST applied correctly (OUTPUT2, EXCLUSIVE) Duplicate prevention working: second run of the same invoice got blocked at Step 3We were feeling pretty good about this. The Zap was published. The mapping was solid.And then we got access to a live Time To Pet account.Why Time To Pet Xero Integration Fails (Core Limitation)We logged into the live TTP account. Opened Settings. Went to Integrations.This is what we found: Backup Calendar Integration QuickBooks Texting ZapierFive options. That’s the full list.There’s no Webhooks section anywhere.You can’t register a custom webhook URL for any event, invoice or otherwise. There’s no API documentation, no developer portal, no endpoints, no tokens. Nothing.The Zapier tab just lets you connect your Zapier account. You can’t register a custom trigger URL or configure what data gets sent.Time To Pet’s official Zapier integration documentation. Notice: only client and staff triggers listed. Source: help.timetopet.comIn most cases, integrations rely on structured API workflows. When those don’t exist, businesses face a familiar set of accounting integration challenges that force creative workaroundsTime To Pet Triggers Explained: Why They Don’t Work for XeroTime To Pet launched its Zapier integration in July 2023. They announced it with enthusiasm on their blog.But look at what you actually get. Five triggers total:1. New Client CreatedFires when a client is added2. Client Created or UpdatedFires on client profile changes3. New Prospect CreatedFires when someone fills the new client form4. New Staff Member CreatedFires when staff is added5. Staff Member Created or UpdatedFires on staff profile changesMany businesses face similar automation gaps when relying only on third-party tools.Understanding broader accounting automation challenges can help you plan better long-term integration strategies.Go ahead, read that list again.Every single trigger is about clients or staff. It’s all contact management. No “Invoice Created” trigger. No “Payment Received” trigger. No “Quote Sent” trigger. Nothing financial at all.You can’t get invoice numbers, line items, amounts, or dates out of Time To Pet through Zapier. Full stop.Our POC worked perfectly on simulated data. But there’s no way to fire it from a real TTP event. The webhook has nothing to catch.All 5 Time To Pet triggers on Zapier. Every single one is about clients or staff. Zero invoice triggers. Source: zapier.comTime To Pet triggers next to Xero triggers on the same Zapier page. Xero has rich financial actions (Create Sales Invoice, etc.), but TTP has no financial triggers to feed them. Source: zapier.comDoes Time To Pet Plan to Support Xero Integration?On their help page, Time To Pet says:“We are in active development of new triggers.”They launched Zapier in July 2023. It’s now March 2026. Still the same five triggers. Still zero financial data.They invite users to email support@timetopet.com with feature requests. We did. No timeline was given.Time To Pet’s own help page acknowledges they’re open to new trigger requests. But two years later, no invoice triggers have been added. Source: help.timetopet.comWhy Time To Pet Works with QuickBooks But Not Xero“But Time To Pet integrates with QuickBooks!”Yes. It does. It’s their only accounting integration.For Australian businesses, that’s a problem.The QuickBooks integration is US-focused and doesn’t properly handle Australian GST at 10%. QuickBooks has a minority market share in Australia, where Xero dominates with 80%+ of small businesses. And running a QuickBooks-to-Xero bridge means double-hopping through two accounting platforms, which adds cost and breaks easily.The funny part? Time To Pet’s own blog article, “The Best Accounting Software For Your Pet Care Business“, actually recommends Xero as a great option for pet care businesses.They just don’t integrate with it.Time To Pet’s invoicing page. Scroll to the bottom: QuickBooks is the only accounting integration. No Xero. No MYOB. No alternatives. Source: timetopet.com/invoicingTime To Pet’s own Academy article recommends Xero as “popular accounting software suitable for small and medium-sized pet care businesses.” But they don’t integrate with it. QuickBooks gets the integration mention. Xero gets a generic paragraph. Source: timetopet.com/academyWhy This Matters for Australian Pet Care BusinessesFor Australian pet care businesses, this issue is not just a technical inconvenience.It directly affects bookkeeping accuracy, GST compliance, and the amount of manual work required every week.Time To Pet works well for scheduling, client communication, and pet care operations. The problem starts when financial data needs to move into Xero.If invoices, client details, payment information, and GST values cannot be pushed into Xero properly, the business owner or admin team has to manually recreate the same information inside their accounting system.That creates a few common problems: Invoice numbers may not match between Time To Pet and Xero GST may be entered incorrectly Client names or email addresses may be duplicated Payments may be harder to reconcile Staff may spend hours doing double entry every month Reporting in Xero may not reflect the latest business activityFor small pet care operators, this can quickly become frustrating. For growing businesses with recurring bookings, high invoice volume, or multiple staff members, the issue becomes more serious because every manual step increases the risk of errors.This is why a proper Time To Pet and Xero integration matters. It is not only about saving time.It is about keeping invoice data accurate, reducing admin work, and making sure the business has reliable financial records.Every Workaround We InvestigatedWe don’t give up easily. We tried everything we could think of:ApproachResultWhyTTP Native Zapier Invoice TriggerDoes not existOnly 5 triggers, all client/staffCustom Webhook Registration in TTPNot availableNo webhook section in settingsTTP to QuickBooks to Xero BridgeNot viableQuickBooks integration is US-only. AU GST not supportedTTP Email Parsing to XeroFragileOnly works if Auto Charging is on. Breaks if TTP changes email templateScreen Scraping the TTP DashboardRiskyAgainst ToS. Fragile. Not scalableWait for TTP to Add Invoice TriggersNo timelineFeature request submitted. “Actively developing.” Two years and countingFive dead ends. One “maybe” that’s too fragile for production.Time To Pet to Xero Integration Options: What Works and What Doesn’tNot every workaround is worth building. Some options look simple at first but become risky once invoice volume increases or tax rules become more complex.OptionWorks for Invoice Sync?ReliabilityBest ForNative Time To Pet + Xero integrationNoNot availableNot currently possibleZapierNoLowClient/staff data onlyQuickBooks to Xero bridgePartiallyLowNot ideal for Australian GSTEmail parsingPartiallyMedium to lowLow-volume businessesManual entryYesLowVery small businessesChrome extensionYesMedium to highBusinesses staying with Time To PetCustom middlewareYesHighGrowing businesses needing better controlThe key point is simple: if Time To Pet does not expose invoice data through an API, webhook, or Zapier trigger, then no third-party automation tool can magically pull clean invoice data from it.For businesses that want to stay with Time To Pet, the practical options are either a controlled browser-based tool, such as a Chrome extension, or a custom middleware approach if data access becomes available later.Custom Solution: How We Built a Chrome-Based IntegrationIf TTP won’t give us the data through an API, we’ll go to where the data actually lives: the browser.We recommended and built a lightweight Chrome Extension as a POC. The idea is simple. The business owner installs the extension once in Chrome. They open any invoice page in Time To Pet, just like they normally would The extension reads the invoice data directly from the page (invoice number, client details, line items, amounts, GST) They click one button. The extension pushes the data to the Xero API and creates a Draft ACCREC invoiceNo Zapier subscription needed. No TTP API dependency. No fragile email parsing. No double-hop through QuickBooks.The business owner’s daily effort: open the invoice in TTP, click one button.We built duplicate prevention into it, along with contact matching against existing Xero contacts, GST mapping (OUTPUT2, EXCLUSIVE, AUD), and invoice number matching so the TTP number always equals the Xero number. Draft status is hardcoded, so nothing ever auto-approves.It’s not the clean automation we originally wanted to build. But it works, and it works today.What a Reliable Time To Pet to Xero Sync Should IncludeA basic invoice push is not enough. A reliable integration should protect the business from duplicate records, tax mistakes, and messy contact data.A proper Time To Pet to Xero sync should include: Invoice number matching so the Time To Pet invoice number and Xero invoice number stay the same Duplicate invoice checks before creating anything in Xero Contact matching using client name and email address GST mapping based on Australian tax rules Draft invoice creation so the owner can review before approval Line item mapping for services, quantity, price, and descriptions Error logging so failed syncs can be reviewed Manual retry option in case a sync failsThis kind of setup gives the business more control.Instead of blindly pushing data into Xero, the integration checks the data first, creates invoices safely, and keeps the final approval inside Xero.Alternatives That Support Xero Integration BetterTime To Pet isn’t the only game in town. And its competitors prove that building an Xero integration is very much doable.Pet Manager (Australia) They have a native Xero integration with a full accounting dashboard. Customers, invoices, payments, overpayments, and credit notes all flow directly into Xero.Real-time reconciliation. They’re listed on the Xero App Store AU with a 5-star rating.Pet Manager on the Xero App Store Australia. 5.0 stars, native integration with invoices, payments, contacts, and credit notes, all synced. This is what proper integration looks like. Source: apps.xero.comPetboost (Australian-built) Xero bank feeds integration. AUD pricing with no currency conversion. ABN on invoices out of the box.Local support in the Australian timezone. Built specifically for dog grooming, daycare, walking, training, and boarding businesses.PetBooqz Integrates with both Xero and MYOB. Gives Australian businesses a choice of accounting platforms.These platforms address the same market. They handle the same data. They built Xero integrations because their Australian customers need it. Time To Pet chose not to.Our Take: Is Time To Pet a Closed System?I’ve spent 20+ years building accounting integrations. I’ve worked with restrictive platforms before. But Time To Pet is something else.What gets me is this:There’s no API at all. Not even read-only. Not just for invoices. Most modern SaaS platforms, even small ones, expose at least some basic API endpoints. TTP has zero.The Zapier integration feels like it’s there for the features page. Five triggers in two years, all contact management, no financial data. That’s not an integration strategy. That’s a checkbox.QuickBooks-only is a regional blind spot. TTP serves businesses globally. Australia and New Zealand run on Xero. Ignoring that isn’t a technical limitation. It’s a product decision.The data belongs to the business. When a pet care company creates an invoice in TTP, that’s their financial data. They should be able to get it out and put it where they need it. TTP makes that unreasonably hard.Look, I’m not saying Time To Pet is bad software. For scheduling and client management, it’s well-built. The mobile app is solid. 4,000+ businesses trust it for good reason. But if you’re an Australian business running on Xero, you’re walking into a dead end. You won’t see it coming until you try to connect the two systems. And by then you’re already committed.Situations like this highlight why building or extending accounting systems is rarely straightforward.From API limitations to data consistency, there are multiple challenges businesses need to consider.Your Options If You Need Time To Pet Xero IntegrationYou’re not alone. We’ve had multiple Australian pet care businesses contact us with this exact problem.These are your options, roughly in order of how well they solve the problem:Option 1: Switch to a Xero-Native PlatformIf you’re early enough in your TTP journey, consider Pet Manager or Petboost.Both have native Xero integration. Both are built for the Australian market. Migration hurts, but it solves the problem permanently.Option 2: Custom Integration (Chrome Extension or Middleware)If you’re committed to TTP and can’t switch, a custom bridge can be built.It’s not cheap, but it’s a one-time cost with no recurring platform fees.This is what we built for our client. When native integrations are not available, custom integration solutions like middleware or browser-based tools can bridge the gap and ensure reliable data flow between systems.Option 3: Manual Double EntryThis is what most businesses default to. Open TTP. Open Xero.Type the same invoice twice. It works. It’s painful. It’s error-prone. And it’s what TTP’s closed ecosystem forces you into.When Should You Build a Custom Time To Pet–Xero Integration?A custom integration is not always the first option. If you only create a few invoices per month, manual entry may still be manageable.But once the invoice volume increases, the cost of manual work often becomes higher than the cost of building a controlled solution.You should consider a custom Time To Pet–Xero integration if: You create invoices daily or weekly You spend too much time copying invoice data into Xero GST errors are becoming difficult to manage You need invoice numbers to match across both systems You want invoices to enter Xero as drafts for review You have multiple staff members handling admin work You cannot switch away from Time To Pet right nowFor businesses already committed to Time To Pet, a custom solution can be a practical middle path. It avoids a full software migration while still reducing repetitive finance admin work.What Time Should You PetThis isn’t a hard problem to solve. A few things would fix it: Open a read-only API for invoices and payments. Even basic REST endpoints will unlock an entire ecosystem of integrations. Add invoice and payment triggers to Zapier. The infrastructure is already there. The Zapier integration exists. Just add the triggers that businesses actually need. Build a native Xero integration. Pet Manager did it. Petboost did it. PetBooqz did it. It’s clearly possible. Recognize the problem publicly. A roadmap. A timeline. Something. “Actively developing” with no date isn’t a commitment. It’s a holding pattern.Until then, every non-US pet business using Time To Pet and Xero is stuck manually copying invoices between two screens.Choosing software that supports strong integrations from the start can save significant time and effort later.Evaluating integration capabilities should always be part of your decision-making process.About UsSatva Solutions is an accounting integrations and FinTech development agency.We’re Xero-certified (Advisor + Developer) with 20+ years of experience building bridges between operations platforms and accounting software.If your pet care business is stuck between Time To Pet and Xero, or is dealing with any other integration gap, get in touch. We’ve solved this before, and we can solve it for you.Have you run into this same problem? Drop us a line. We’re collecting stories from businesses that need TTP to open up, and yours adds to the case.FAQCan Time To Pet integrate directly with Xero? No, Time To Pet does not offer a direct native integration with Xero. While it supports integrations with other platforms like QuickBooks, there is currently no built-in way to automatically sync invoices, payments, or customer data with Xero. This means businesses using both platforms need to rely on workarounds such as manual data entry, browser-based tools, or custom-built integrations to move financial data between systems.Why is my Time To Pet Xero integration not working? In most cases, the issue is not something you’ve configured incorrectly. The real problem is that Time To Pet does not provide a public API endpoint or webhook trigger for invoices, which makes real-time or automated syncing difficult. Even tools like Zapier cannot solve this limitation because they depend on triggers that Time To Pet does not expose. As a result, invoice syncing often fails or is not possible at all.Does Zapier support Time To Pet and Xero integration? Zapier can connect Time To Pet with other tools, but it does not fully support invoice syncing with Xero. The available triggers in Time To Pet are limited and do not include invoice creation or updates. This means you can automate some basic workflows like capturing form data or client information, but you cannot reliably push invoices into Xero using Zapier alone.What are the best workarounds for Time To Pet and Xero integration? There are a few practical approaches depending on your business size and workflow complexity. Small businesses often rely on manual data entry, while others try email parsing or partial automation tools. For more consistent results, some businesses use browser-based tools like Chrome extensions to extract invoice data, while others invest in custom integration solutions that replicate invoice creation inside Xero more accurately.Why does Time To Pet work better with QuickBooks than Xero? Time To Pet has a built-in integration with QuickBooks, which allows users to sync invoices and payments more easily. This creates a smoother workflow for businesses already using QuickBooks. However, this advantage does not extend to Xero users, which is why many businesses feel “locked in” or forced to consider alternative solutions when trying to integrate with Xero.What is the most reliable way to sync invoices from Time To Pet to Xero? The most reliable approach is typically a controlled custom solution, such as a browser-based tool or middleware that recreates invoices in Xero while maintaining data accuracy. These solutions allow businesses to manage invoice numbers, GST mapping, and duplicate checks more effectively compared to basic automation tools, which often fail due to limited data access.Should I switch software or build a custom integration? This depends on how critical automation is for your business. If you are handling a low volume of invoices, manual entry may still be manageable. However, if your business is growing and you need consistent, accurate syncing, you’ll need to either switch to a Xero-friendly platform or invest in a custom integration that fits your workflow.What problems can occur without proper Xero integration? Without a reliable integration, businesses often face duplicate entries, missing invoices, incorrect GST calculations, and time-consuming manual work. Over time, these issues can impact financial reporting accuracy and increase administrative overhead, especially for businesses handling a high number of bookings and invoices.