Xero API: Understanding the updateOrCreateInvoices Function and Contact Details
When working with the Xero API and its updateOrCreateInvoices function, maintaining contact data integrity can be a challenge. This article delves into a common issue where the "additional persons" field within contact details gets overwritten or cleared after using this function, and provides solutions backed by Stack Overflow insights.
The Problem:
Users often experience the unexpected overwriting of contact details, specifically the "additional persons" field, when utilizing the updateOrCreateInvoices function. This can be frustrating as it requires manual correction of contact information after each sync.
The Cause:
The root cause lies in the way the updateOrCreateInvoices function handles contact information. When you pass a full Contact object within the Invoice object, the API interprets it as an attempt to update the contact details entirely, potentially overwriting existing information.
The Solution:
The key to avoiding this issue is to use the ContactID property instead of providing the complete Contact object. This ensures the API only associates the invoice with the existing contact without modifying the contact details.
Stack Overflow Insight:
A valuable insight from Stack Overflow user sallyhornet highlighted this solution:
"I have tested and confirmed that by only tagging the ContactID in the invoice, I am able to sync invoices into Xero without overwriting contact details."
Code Example:
The following code snippet demonstrates how to implement this solution in PHP:
public function create_or_update_invoice($xero_tenant_id, $api_instance, $invoice_list = array()){
$arr_invoices = array();
foreach ($invoice_list as $invoice) {
// Retrieve Existing Contact Details (using the getContacts function):
// Original: $contact = $this->get_contact_by_id($xero_tenant_id, $api_instance, $xero_contact_id, $contact_name);
// New:
$contact = new XeroAPI\XeroPHP\Models\Accounting\Contact;
$contact->setContactID($xero_contact_id);
// Prepare Invoice Data with Existing Contact & Invoice Details:
$new_invoice = new XeroAPI\XeroPHP\Models\Accounting\Invoice;
$new_invoice->setType(XeroAPI\XeroPHP\Models\Accounting\Invoice::TYPE_ACCREC)
->setContact($contact)
...
...
->setStatus(XeroAPI\XeroPHP\Models\Accounting\Invoice::STATUS_AUTHORISED);
$arr_invoices[] = $new_invoice;
}
$invoices = new XeroAPI\XeroPHP\Models\Accounting\Invoices;
$invoices->setInvoices($arr_invoices);
try{
//Update or Create Invoice:
$result = $api_instance->updateOrCreateInvoices($xero_tenant_id, $invoices);
return $result;
}catch(Exception $e){
return $e;
}
}
Additional Tips:
- Retrieve
ContactID: Ensure you have a reliable way to retrieve theContactIDfor each invoice. You may need to implement a separate function or process to fetch this information from Xero. - Understanding the API: Refer to the official Xero API documentation for detailed information about the
updateOrCreateInvoicesfunction and contact data management. - Testing and Validation: Thoroughly test your code to ensure the solution effectively preserves contact details while synchronizing invoices.
Conclusion:
By utilizing the ContactID property instead of a full Contact object, you can avoid unintentional overwriting of contact details when using the Xero updateOrCreateInvoices function. This approach ensures data integrity and simplifies the syncing process, saving you time and effort.
