Supercharge XPM! Automate & Track Recurring Team Tasks and Workflows with XBert & XPM
How to streamline and gain real-time team visibility
Managing workflows in Xero Practice Manager (XPM) can become complex and manual, especially when dealing with recurring work, granular task scheduling, and team capacity.
In our latest webinar, Power Up Your XPM, we shared how integrating XBert with XPM solves these challenges by simplifying daily task management, automating repetitive processes, and creating real-time visibility across your practice.
In this blog, we cover:
- Where XPM works well, and where it struggles
- Why recurring jobs in XPM create more issues than they solve
- How XBert streamlines workflows and task visibility
- How to simplify job and task setup using best practices
- Real-time capacity tracking and reducing unbilled work
- The integration synergy between XBert + XPM
You can now watch this webinar On Demand HERE, or read on for the key things you need to know.
1. Understand Where XPM Works Best
XPM is a robust system for managing macro-level job functions, including client records, billing, and time tracking. But it's not built for day-to-day task management.
“XPM is brilliant for top-level job management. But when it comes to managing the iteration of work we do daily, it falls short.” – Cassandra Scott
For example, XPM handles unified client records and high-level job visibility well. It’s great for tax lodgements, capturing time entries, and syncing billing to Xero. But it can’t manage weekly payroll cycles or granular workflow assignments without adding hundreds of jobs and tasks.
A good setup in XPM still needs a more detailed layer of execution.
2. Stop Using Recurring Jobs in XPM
Recurring jobs in XPM often lead to unnecessary complexity. Many practices use them to manage repeating tasks like monthly bookkeeping or IAS lodgement, but this results in job bloat, confusion, and complicated billing.
“Recurring jobs create clutter and complicate billing aggregation. You don’t need 100 jobs for one client’s annual engagement.” – Cassandra Scott
One example shared during the webinar showed a practice managing over 100 jobs per client just to track recurring work. Instead, you can use one job per client per year, with XBert scheduling the detail.
Simplifying to a single job setup clears the way for efficient automation.
3. Let XBert Handle Task Automation and Scheduling
XBert brings automation and task standardisation into your daily operations, solving the micro-task limitations of XPM.
“XBert lets you define your workflow once, then rolls it out across every client who receives that service.” – Cassandra Scott
For example, practices use XBert to automate IAS preparation. When updates are made to the IAS automation steps, they are automatically reflected across all linked clients. Each task has assigned owners, estimates, and schedules, all fully visible to the team.
XBert’s daily task view ensures every team member knows what’s on their plate.
4. Gain Real-Time Capacity and Team Visibility
With XBert’s integration, you can move from static lists to live visibility over your team’s workload, helping you make better resourcing decisions.
“We’re not just managing what’s scheduled, we’re managing the people doing the work in real time.” – Cassandra Scott
In one case, a firm used XBert to get a clear top-down view of team capacity and adjust assignments mid-month. The result was fewer missed deadlines and a clearer sense of where staff were stretched.
This kind of transparency is hard to achieve with XPM alone.
5. Reduce Revenue Leakage with Better Time Tracking
XBert makes it easier to track ad hoc work and link it to existing jobs and timesheets in XPM, meaning more billable work is actually billed.
“One of the biggest sources of revenue loss is unbilled work. XBert closes that loop.” – Cassandra Scott
For example, when a client sends a one-off email request, XBert lets teams add that task immediately, track it to completion, and send the time entry straight to XPM.
Capturing this effort ensures fewer missed billing opportunities.
6. Follow Best Practice Setup for XPM + XBert
To get the most from your integration, you’ll need to clean up your current XPM setup. Start by simplifying task lists, consolidating jobs, and aligning billing rates. You don’t need a task in XPM for every part of the workflow, you just need a task for the outcome.
“The worst XPM setup I’ve seen had 700 tasks. You only need 20 to 25 at most.” – Cassandra Scott
As an example, a recommended setup includes just one job per client per year, with tasks like BAS Agent Services, Bookkeeping, Payroll, and Consulting. You can also use labels in XPM to further tag services like IAS or TPAR without needing more tasks.
This minimal, clean structure allows XBert to do the heavy lifting on workflow.
7. Get the Full Value from Integration
When XBert and XPM are used together, they form a powerful system for end-to-end practice management, from client file to billable hour. Whether fixed fee or hourly rate, the integration simplifies your billing and your WIP review so there is no double handling of data.
“Think of it as 1 + 1 = 3. Together they deliver more than either could on their own.” – Cassandra Scott
Firms using both platforms see faster job turnaround, fewer missed tasks, higher billing accuracy, and improved client satisfaction. The daily work is managed in XBert, while XPM remains the home for time capture, billing, and reporting.
Integration turns two good tools into one seamless solution. If you’re spending too much time manually scheduling work or struggling with capacity planning, the XBert + XPM integration will change the game. It gives your team clarity, protects your revenue, and simplifies your client workflow, all while keeping the structure you already know in XPM.
Want to set this up in your business?
