Connect EventBookings with Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks

A setup guide for Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks.

Connect EventBookings so ticket sales, donations, merchandise and fees flow into your accounting software with the appropriate accounts and tax settings.

Fastest safe path: Follow Quick setup and use the recommended choices. You can refine the mappings later.

Before you start

Confirm whether your organisation is registered for GST. This affects how ticket and merchandise sales should be recorded.

• GST-registered: taxable ticket and merchandise sales generally use the applicable GST-on-income code.
• Not GST-registered: use your GST-free or BAS-excluded setting, according to your accounting platform and professional advice.

Tax note: This is general setup guidance, not tax advice. Confirm uncertain GST settings with your accountant or the Australian Taxation Office.

You will also need administrator access to your accounting account, an EventBookings account with an event set up, and about 10 minutes.

Quick setup

These settings are suitable for most organisers. Map only the features you actually use.

1. In EventBookings, go to Integration Tools and select Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks. Authorise the connection.
2. Select or create one contact, such as EventBookings Sales, for all synced orders.
3. Map Ticket Sales to your general sales or income account. Map merchandise, donations and promotions to separate accounts if you use them.
4. Map Service Charge and Transaction Fee to an expense account such as Platform Fees. Both fees can use the same account.
5. Map online processors such as Stripe, PayPal, SecurePay and Afterpay to a clearing account. Map Offline payments to your real bank account.
6. Set tax codes based on your GST status. Keep genuine donations GST-free.
7. For QuickBooks, set the default sales revenue account and map the required items. Item mapping is optional for Xero and MYOB.
8. Save the setup, place a test order and confirm that the records sync correctly.

Understand the setup

What the integration creates

For each order, EventBookings creates two separate accounting records:

1. A sales invoice for what the customer purchased and paid. This records your income.
2. A bill for the EventBookings service and transaction fees. This records your expense.

Keeping income and fees separate supports accurate reporting and tax treatment.

Why mapping matters

Unmapped or incorrectly mapped records may still sync, but they can land in the wrong accounts. For example:

• Donations may be combined with taxable ticket income.
• Fees may be recorded as income rather than expenses.
• Tickets, merchandise and donations may be combined, reducing reporting detail.

Golden rule: Map the features you use and follow the recommended account type for each one.

Step-by-step setup

Step 1 – Connect

From Integration Tools, choose your accounting platform and authorise the connection. Sign in to Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks, approve access and return to EventBookings.

Step 2 – Select a contact

Choose or create one shared contact, such as EventBookings Sales, for synced orders. This prevents every ticket buyer from being added separately to your accounting contact list.

Step 3 – Map income accounts

Map each EventBookings income type to the matching account in your accounting software. Create an account if the required one does not exist.

EventBookings field	Recommended account type	When required
Ticket Sales	Income/revenue	Always
Merchandise	Income/revenue	If you sell merchandise
Donations	Income marked GST-free	If you accept donations
Promotions	Income used as a discount	If you use coupons or Early Bird pricing

Important: Give genuine donations their own GST-free account. Combining them with ticket sales may apply the wrong tax treatment.

Step 4 – Map fee accounts

Map the EventBookings Service Charge and Transaction Fee to an expense account such as Platform Fees or Merchant Fees. Both may use the same expense account; separate accounts are optional if you want more detailed reporting.

Step 5 – Map payment methods

• Online processors: map Stripe, PayPal, SecurePay and Afterpay to a clearing account. These processors collect funds and pay them out later, often after fees.
• Offline payments: map cash or direct bank transfers received by you to the appropriate real bank account.

Rule of thumb: Online payment methods go to a clearing account; Offline payments go to the real bank account.

Step 6 – Set tax codes

Choose tax codes based on your GST registration status and the nature of each item.

GST status	Taxable items: tickets and merchandise	Exempt items: genuine donations
GST-registered	GST on Income (10%)	GST-free / BAS Excluded
Not GST-registered	GST-free / BAS Excluded	GST-free / BAS Excluded

Double-check: A common setup error is assigning a GST-free code to taxable sales while registered for GST.

Step 7 – Complete account and item mapping

An account is the income or expense bucket that drives your reports and tax. An item is a named product or service used for product-level reporting.

• Xero and MYOB: account mapping is required; item mapping is optional. Leave item mapping empty unless you want product-level reporting.
• QuickBooks: map Ticket Sales, Merchandise, Donations and Promotions to items that point to the correct income accounts. Set the default sales revenue account to your general sales account.

Recommended setup cheat sheet

Use the following suggested account names and types. Australian tax codes are shown; New Zealand users should use the corresponding GST settings in their accounting platform.

Purpose	Suggested account name	Account type	Tax code if registered
Ticket income	EventBookings Ticket Sales	Income / revenue	GST on Income
Merchandise	EventBookings Merchandise	Income / revenue	GST on Income
Donations	Donations Received	Income	GST-free / BAS Excluded
Promotions / discounts	Sales Discounts	Income (contra)	GST on Income
Platform fees	Platform Fees	Expense	GST on Expenses
Online payment holding	EventBookings Clearing	Bank, without bank feed	Not applicable
Offline payments	Your real bank account	Bank, with feed	Not applicable

If you are not GST-registered: Use the GST-free or BAS-excluded setting for your sales, according to your accounting platform and professional advice.

Check that the connection worked

After saving, place a test order or review a recent order. Confirm that:

1. A paid sales invoice appears for the order total, with tickets, merchandise and donations on separate lines where applicable.
2. A bill appears for the EventBookings fees under the Platform Fees expense account.
3. Any genuine donation line shows no GST.
4. The EventBookings Accounting Activity list shows a green Synced status for the order.

If the order shows Failed, review the reason, correct the named mapping and select Re-sync. Re-syncing is designed to update the existing sync rather than create duplicate records.

Glossary

Account (chart of accounts): A labelled category for a type of money, such as Ticket Sales or Platform Fees. It affects profit-and-loss reporting and tax.

Clearing account: A temporary holding account for money collected by an online processor before the payout reaches your bank. It should reconcile when the payout arrives.

Contact/customer: The party a sale is recorded against. Use one shared EventBookings Sales contact to keep your contact list clean.

GST-registered: Registered to charge and remit GST. Confirm your current status and obligations with the ATO or your accountant.

GST-free / BAS Excluded: A tax setting indicating that no GST is applied. Use it only where appropriate for your organisation and transaction.

Item (product or service): A named product used for product-level reporting. QuickBooks uses items to build invoices; item mapping is optional in Xero and MYOB.

Sales invoice and bill: A sales invoice records money you earn; a bill records an expense you owe, such as EventBookings fees.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to map everything?

No. Map only what you use. A ticket-only setup generally needs Ticket Sales, a fee account and the relevant payment account.

Do I need Item Mapping?

Yes for QuickBooks. For Xero and MYOB it is optional unless you want product-level reporting. Fees are not items.

What if I map something incorrectly?

Update the mapping and re-sync the affected order. The process is designed to avoid duplicate invoices.

Will every buyer appear in my contacts?

Not when you use one shared EventBookings Sales contact, as recommended.

What about orders created before I connected?

New orders sync automatically. To bring across earlier orders, open the connection menu, select Import past orders, choose a date range and confirm.

What happens if I disconnect?

Future syncing stops, but the previous sync history is retained so reconnecting does not resend already synced orders.

Where can I get help choosing tax codes or accounts?

Ask your accountant or bookkeeper. For connection assistance, contact EventBookings Support and tell us which accounting platform you are using.

Current Australian GST registration requirements: https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/gst-excise-and-indirect-taxes/gst/registering-for-gst