Xero and Vend deepen integration with global partnership

Cloud software companies Vend and Xero [NZX: XRO] have announced a joint marketing arrangement where they will become preferred providers to their customers.

Vend says it and Xero will be able to formally unite under joint business and product development goals in key international markets.

Vend provides point-of-sale, inventory and customer management for retail, whereas Xero provides accounting and payroll software.

The two first integrated in 2010 and, under the new agreement, say they will pursue product updates and joint marketing activities.

Vend chief executive Alex Fala says, “Some 30% of Vend customers in NZ and Australia already connect to Xero, and we want to accelerate this growth in other markets too, such as the UK and US.

“We’ve been working hard with Xero to develop a truly innovative offering for retailers, one that makes it easy to take advantage of the benefits of moving business operations into the cloud.”

Vend says sales, customer and cash-flow data is shared in real-time between its and Xero’s software, reducing overheads and administration for small businesses.

Among the new features are:

• Real-time profit snapshot. Cost-of-goods-sold now post to Xero, providing an accurate snapshot of how a business is truly performing in real-time, with easy view of profit against total operating expenses.

• Streamlined invoicing. Manual editing and updates for invoicing and payment due dates is eliminated, reducing admin and giving retailers even more hours back in their day.

• Bulk account payments. Multiple account sales or laybys can be paid off in a single transaction and payments sync from Vend to Xero automatically.

• Customer sync. Contacts and any updates to customer details also sync between Vend and Xero automatically.

• Enhanced user experience. Improvements to the design and layout of the system mean it’s now easier than ever for a retailer to navigate between Vend and Xero.

Xero partner Link Solutions chief Will McTavish says it’s the most advanced integration in the company's ecosystem.

Both companies are also partners in Apple’s Mobility Partner Program and have been working with Apple to leverage mobile and iOS.

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