# Xero > Official Xero MCP — invoices, contacts, bank transactions, and accounting from an agent. [Canonical HTML page](https://top-mcps.com/mcp/xero) · [server.json](https://top-mcps.com/mcp/xero.json) · [methodology](https://top-mcps.com/about/methodology) ## Install ### Claude Desktop — `claude_desktop_config.json` Paste under mcpServers. Fully quit and reopen Claude after editing. ```json { "mcpServers": { "xero": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "@xeroapi/xero-mcp-server@latest" ], "env": { "XERO_CLIENT_ID": "${XERO_CLIENT_ID}", "XERO_CLIENT_SECRET": "${XERO_CLIENT_SECRET}" } } } } ``` ### Claude Code — `CLI or .mcp.json` Run from your repo. Commit .mcp.json to share with your team. ```shell # export XERO_CLIENT_ID=your_client_id # export XERO_CLIENT_SECRET=your_client_secret claude mcp add xero -- npx -y @xeroapi/xero-mcp-server@latest ``` ### Cursor — `.cursor/mcp.json` Global path: ~/.cursor/mcp.json. Reload window after editing. ```json { "mcpServers": { "xero": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "@xeroapi/xero-mcp-server@latest" ], "env": { "XERO_CLIENT_ID": "${XERO_CLIENT_ID}", "XERO_CLIENT_SECRET": "${XERO_CLIENT_SECRET}" } } } } ``` ### VS Code — `.vscode/mcp.json` VS Code uses the "servers" key (not "mcpServers"). ```jsonc { "servers": { "xero": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "@xeroapi/xero-mcp-server@latest" ], "env": { "XERO_CLIENT_ID": "${XERO_CLIENT_ID}", "XERO_CLIENT_SECRET": "${XERO_CLIENT_SECRET}" } } } } ``` ### Windsurf — `~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json` Open via Cascade → hammer icon → Configure. ```json { "mcpServers": { "xero": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "@xeroapi/xero-mcp-server@latest" ], "env": { "XERO_CLIENT_ID": "${XERO_CLIENT_ID}", "XERO_CLIENT_SECRET": "${XERO_CLIENT_SECRET}" } } } } ``` ### Cline — `cline_mcp_settings.json` Open via the Cline sidebar → MCP Servers → Edit. ```json { "mcpServers": { "xero": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "@xeroapi/xero-mcp-server@latest" ], "env": { "XERO_CLIENT_ID": "${XERO_CLIENT_ID}", "XERO_CLIENT_SECRET": "${XERO_CLIENT_SECRET}" } } } } ``` ### Continue — `~/.continue/config.json` Continue uses modelContextProtocolServers with a transport block. ```json { "experimental": { "modelContextProtocolServers": [ { "transport": { "type": "stdio", "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "@xeroapi/xero-mcp-server@latest" ], "env": { "XERO_CLIENT_ID": "${XERO_CLIENT_ID}", "XERO_CLIENT_SECRET": "${XERO_CLIENT_SECRET}" } } } ] } } ``` ### Codex CLI — `~/.codex/config.toml` Codex uses TOML. Each server is a [mcp_servers.] subtable. ```shell # ~/.codex/config.toml [mcp_servers.xero] command = "npx" args = [ "-y", "@xeroapi/xero-mcp-server@latest", ] env = { XERO_CLIENT_ID = "${XERO_CLIENT_ID}", XERO_CLIENT_SECRET = "${XERO_CLIENT_SECRET}" } ``` ### Zed — `~/.config/zed/settings.json` Zed calls them "context_servers". Settings live-reload on save. ```jsonc { "context_servers": { "xero": { "command": { "path": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "@xeroapi/xero-mcp-server@latest" ] }, "env": { "XERO_CLIENT_ID": "${XERO_CLIENT_ID}", "XERO_CLIENT_SECRET": "${XERO_CLIENT_SECRET}" } } } } ``` ### ChatGPT — `ChatGPT → Apps directory` Xero doesn't ship a hosted HTTPS endpoint today. ChatGPT supports remote MCP servers only — to use this server in ChatGPT you'll need to deploy it to a public HTTPS URL first (e.g. via Cloudflare Workers or Vercel) or wait for an official remote build. ```none ``` ## At a glance - **Maintainer:** Xero - **Transport:** stdio - **Auth model:** OAuth 2.1 - **Required secrets:** XERO_CLIENT_ID, XERO_CLIENT_SECRET - **Supported clients:** Claude, Cursor, Any MCP-compatible client, Xero accounts - **License:** MIT - **Language:** TypeScript - **Latest version:** latest - **Last verified:** 2026-07-15 - **GitHub stars:** 336 (fetched 2026-07-17T12:42:33.105Z) - **Score:** 76/100 (rubric 2026-04 — see https://top-mcps.com/about/methodology) - **Source:** https://github.com/XeroAPI/xero-mcp-server ## Security & scope - **Access scope:** network - **Sandbox:** Authenticates with a Xero OAuth2 custom connection (client ID + secret). Access scope matches the connection permissions. - **Gotchas:** - A custom connection grants app-level access to the connected organization — scope it narrowly and rotate the client secret on a schedule. - Invoice creation and payment posting are write operations; keep human approval in the loop for anything that touches live financials. ## Quick answer **What it does.** Exposes Xero accounting operations as MCP tools: contacts (list/create), invoices (create/update/get), chart of accounts, bank transactions, payments, credit notes, quotes, manual journals, tax rates, tracking categories, and payroll (employees, timesheets, leave). **Best for:** - Creating and sending Xero invoices from chat - Contact management - Bank-reconciliation assistance - Reading the chart of accounts and financials - Payroll data lookups **Not for:** - US-centric teams standardized on QuickBooks - Unattended payment posting without approval ## Description The best MCP for Xero is the official Xero MCP server, maintained by Xero. It connects agents to the Xero accounting API: create and send invoices, manage contacts, read the chart of accounts, reconcile bank transactions, and run payroll lookups from a prompt. ## Why it matters Xero is the dominant cloud ledger across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. A first-party MCP means an agent can draft invoices and read financials against real Xero data with vendor-maintained tooling rather than a community bridge. ## Key features - Official Xero maintenance - Invoice, contact, and bank-transaction tools - Payroll operations (employees, timesheets, leave) - OAuth2 custom connections - MIT licensed, TypeScript ## FAQ ### Is the Xero MCP official? Yes. It is published by Xero under the XeroAPI GitHub organization and licensed MIT — first-party provenance, unlike most accounting MCPs which are community bridges. ### What can it do beyond invoices? Contacts, chart of accounts, bank transactions, payments, credit notes, quotes, manual journals, tax rates, tracking categories, and payroll (employees, timesheets, leave) — in addition to creating, updating, and retrieving invoices. ### How does authentication work? Through a Xero OAuth2 custom connection using a client ID and client secret. Scope the connection to the accounts and permissions the agent actually needs. ## Changelog - **2026-07-15** — Refreshed install snippets and fact sheet; verified for 2026. - **2025-04-01** — Initial directory listing.