How Windcave surcharges, cash-outs and refunds show up in Xero, and how that changes depending on your Xero account mapping.
This article explains the accounting entries Auxo Workshop creates in Xero when you take Windcave card payments, including surcharges and cash-outs. Which entries you see depends on how your EFTPOS and cash payment methods are mapped in your Xero chart of accounts.
🚨 Key things to know
Before reviewing the detail below, there are a few important things to be aware of when using the Windcave payment integration with Xero.
Two ways surcharges and cash-outs can post to Xero: it depends on how the payment method is mapped in your Xero Account Mapping settings. If it's mapped to a bank account, Auxo Workshop posts surcharges and cash-outs as bank transactions in Xero. If it's mapped to a non-bank account, for example a clearing account, they post as manual journal entries.
The Surcharge account you've mapped is used either way: whichever posting method applies, the amount still lands against the Surcharge account you've set up in Xero Account Mapping. Only how it's recorded in Xero changes.
Cash-out can become a bank transfer instead: if a cash-out is really money moving between two of your own bank-mapped accounts, for example from a petty cash account to your EFTPOS settlement account, Auxo Workshop creates a Xero Bank Transfer rather than a Bank Transaction, since Xero doesn't allow a bank account to be used as a line item on a Bank Transaction.
Refunds reverse whatever was created for the surcharge: refunding a Windcave payment reverses or removes the matching Xero entry for the surcharge, whether that's a journal entry or a bank transaction. The cash-out amount itself is never refunded, regardless of how it's mapped.
A reconciled Xero transaction can complicate a refund: if the bank transaction created for a surcharge has already been reconciled in Xero, you may need to finish part of that reconciliation and refund manually in Xero. Auxo Workshop will warn you if this applies.
Additional Xero entries are expected: when Windcave is used, you may see extra accounting entries in Xero beyond the payment itself. This does not indicate an error if mappings are configured correctly.
Payment type mapping matters: mapping different payment types to different Xero accounts, for example separating cash from EFTPOS or card payments, makes reconciliation far easier.
💡 What this article covers
This article explains how payments made using the Windcave payment integration appear in Xero, and why certain accounting outcomes occur, including the two different posting methods Auxo Workshop can use depending on your account mapping.
It is intended as a detailed reference for:
workshop owners
accountants
support teams
Axel (AI‑assisted support)
This article assumes:
Windcave is already configured in Auxo Workshop
Xero is connected
Account Mapping has been completed
For setup guidance, refer to the main Windcave payment integration article and the Xero Account Mapping and Reconciliation articles.
🔄 How Windcave payments differ from standard payments
Windcave introduces behaviour that operates at the payment level rather than the invoice level.
In particular:
Surcharges are charged when the payment is processed, not when the invoice is created.
Cash‑out changes how much cash the workshop actually receives, without changing the invoice value.
Depending on how your payment methods are mapped in Xero, some of this activity posts as bank transactions instead of journal entries.
This behaviour is intentional and expected.
💸 Payment surcharges in Xero
When a surcharge is applied:
The customer pays the invoice amount plus an additional fee.
The invoice total itself is not changed.
The surcharge is recorded separately from the payment.
How it's recorded in Xero depends on your payment method mapping:
Mapped to a non-bank account, for example a clearing account: the surcharge posts as a manual journal entry, using the Surcharge mapping configured in Auxo Workshop → Xero Add‑On → Account Mapping → Payments. This entry doesn't appear in Xero's bank reconciliation screen.
Mapped to a bank account: the surcharge posts as a Xero Bank Transaction against that bank account instead. It appears in Xero's bank reconciliation area like a normal deposit, so you can match it against your actual bank statement line for the card settlement.
This ensures invoices remain accurate while surcharge fees are visible and traceable, however they're recorded in Xero.
💵 Cash‑out and its impact on Xero
Cash‑out allows a customer to receive cash directly from the terminal.
Important points about cash‑out:
Cash‑out does not increase the invoice amount.
Cash‑out is paid directly to the customer.
Cash‑out reduces the amount of cash received by the workshop.
How cash‑out is recorded in Xero also depends on your payment method mapping:
Mapped to a non-bank account: cash‑out posts as a manual journal entry, the same as always.
Mapped to a bank account: cash‑out posts as a Xero Bank Transaction against that bank account, so it shows up in your bank reconciliation area.
Moving money between your own bank accounts: if the cash‑out is effectively a transfer between two of your own bank-mapped accounts, Auxo Workshop creates a Xero Bank Transfer instead of a Bank Transaction.
This works even where some of your payment methods are mapped to bank accounts and others to clearing accounts.
Because of this:
Cash‑out affects cash balances rather than invoice balances.
Mixing cash‑out with EFTPOS or card settlement accounts can still cause reconciliation confusion if your mapping isn't set up thoughtfully.
Best practice is to map cash‑based payment methods to a dedicated cash clearing or bank account, matching how you want cash‑out to show up in Xero.
🧾 Prepayments and Windcave
Prepayments are payments taken before a job is invoiced.
When using Windcave:
Prepayments rely on correct payment‑method and prepayment mappings in Xero Account Mapping.
Missing or incorrect mappings can result in posting errors.
Once the job is invoiced, the prepayment is applied to the invoice as usual.
If a Windcave prepayment fails to post to Xero, the first thing to check is the relevant account mappings.
🔁 Refunds and reversals
When refunding a Windcave payment from Auxo Workshop:
The amount applied to the invoice is refunded.
The full surcharge amount associated with that payment is also refunded.
The cash‑out amount itself is not refunded, as cash‑out is paid directly to the customer at the terminal. This applies no matter how your payment methods are mapped.
What happens in Xero depends on how the surcharge was originally posted:
Posted as a journal entry: a reversal journal entry is created for the refunded amount and surcharge. No reversal is created for cash‑out.
Posted as a bank transaction: Auxo Workshop looks up the bank transaction it originally created for the surcharge and reverses or deletes it.
⚠️ Important: If the bank transaction created for a surcharge has already been reconciled in Xero, Xero won't allow Auxo Workshop to delete it automatically. Auxo Workshop will warn you that the refund can still be processed in Auxo Workshop, but the related reconciliation and refund entries will need to be handled manually in Xero.
📊 What to expect in Xero
When reviewing Xero transactions related to Windcave, you may see:
Separate entries for payment surcharges, either journal entries or bank transactions depending on your mapping.
Manual journal entries associated with Windcave activity, where payment methods are mapped to non-bank accounts.
Bank transactions or bank transfers in your reconciliation area, where payment methods are mapped to bank accounts.
Clearing account balances that reflect cash‑out reductions, where cash‑out is mapped to a clearing account.
Different posting behaviour depending on payment‑method mapping.
These outcomes are normal when account mapping aligns to how funds are settled.
⚠️ Common scenarios and what they mean
Extra entries for surcharges: Expected when surcharges are enabled and mapped, whether as journals or bank transactions.
Surcharge showing in my bank reconciliation screen: Expected once your EFTPOS payment method is mapped to a bank account in Xero.
Clearing account not matching deposits: Often caused by mixing payment types or cash‑out with EFTPOS settlements, or a payment method still mapped to a clearing account when you expected bank account behaviour.
Refund totals lower than expected: Cash‑out is not refunded.
Can't delete a bank transaction after a refund: This usually means the transaction has already been reconciled in Xero. Finish reconciling the related entries manually in Xero.
Errors posting payments to Xero: Usually indicates missing or incorrect mappings.
🏦 Settlements
Windcave uses a single daily settlement model. All transactions from the previous business day, including Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, and Asian Payments, as well as any surcharges, are settled together the following business day around noon.
Windcave can also provide automated daily transaction reports sent directly to your nominated email address, summarising the previous day's activity. Contact Windcave directly to arrange this.
✅ Summary
Windcave introduces payment‑level behaviour that requires careful configuration but delivers accurate accounting outcomes when set up correctly.
To avoid reconciliation issues:
Map payment types thoughtfully, including whether they're mapped to a bank or non-bank account in Xero.
Separate cash from EFTPOS/card settlements.
Configure the Surcharge mapping.
Expect additional Xero entries when Windcave is used, either as journals or bank transactions depending on your mapping.