PROJECT 03
Connecting sales, billing and customer support.
An integration connecting Zoho CRM deals, Xero invoicing and Zendesk billing follow-ups, with updates returning to the customer record.
Zoho CRM
Xero
Zendesk
The challenge.
Sales, finance and support can lose context when deal information, invoices and billing questions live in separate systems.
What we connected.
A won deal creates a draft Xero invoice for finance review. Billing exceptions create a linked Zendesk ticket, while invoice, payment and ticket status update the matching Zoho CRM record.
Zoho CRMA won deal starts the flow.
Use the agreed customer, products and pricing to prepare the finance handoff.
Customer + deal referenceXeroPrepare and track the invoice.
Create a draft invoice for finance review, then track the invoice balance and payment status.
Finance reviews before sendingZendeskGive billing issues an owner.
A dispute or overdue balance meeting agreed rules creates a ticket with the invoice reference and account owner.
Linked ticket + invoice contextInvoice, payment and ticket updates return to Zoho CRM, so sales can see outstanding billing issues.
Update the customer record and linked ticket when payment arrives. Stop payment reminders; keep unresolved disputes open.
Match the right customer · Prevent duplicate tickets · Route billing exceptions · Separate payment from issue resolution
How the workflow works
- A won deal starts the finance handoff. Zoho CRM supplies the agreed customer details and invoice line items. Xero receives a draft invoice for finance review before it is sent.
- Invoice progress returns to the customer record. The Xero invoice reference, outstanding balance and payment status update the matching Zoho CRM account.
- Billing exceptions create a support follow-up. An invoice dispute or an overdue balance meeting the agreed rules creates a Zendesk ticket with the invoice reference and responsible account owner.
- Ticket updates keep sales informed. Zendesk ticket status returns to Zoho CRM, making unresolved billing issues visible alongside the customer record.
- Payment triggers the next follow-up. A recorded payment updates the CRM and linked ticket. Payment reminders stop when the invoice is settled, while any unresolved dispute remains open.
The role of each system
| System | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Zoho CRM | Customer and deal context, with invoice and ticket status returned to the account. |
| Xero | Draft invoices, finance review, outstanding balances and recorded payments. |
| Zendesk | Billing questions and exception tickets, linked to the invoice and account owner. |
Implementation approach
Match records across all three systems. Store the related customer, invoice and ticket references so that later updates reach the correct records. Missing or ambiguous matches go to review.
Keep finance in control of invoicing. The initial invoice remains a draft until finance reviews it. Customer, tax and line-item mappings define how the deal information becomes a draft invoice.
Prevent duplicate follow-ups. Repeated invoice updates refer to the existing linked ticket rather than create a new ticket for the same billing issue.
Separate payment from dispute resolution. A settled balance stops the associated payment reminders. It does not automatically resolve a complaint or billing dispute.
Workflow logic connects the handoffs and exception rules across the CRM, accounting and support systems.
Workflow results
- Sales can see billing and support context against the customer record.
- Finance can review draft invoices without re-entering the agreed deal information.
- Support receives a billing issue with its invoice reference and an assigned owner.
What changed.
Each team has the customer and billing context needed to act. Payment updates stop the relevant reminders while unresolved disputes remain open for follow-up.