KashFlow Overview & Magento 2 Integration

In the following article, we explore cloud-based accounting software for small businesses designed to control bookkeeping, payrolls, human resources, and other aspects of business maintenance. Meet KashFlow – a UK-based solution that goes beyond a traditional accounting platform providing merchants with lots of features that make running a business easier. Below, we explore the system as well as shed light on the seamless Magento 2 KashFlow integration.

KashFlow Overview

Reporting, online payments, reminders, invoice management, PayPal transactions monitoring – these and other features dramatically improve your daily routine with the Magento 2 KashFlow integration.

The accounting platform does everything you need from quoting and invoicing to getting paid on time. The software keeps it simple but powerful enough to handle your needs. You can easily monitor what you’re owed and what is overdue with automatic notifications that remind your customers about missing payments.

Customizable invoices can be converted from quotes. Next, the system automatically sends them to customers with your logo and branding.

Being integrated with leading payment providers, the platform lets you set up multiple payment methods on your payment terms. Furthermore, it is even possible to enable your customers to pay right from invoices!

All your data is stored in a secure place. Furthermore, various reports display it within your account. And you will always stay synced by linking your bank accounts to your accounting software.

Advanced payroll management in a couple of clicks is available via a separate add-on. It lets you manage everything within a user-friendly environment.

KashFlow HR is another add-on that lets you keep tabs on business data compliance legislation and people management. Let your team grow decreasing your workload.

Let’s take a look at these and other features in more detail.

Features

• Advanced Invoicing. You will agree that every invoice software should be simple and KashFlow won’t disappoint you. You can forever forget about making word documents pretty or tweaking native Magento invoices and customizing them with third-party extensions. KashFlow offers automated invoice issue, notifications regarding their overdue, and other enhancements. You can not only set custom design but also edit invoices when they are saved which is quite rare in the case of different accounting systems. The Magento 2 KashFlow integration provides you with editable, emailable, and printable PDFs! Add product lists, enable automatic reminders, automatically lists received payments, use any currency, copy and rename invoices with the platform!
• Quotes & Estimates. Before invoicing, the Magento 2 KashFlow integration lets you leverage quotes and estimates. You can convert them right into invoices with a single button! The system provides customizable templates that can be streamlined even in the dedicated mobile app. You can use own templates as well as leverage a system of comments to make everything clear. Multiple currencies are supported so that an international Magento storefront can be freely connected to the system. Besides, you can set up a list of categories to manage your quotes more efficiently. Assign them to Live, Pending, Closed, and other groups. Note that there is no limit to the number of quotes you can send out. Furthermore, you can print or email them as PDFs.
• KashFlow Payments. As you might have already noticed, major accounting platforms offer built-in payment functionality, and the described system also provides it.  Thus, you can collect payments quickly, easily, and securely. The Magento 2 KashFlow integration offers the ability to add a “pay online” button to your invoices receiving card payment in 2-3 working days. At the same time, recurring direct debits are supported as well. The platform offers secure payment gateways so that you can sleep tight. Major payment systems are supported: PayPal, Square, WorldPay, Stripe, etc.
• Powerful Reporting. The Magento 2 KashFlow integration lets you streamline an easy-to-use reporting system to make your reporting as straightforward as possible. The accounting platform offers user-friendly but feature-rich reports full of financial data. The following report types are under your disposal: VAT, income, expenditure, general, profit and loss, trial balance, self-assignment, health check, and forecasting.
• Credit Control System. Although the credit control system of KashFlow doesn’t prevent you from taking another credit in a bank, it is still beneficial. It can automatically email customers to remind them of invoices that are due. At the same time, you can set frequent reminders on overdue payments. Log in to your account to see how much you are owed and what invoices are overdue.

Pricing

Now, when you are familiar with the core functionality of KashFlow, we’d like to draw your attention to pricing plans provided by the platform. First of all, it is necessary to mention that you can test drive the online accounting software for two weeks for free. Every business needs a simple, cost-effective, and reliable way to handle their accounts, and your Magento 2 website is not an exception. With Kashflow’s accounting packages, you get all the benefits necessary to ensure this process is as painless as it can be.

The system lets you select a solution that suits your particular business needs. You only have to choose the right package. KashFlow offers accounts packages geared towards sole traders, contractors, and small enterprises. At the same time, you can choose from solutions cater for growing businesses or limited companies. Payroll packages are available as well.

Next, you have to tailor your software:

• Manage and submit VAT online;
• Customize your dashboard;
• Leverage a mobile app;
• Control your business anywhere, anytime.

But before these steps, select one of the following plans:

• Starter. The program costs £8 per month + VAT. It is suitable for sole traders, contractors, and small businesses. Its features include unlimited quotes and ten invoices, reconciliation for up to 25 bank transactions, an access for a single user, the ability to manage and submit VAT online, bank feeds, KashFlow Payments, a free mobile application, 50+ reports, a customizable dashboard, purchase and expense management, and mileage tracking. Note that with this plan, multiple currencies are not supported. Besides, it doesn’t let you leverage repeat invoices and purchases. Payroll is not included as well.
• Business. This plan is almost two times more expensive. It costs £15 per month + VAT. Being ideal for growing businesses and limited companies, it offers the features of the Starter plan + multi-currency supports and repeat invoices & purchases. It is also necessary to mention that multiple users can access the same account.
• Business + Payroll. If you need the payroll functionality, get ready to spend £21 per month + VAT. The same excellent business package features with added payroll for up to 5 employees are waiting for you in the Business + Payroll plan. Note that the Automatic Enrolment module is available as an add-on.

It is also necessary to mention that each plan comes loaded with the following features:

• Free and fast UK-based support;
• Unlimited receipts;
• Mobile application;
• SSL Security and UK-based data storage;
• Stock control management;
• Unlimited contacts, quotes, and bank accounts.

Magento 2 KashFlow Integration

Unfortunately, you cannot use the default tools to connect Magento 2 to KashFlow, but there is a solution that enables seamless integration. Meet the Improved Import & Export Magento 2 extension – a universal tool that allows numerous Magento 2 integrations with external systems and other Magento 2 websites. The module is designed to help you connect your Magento 2 website to KashFlow in a matter of minutes. And you can achieve this goal without a single line of code! It is only necessary to install the extension on your e-commerce website and let is automate data transfers between Magento 2 and KashFlow. Improved Import & Export creates a bridge between the two platforms based on API connections.

Features

The Improved Import & Export extension lets you leverage the following enhancements to run the Magento 2 KashFlow integration seamlessly:

• Automated invoices and revenue tracking;
• Data synchronization for:
  • Payment methods;
  • Tax methods;
  • Magento entities (all product types, orders, customers, and invoices);
  • KashFlow entities;
• Synchronization history;
• Attributes mapping to improve the accuracy of Magento 2 data in KashFlow;
• Automate data transfers via schedules or triggers.
• Support for multiple stores;
• Support for various currencies.

Let’s explore several use cases to illustrate the functionality of the plugin from the perspective of the Magento 2 KashFlow integration. Note that if KashFlow does not support some of the following entities, you can still leverage the described processes for integration with other systems.

Product Data

When you add a new product or update an existing one, the Improved Import & Export Magento 2 extension transfers all the corresponding data to KashFlow updating the accounting platform.

Order Data and Invoices

When a customer places an order on your Magento 2 website, and it is paid successfully, an invoice is created in KashFlow. Associated products and payments can be created as well.

Customer Data

When a new customer registers on your Magento 2 storefront, Improved Import & Export sends the corresponding data to KashFlow. When a registered customer applies changes to his/her existing account, the module transfers the data to the accounting platform.

Income Tracking

Income tracking is another opportunity related to the Magento 2 KashFlow integration based on Improved Import & Export. Our extension can quickly transfer income data from your e-commerce website to KashFlow and back.

Payment Methods Mapping

Another opportunity related to the Magento 2 KashFlow integration is related to payment methods mapping. To enable free data transfers between the platforms, you can map them within a few clicks.

Tax Rates Mapping

The same is about tax rates: the Improved Import & Export module provides the ability to map tax rates used in Magento 2 to KashFlow ensuring that tax calculations are correct.

Other Use Cases

The Magento 2 KashFlow integration based on the Improved Import & Export extension provides the ability to:

• choose what entities to move between the platforms: products, orders, customers, invoices, etc;
• use schedules or events to enable automated data transfers;
• synchronize the two systems by mapping Magento 2 attributes to ones used in KashFlow.

Get Improved Import & Export Magento 2 Extension

KashFlow API

KashFlow leverages SOAP as its main API. It is a fully featured SOAP/XML webservice designed to expose the functionality of the accounting software. Thus, you can use the SOAP API to enable other apps to exchange data with a KashFlow account. Use it to integrate the existing KashFlow customers with external websites and systems (Magento 2). At the same time, there is a possibility for companies to extend their own products or create new products using the API as the accounting engine.

Note that you can use KashFlow’s API for free. It is only necessary to create a KashFlow account and enable the API. But what about our connector?

Although the Improved Import & Export Magento 2 extension uses REST API to connect your e-commerce website to external systems, our module fully supports SOAP. If other standards are required, it also incorporates them. To enable the Magento 2 KashFlow integration, the module creates multiple API connections, exchanging all entities between the two systems.

Improved Import & Export Magento 2 Extension Features

We’ve already explored the accounting platform as well as some essential nuances of the Magento 2 KashFlow integration. Therefore, let’s take a look at the Improved Import & Export features that simplify the data synchronization between the two systems. Since our extension completely revamps the default import and export functionality of the platform, you get an absolutely new way of data transfers which helps you avoid many issues associated with the built-in tools.

The default instruments don’t let you do the following things:

• Establish API connections;
• Automate data transfers;
• Map attributes;
• Import/export all entities.

As a result, it is necessary to repeat numerous processes every time a data transfer between Magento 2 and KashFlow is required. Usually, you have to recreate changes applied to your e-commerce store in an accounting system manually. Since the integration requires multiple updates per day, it turns into a waste of time. But we offer a more reliable solution.

The Improved Import & Export extension allows transferring all information from Magento 2 to KashFlow and back. Note that all processes are automated: relax while the plugin transfers data, matches different external attributes and their values from one system to another, leverages multiple API connections in the integration working with all entities. The Magento 2 KashFlow integration becomes a breeze with our module.

Automated Import & Export

The KashFlow Magento 2 integration is a continuous process that requires advanced automation. And Improved Import & Export provides the ability to avoid daily duties related to data transfers via schedules and event-based triggers which entirely automate them.

Schedules

Schedules represent the most intuitive and straightforward way of automation in different data transfers including the Magento 2 KashFlow integration. The flow of information between the two systems is based on cron. You specify a time interval and the extension imports/exports updates according to it letting you create fully independent import and export jobs with several different options:

• custom intervals,
• customizable, predefined update schemes,
• profiles with no schedules (which are suitable for maintaining such tasks as migration to Magento 2),
• and asynchronous data transfers (launch every scheduled profile manually whenever you want).

Events

Event-based triggers are another huge improvement provided by the Improved Import & Export extension. They introduce a more flexible approach to the Magento 2 KashFlow integration exchanging data in real time. Use the following algorithm to automate data transfers between the two systems:

1. Create a trigger;
2. Connect it to an event;
3. Link an action to a trigger to launch it automatically.

Thus, transferring data to KashFlow with the help of a trigger dramatically simplifies the integration. When something happens in Magento 2, the plugin transfers the corresponding data to the accounting platform.

For instance, a customer creates an account on your website; the extension rapidly provides the corresponding data to KashFlow. The Magento 2 KashFlow Integration Add-On for Improved Import & Export will help you forget about creating similar schemes manually! Follow the link below for more information regarding triggers: How to Run Magento 2 Import or Export After Specific System Event or Process.

Advanced Mapping Features

Map KashFlow attributes to ones used in Magento 2 and vice versa to enable automated data transfers between the two systems. The Improved Import & Export Magento 2 extension radically simplifies the KashFlow Magento 2 integration in terms of attributes and their values with the help of the following features:

Mapping Presets

Use our module to solve the problem of different attribute standards without headaches and enable the Magento 2 KashFlow integration in the most intuitive way with mapping presets – predefined mapping schemes that eliminate manual attributes matching.

You no longer need to look for unsupported attributes and fix them. Our extension performs all the necessary improvements automatically. It analyzes the input data file transferred from KashFlow, discovers third-party attributes, and matches them to the ones used in Magento. As for export processes, Magento 2 KashFlow Integration Add-One for Improved Import & Export knows what attributes are required by the accounting system and modifies ones utilized in Magento according to the rules of the external platform. You only need to select a matching scheme suitable for your migration:

Matching Interface

Importing/exporting data between KashFlow and Magento 2 can also be based on manual attributes mapping right in the Magento admin! The Improved Import & Export module provides a unique matching interface which offers full control over the process: you specify external (internal) attributes and link them to the corresponding internal (external) ones in a particular grid enabling the data transfer. Here is how everything works:

Attribute Values Mapping

The Improved Import & Export Magento 2 extension offers a separate interface for attribute values mapping that provides the ability to simplify the Magento 2 KashFlow synchronization and automate it entirely. With our plugin, third-party designations will no longer interrupt transfers from KashFlow to Magento 2 since you can choose an external value and specify its replacement. Repeat the procedure until all third-party designations are mapped to ones utilized in Magento 2. Note that the created schemes are saved and applied for further updates. For more details, read this article: Attribute Values Mapping.

Attribute Values Editing

If attribute values mapping is not enough, you can rely on attribute values editing. Transferring data from KashFlow or other systems to Magento 2 can be automated with the ability to modify attribute values in bulk. Use the following rules:

• Add a prefix to multiple attribute values;
• Add a suffix to numerous attribute values;
• Split various attribute values;
• Merge many attribute values.

Note that you can combine them and create conditions increasing the efficiency of the applied changes. You can find more information in this article: How to Modify Attribute Values During Import and Export in Magento 2.

Category Mapping

You won’t use category mapping in the Magento 2 KashFlow integration. However, it dramatically simplifies other connection. You can match external categories to ones used internally reducing the number of difficulties that usually occur when products are transferred from other platforms to Magento 2. The Improved Import & Export module allows mapping external product categories to ones used in your catalog as follows:

To create new categories right in the import job, choose a parent category and specify a new one that will be generated automatically. Thus, the extension will link products to it during the import process. If your Magento 2 website doesn’t include a category from an imported file, it’s no longer a problem. You can find more information about this feature here: Category Mapping.

Attributes On The Fly

And if a data file provided from an external system lacks attributes, the Improved Import & Export Magento 2 extension lets you create them on the fly via the following general form:

Attribute|attribute_property_name:attribute_property_value|…

The feature is described here in more detail: Product attributes import.

Extended Connectivity Options

The fundamental aspect of the Improved Import & Export Magento 2 extension that enables the Magento 2 KashFlow integration, as well as multiple other connections, is support for additional connectivity options. Designed to improve all data transfers and make the seamless Magento 2 KashFlow integration possible, they include numerous file formats and two alternative ways of transferring data between your e-commerce store and external systems. As for KashFlow, the REST API standard is utilized as a first way of the integration.

Multiple File Standards

Although the Magento 2 KashFlow integration cannot be based on data files, you can leverage them in other integrations. The Improved Import & Export extension supports CSV, XML, JSON, ODS, and Excel as well as unpacks file archives automatically while the default tools work with uncompressed CSV files only!

Multiple File Sources

The following file sources can be leveraged to import and export data files between Magento 2 and external systems:

• FTP/SFTP. Transfer data files using a local or remote server.
• Dropbox. Use a Dropbox account to establish a connection between the two systems. Alternatively, you can rely on Box, OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud, and Amazon Drive.
• URL. A direct URL can be used to import a data file as well.

Alternative Ways of Import & Export

Note that the alternative ways of import and export are not represented in Magento 2 by default. However, direct API connections are the only way to enable the Magento 2 KashFlow integration.

As we’ve mentioned above, the Improved Import & Export extension provides the ability to leverage REST for the Magento 2 KashFlow synchronization as well as other APIs if necessary. For instance, our module also works with SOAP (which is deprecated in the case of KashFlow) and GraphQL.

Note that all API connections support other extension’s features so that you can leverage mapping, schedules, and attributes on the fly while transferring data from Magento 2 to KashFlow via REST API.

As for the intermediary services, you can rely on Google Sheets, Office 365 Excel, and Zoho Sheettransferring data to your e-commerce store. Although it is impossible to utilize them for the Magento 2 KashFlow integration, other connections can be established with the help of various online sheets. The following image shows how to use Google Sheets to move data to Magento 2:

The video below displays other details of our extension:

Final Words

If you are looking for a reliable accounting solution with fast support, give KashFlow a try. The system is designed for small businesses and can be effortlessly integrated with Magento 2, providing you with the advanced features and tools. For further information about the Magento 2 KashFlow integration, follow the link below and contact our support:

Get Improved Import & Export Magento 2 Extension