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Tags Sync is how Pleo keeps its Tags up to date by synchronising Accounting Dimensions from an external Accounting System into Pleo. It ensures that bookkeepers always work with an accurate and current representation of Accounting Dimensions when categorising expenses in Pleo.

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Purpose of Tags Sync

Tags Sync exists to:
  • Remove the need to manually create or maintain Tags in Pleo
  • Reflect the current structure of Accounting Dimensions in Pleo
  • Enable consistent expense categorisation aligned with the Accounting System
  • Keep accounting metadata synchronised between systems

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Core Concept

Tags Sync is based on a direct mapping between systems:
Accounting SystemPleo
Accounting DimensionTag Group
Dimension ValueTag

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What Happens in Pleo Once Synchronised

  • Each Accounting Dimension becomes a Tag Group in Pleo
  • Each Dimension Value becomes a Tag
  • Each Tag belongs to exactly one Tag Group
  • Bookkeepers use Tags to categorise expenses
  • Tags are used in downstream export processes (outside of Tags Sync)
This ensures expenses reflect the Accounting System structure without manual setup in Pleo.

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System Guarantees

These are invariant rules that always hold true regardless of implementation or sync frequency.
GuaranteeDescription
Source of TruthThe Accounting System is the authoritative source of all Dimensions and Dimension Values
Structural MappingDimensions map to Tag Groups, and Dimension Values map to Tags
Identity ModelMatching is performed using codes, not names
Case-Insensitive MatchingCode matching ignores case differences
Non-Destructive BehaviourTags and Tag Groups are never deleted; they are only archived when no longer present in the Accounting System
IdempotencyRe-running a sync produces the same final state without duplication

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Responsibility Model

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Integrator Responsibilities

The integration is responsible for all synchronisation logic and API interaction.
AreaResponsibility
ConnectionConnect to the Accounting System
Data RetrievalRetrieve Dimensions and Dimension Values
ConfigurationManage which Dimensions are selected for synchronisation
Sync ExecutionExecute reconciliation operations in Pleo via the Tags API
SchedulingDefine and execute sync schedule (including optional manual triggers)

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Pleo Responsibilities

Pleo provides storage, user experience, and downstream usage of Tags.
AreaResponsibility
Data StorageStore Tag Groups and Tags
User InterfaceDisplay Tags for expense categorisation
Expense AssignmentAllow users to assign Tags to expenses
Data RetentionRetain archived Tags and Tag Groups for historical consistency

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High-Level Process

Tags Sync runs in three steps:
  1. Select Dimensions — configure which Accounting Dimensions to synchronise (first connection only)
  2. Sync Tag Groups with Dimensions — reconcile Tag Groups in Pleo with the selected Dimensions
  3. Sync Tags with Dimension Values — reconcile Tags within each Tag Group with the corresponding Dimension Values
Each sync run reconciles Pleo against the current state of the Accounting System.

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Operational Model

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Sync Direction

Tags Sync is one-way only:
  • The Accounting System is the source of truth
  • The integration synchronises data from the Accounting System into Pleo
  • Pleo does not modify Accounting System data
  • Pleo data is only used for identity matching and reconciliation of existing entities, never as a source of truth for Dimensions or Dimension Values

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Operational Constraints

These define how the integration must execute Tags Sync.
ConstraintDescription
Scheduling OwnershipThe integration is responsible for defining when sync runs occur, including optional manual triggers
Sync ExecutionThe integration is responsible for executing sync runs and applying all changes to Pleo via the API
Execution ModelEach sync run performs full reconciliation of Pleo against the Accounting System
Rate LimitsThe integration must respect Accounting System API rate limits and adjust scheduling accordingly. See Pleo API rate limits.
ConcurrencySync runs must not overlap; only one execution may run at a time

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Sync Lifecycle and Frequency

Tags Sync is executed periodically by the integration. Each sync run retrieves Accounting System state, reconciles Pleo against that state, and applies all required updates. Scheduling strategy, execution frequency, and optional manual triggers are implementation concerns handled by the integration.

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Dimension Selection

The integration controls which Accounting Dimensions participate in Tags Sync. Only selected Dimensions are synchronised into Pleo. Dimension selection determines:
  • which Dimensions are included in reconciliation
  • which Tag Groups and Tags are maintained in Pleo
  • which accounting structures become available for expense categorisation
Detailed selection behaviour and implementation guidance are covered in Integration Design.