Xero permission, in plain English

What can an AI agent do with
Pay runs?

This lets the app view and manage pay runs in Xero Payroll. In Australia, the docs show it can create a pay run and post it in one step. In New Zealand it can create pay runs. In the UK it can only view them.

How to spot it

On a Xero connection or settings screen, this is payroll.payruns.

Strongest thing it allows: Can change.

With it, an agent can

  • See past and current pay runs.
  • Create pay runs (Australia and New Zealand).
  • Create and post a pay run in one step (Australia).

It cannot, on its own

  • Change employee records. That is payroll.employees.

What a bad day looks like

A misbehaving agent could post a pay run with the wrong hours or amounts before anyone checks it.

Set it up safer

Ask the company selling the agent

Source

Checked against Xero documentation on 2026-09-28. All Xero permissions →

Thinking about a specific agent?

Tell us what it connects to, what it is allowed to do and who approves its work. You get a plain-language label of what it can touch and what to ask the seller. It takes a couple of minutes, and your answers stay in your browser unless you choose to post a test job.

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This page explains what a permission allows. It does not describe, test or rate any product. Permission details are summarized in our own words from the provider's documentation, linked on the page; providers change their documentation, so check the source before you rely on a detail.