When you can use this
This feature only works for documents that arrived in Datamolino by email. Datamolino keeps a copy of the original email next to the document, and you can turn that email into an extra attachment so it travels with the bill when you export to Xero.
It is useful when the email thread contains something the accountant needs to see - approval from a manager, special instructions from the supplier, a corrected PO number, or any context that is not visible on the invoice PDF itself.
👉 Does this work for documents I uploaded from my computer?
No. If the document was uploaded by drag and drop or from the web app, there is no email to attach. This option only appears on documents that came in through the folder's email import address.
👉 Does the email get exported automatically?
No. You have to attach it to the document yourself before you export. Once it is attached, it will go to Xero together with the source PDF the next time the document is exported.
How to attach the email to the document
Open the document detail page for any email-imported document, then follow these three steps:
Click Show email on the document detail page to open the original email view.
Click Attach to document in the email view. Datamolino converts the email to a PDF and attaches it to the document.
Refresh the page. The email now appears as a PDF attachment beneath the main document.
Once the email shows up as an attachment, export the document as you normally would. Both files will be uploaded to Xero against the same record.
👉 When does the email actually get uploaded to Xero?
Attachments are uploaded only after the main bill, credit note, sales invoice, or bank transaction has been created in Xero. If the export itself fails (for example because of a contact error), the attachment upload is skipped - fix the error, re-export, and the email will be attached on the successful export.
👉 Can I attach the email after the document has already been exported?
Yes. Click Attach to document, then export the document again. Datamolino re-exports to Xero and uploads the email as part of the same record.
What it looks like in Xero after export
In Xero, the email arrives as an extra file in the attachments section of the bill, credit note, invoice, or bank transaction. It sits alongside the main attachment.
The examples below show what this looks like for each Xero export type.
A Bill in Xero with the email attached:
A Credit note in Xero with the email attached:
A Sales invoice in Xero with the email attached:
A Bank transaction in Xero with the email attached:
Attachment limits
Xero limits the size and file type of attachments. If an attached file is too large or the type is not accepted, Xero rejects it and Datamolino logs that file as skipped. The main document will still export successfully - only the rejected attachment is left behind.