Set up your first folder
A folder is your workspace in Datamolino. You import documents into the folder, review and code them there, and connect the folder to one Xero organisation so exported documents land in the right place.
Most accounting firms create one folder per client. A business with a single set of books typically uses one folder, but you can create more if you want to keep document streams separate (for example, one folder per project or department).
👉 Can I use more than one folder with the same Xero organisation?
Yes. You can connect several folders to the same Xero organisation if that fits how you work. On a business account, the folders under your account are kept aligned to one Xero organisation automatically. On an accounting practice account, each folder can connect to a different Xero organisation.
👉 What do I need to connect a folder to Xero?
You need to be the account owner or a manager when you first create the folder, and the Xero organisation you choose must be a standard organisation (Xero practice or HQ tenants are not shown in the connection list). The folder must also not be connected to another accounting software at the same time - a folder can be connected to one integration only.
Learn more about connecting or disconnecting a folder from Xero.
Learn more about connecting multiple folders to one Xero organisation.
Import bills and receipts
Once your folder is connected, the next step is to get your bills and receipts into it. Datamolino starts processing each document as soon as it arrives.
There are three ways to add documents:
Email - each folder has a unique email address. Forward bills and receipts to that address and they appear in the folder.
Web upload - click the Import button inside the folder to upload files from your device.
Mobile app - useful for capturing receipts on the go.
👉 Can I upload a single PDF that contains several invoices?
Yes. Datamolino can split a multi-invoice PDF into separate documents during import. For web uploads, switch the upload option from "single" to "auto". For email uploads, add @split to the email subject line.
Review and code documents
After a document is processed, open it to check the extracted data and add the coding Xero needs. Saving the document marks it as ready to export.
During review, you:
Select the correct Xero contact, or create a new one.
Choose the ledger account. The tax code is suggested automatically based on the account.
Change the tax code if it needs to be different.
Select tracking categories if you use them in Xero.
Mark the document as billable to a customer if needed.
👉 Does Datamolino remember my coding?
Yes. The first time you code a document from a supplier, Datamolino stores those choices as the supplier's automation rule. The next document from that supplier arrives with the contact, ledger account, tax code, and tracking values pre-filled. You only edit when something needs to change.
👉 What happens with a document from a brand new supplier?
Datamolino applies your folder defaults as the starting coding. Folder defaults are optional - if you set them up, new suppliers come in with sensible starting values. If you don't, you code the first document by hand and Datamolino remembers from then on.
Export to Xero
Once a document is coded and saved, click the export button. Datamolino creates the transaction in Xero and attaches the original document to it.
You have three export views, controlled by the "Export as" drop-down on the document:
Invoice Total (default) - exports the document as one total amount.
Tax Summary - used when the document has mixed tax rates.
Line Items - used when you need item-level detail in Xero.
👉 Can Datamolino export to Xero automatically?
Yes. Auto-Export sends a document straight to Xero without manual review, provided the supplier already has coding rules from a previous document and no duplicate is detected. You turn Auto-Export on for a supplier from inside a document - once it's on, future documents from that supplier export by themselves.
👉 What stops a bad document from reaching Xero?
Datamolino runs checksum validation to make sure totals match, and duplicate detection to make sure the same document is not exported twice. If a document hits an export error, it stays in the folder so you can fix the problem and export again.
Where to go next
This article covered the core workflow of getting bills and receipts to Xero. The collection has dedicated articles for the steps you'll meet next:
Learn more about connecting or disconnecting a folder from Xero.
Learn more about Xero export types: Bill vs Bank Transaction.
Learn more about Xero export statuses: Draft, Awaiting Approval, Awaiting Payment.
Learn more about tax calculation in Xero: automatic vs. exact amount.
Learn more about Xero export errors and how to fix them.
Learn more about using Billable Expenses with Xero.