What inventory items are and when to use them
Inventory items are products or services defined in Xero. Each one has an item code, a description, and (usually) a default price. If you track inventory in Xero, you can pick an inventory item on each line of a document in Datamolino, and the item code will be carried over to Xero when you export.
This feature is Xero-only. The folder must be connected to a Xero organisation - inventory items are fetched from that Xero org and matched against the item code before export. If the item no longer exists in Xero, the export will fail for that line.
Inventory item coding works per line, so the document must be in Line items view (not Invoice total view).
Enable inventory items on a folder
Inventory items are off by default. To turn them on for a folder:
Open the folder and go to Folder menu > Accounting & Automation.
In the Workflow section, switch the Inventory items toggle on and click Save.
To pull the latest inventory items list from Xero, click Refresh connection at the top of the Accounting & Automation page.
👉 Why do I need to refresh the connection?
Datamolino caches the inventory items it fetched from Xero last time. If you have added new items in Xero (or renamed existing ones), Refresh connection pulls the up-to-date list so they appear in the dropdown.
👉 Don't see the Inventory items toggle?
Check that the folder is connected to Xero. Inventory items are a Xero-only setting and the toggle is only available on folders connected to a Xero organisation.
Code a line item with an inventory item
Once the toggle is on, an Inventory item codes dropdown appears on every line item in the document detail. Pick the item that matches the line.
The same dropdown is also available inside bill split rules and keyword rules, so you can preset an inventory item for documents or line items that match a rule.
👉 What gets sent to Xero?
When you export, Datamolino sends the inventory item's code on each line. Xero matches the code against your item list - if the item still exists in Xero, the line is created with that item attached. If the item has been deleted or archived in Xero since the last refresh, the export fails for that line.
👉 Can I use inventory items in Invoice total view?
No. Inventory item coding works per line, so the document needs to be in Line items view. Switch the view at the top of the document detail if the dropdown is missing.
Automate inventory item coding
There are three main ways to avoid picking the inventory item by hand every time:
Auto-learning from previous exports. The first time you export a line, Datamolino remembers the coding. The next document with the exact same line item description will get the same inventory item applied automatically.
Keyword rules. If your line item descriptions vary but share a common keyword, set up a keyword rule so any line containing that keyword is coded to the right inventory item.
Bill split coding. If you create lines manually or use a bill split, include the inventory item code in the bill split coding so each split line is pre-coded on import.
Learn more about one-off and template-based bill splits.
How the Unit price is calculated
The Unit price field on each line item is calculated by Datamolino, not entered by you. It is for your information only and cannot be edited directly.
The Unit price is derived from the quantity and the line amount. When you change the Quantity, the Unit price is recalculated. Datamolino uses the tax-inclusive (TOTAL) or tax-exclusive (NET) figure depending on which one is available on the line.