What folder defaults are

Folder defaults are the starting values Datamolino applies to new documents and new suppliers in a folder. They sit at the folder level, so they apply to every supplier and customer in that folder rather than to one contact at a time.

Think of folder defaults as the consistent pattern you would otherwise have to set on each new supplier the first time their invoice arrives. If you code most of your invoices the same way, folder defaults turn that pattern into the starting point - so a brand new supplier already has sensible coding the moment their first document lands.

👉 When do folder defaults apply?

They apply when there is nothing more specific to use - specifically, when a new supplier has no Supplier Default yet. Once you code the first invoice for a supplier and that learning becomes a Supplier Default, the supplier-level setting takes over for that supplier's future documents.

👉 Will folder defaults overwrite my existing supplier coding?

No. Folder defaults fill in starting values - they do not overwrite a Supplier Default that already exists. Datamolino applies the most specific setting it has for each field, and supplier-level coding is more specific than folder-level.

Where folder defaults sit in the automation chain

Datamolino combines several layers of automation when it codes a document. Folder defaults are one layer in that chain.

For each coding field, Datamolino looks for a value in this order:

Saved document coding - if value was entered/changed manually, it is kept.
Supplier Defaults - the supplier's own coding, learned from previous invoices.
Folder defaults - the folder-wide starting values you configure on this screen.

This is why folder defaults are described as a starting point. They take effect before Datamolino has any supplier-specific learning, which is exactly the moment a new supplier sends their first invoice.

👉 Are there any settings folder defaults can lock?

Yes, a few. On Xero folders, tracking categories can be locked at the folder default level - locked categories are merged into document, item, and tax-line coding and cannot be overridden by supplier or item coding. On QuickBooks folders, Class and Location can be locked the same way. When a category is locked, the folder default always wins for that field.

Settings you can configure as folder defaults

The exact list of fields depends on the folder's accounting software, but the most common ones are:

View detail - whether new documents open in Invoice Total, Tax Summary, or Line Items.
Ledger account - the default account used when no supplier-level value is set.
Tax code - the default tax code applied to coding lines.
Tracking categories (Xero) or Class and Location (QuickBooks) - with the option to lock at the folder level.
Currency - the starting currency for new documents.
Due date - the rule used to calculate the due date when one is not extracted. See due date rules for the rule types available.
Tax export settings - for Xero folders, whether tax is calculated by Xero or sent as the exact extracted amount.
Approval status - the starting approval state for new documents (varies by integration).
Export endpoint - where documents are sent on export (options vary by integration)
Invoice description - the default description applied to documents.

👉 Which fields appear for my folder?

The fields shown depend on the folder's accounting software. Xero folders show Xero-specific fields like tracking categories and the Xero tax export mode. QuickBooks folders show Class, Location, and product/service options. FreeAgent and offline folders show their own field sets. If a field is not relevant to your integration, it does not appear in the form.

Stop switching to Line items every time

If you regularly need detailed item-level coding in your accounting software, you can set View detail to Line Items as a folder default. From that point on, every new document in the folder opens directly in Line Items view - you no longer have to switch view manually each time.

👉 Do I have to switch to Line items view on every document?

No - you can set Line Items as the default for the whole folder so every new document opens that way automatically.

Go to Folder > Accounting and Automation > Integration
Find View detail and select Line Items
Hit Save

Individual suppliers can still have their own View detail saved as a Supplier Default, which will take priority over the folder setting once one exists.

👉 What are the three view detail options?

There are three:

Invoice Total - the simplest view, used when you only need to export the document total to one account and tax code. This is Datamolino's built-in starting value before you change anything.
Tax Summary - splits the document by VAT rate. Useful when an invoice contains multiple VAT rates and each one needs its own coding.
Line Items - shows every line item from the invoice. Useful when you need item-level coding in your accounting software.

Learn more about how each view fits into the full picture in Automation in Datamolino: overview.

How to set or update folder defaults

Folder defaults live in the folder's automation settings.

Open the folder you want to configure.
Go to Accounting and Automation from the folder menu.
Open the folder defaults section.
Edit the fields you want to set as starting values for new documents.
Save your changes.

👉 Will changes apply to documents already in the folder?

Folder defaults are a starting point for new documents and new suppliers. Documents that already have coding keep what they have. If you want to apply changes to documents that are already in the folder, you do that through supplier defaults - which include an option to apply settings to all ready documents for that supplier.