What is the Approval Audit Trail PDF?
It's a PDF that Datamolino generates once an invoice completes its approval workflow, summarizing the approval process the document went through — who approved it, when, and how it was coded. It's attached to the invoice and exported to Xero alongside it, giving you a record of the approval directly inside Xero. Generation of the Approval Audit trail PDF is optional, governed by a setting of the same name.
Turning on the Approval Audit Trail PDF for Xero
This feature is available to clients using invoice approval with a Xero connection.
👉 Where do I turn this on?
The admins of the folder can turn in on in the Folder menu, under Approval Settings, as a toggle called Approval Audit Trail PDF.
👉 What happens when I enable it?
Once enabled, Datamolino generates an approval audit trail PDF and attaches it to the invoice every time that invoice completes its approval workflow and is exported to Xero. This gives you a record inside Xero of the approval process the document went through.
👉 Can I choose which documents get an audit trail PDF?
No. The toggle applies to all documents - you can't select this for specific invoices. It's either on for everything or off for everything in the folder.
Documents included when exporting to Xero
When you export a document with the audit trail feature turned on, Xero receives:
The invoice or receipt itself.
The approval audit trail PDF.
Any other attachments you've added to the document.
In Datamolino, the audit trail is added at the bottom of the attachment list, alongside anything else attached to the document.
Information contained in the Approval Audit Trail PDF
The audit trail PDF has two parts: document details with the approval history, and the coding used on the document.
👉 What details does the audit trail show about the document?
It includes:
The supplier or customer name.
The organization or folder in Datamolino the document was imported to.
The document number (invoice number).
The total, with currency.
The name of the approval workflow the document completed.
👉 What does the approval history table show?
A table records each step of the approval process, including who submitted the document for approval, which approver was assigned, which stage was completed, when the document was approved, and when the entire workflow was completed.
👉 What coding information is included?
The PDF shows the coding used on the document, matching whichever view you work in — invoice total, line items, or tax summary. For each line, it shows the description, ledger account, tax code, and any tracking categories used, so you can review how costs were allocated.
👉 Which total does the PDF show?
The total always matches the view you're working in. If you use invoice total, it shows that total. If you use line items, it shows the summarized total of the line items. If you use tax summary, it shows the total from that view. In every case, it reflects what will actually be exported to Xero.
Approval history and previous rounds
👉 Does the audit trail show every round of approval, or just the latest?
Just the latest. If a document was rejected, adjusted, and sent through approval again, the audit trail PDF only reflects the final, completed round.
👉 What happens to information about earlier approval rounds?
It isn't lost. Datamolino keeps the complete approval history for the document, including earlier rounds — it's just not included in the exported PDF. If a document went through more than one round, the audit trail PDF may note that earlier rounds exist and that the full history is available in Datamolino.
Updating the audit trail after changes
👉 What happens if I edit the document after approval?
The existing audit trail stays attached until it's regenerated by clicking on the Regenerate audit trail button or by re-exporting to Xero. It can't be deleted manually, so it won't be lost through a user action — it's only removed when the approval is reset.
👉 How do I regenerate the audit trail manually?
Click Regenerate audit trail on the document view. This updates the document and its audit trail PDF, and re-attaches the audit trail once you export. Action is available only to Admins.
👉 Does exporting the document again update the audit trail automatically?
Yes. Clicking Export refreshes the document and regenerates the audit trail automatically, without needing to use the manual button first.
Who can regenerate the audit trail
👉 Who has access to the "Regenerate audit trail" button?
Only Admins. Users and Approver-only roles won't see this button on the document view.
👉 What if I don't have access to that button but need to update the document?
Exporting the document again regenerates the audit trail automatically, regardless of role. The totals and other data sent to Xero will always be accurate at the time of export.