Datamolino and ApprovalMax through Xero: set up the bill handoff
Datamolino captures and prepares the bill, then exports it to Xero with the status Awaiting Approval. ApprovalMax pulls the submitted bill into its configured workflow. When approved, it becomes Authorised in Xero and appears in Awaiting Payment. A bill left in Draft has not completed that handoff.
Do I need both products?
Only if the combined setup serves your requirements. Datamolino has built-in invoice approvals, and ApprovalMax has its own capture option. Decide which preparation and approval controls you need before adding two systems.
Choose where approval belongs
This combined route is useful when Datamolino prepares the invoice and an established ApprovalMax workflow owns the decision. It is not the only available route. ApprovalMax documents its own Capture option, while Datamolino can route invoices for approval before export. ApprovalMax’s supported bill-creation routes show the alternatives.
If you are deciding which system to buy, use the ApprovalMax comparison. The steps below are for a team that has chosen the combined Xero workflow.
The Xero status is the handoff
| Xero status | Meaning for this workflow |
|---|---|
| Draft | The bill still needs submission for approval in Xero. Do not expect a draft alone to start the standard ApprovalMax pull. |
| Awaiting Approval | The bill is submitted and available for the configured ApprovalMax workflow to pull. |
| Authorised / Awaiting Payment | The bill has completed approval and appears in Xero’s list of bills awaiting payment. |
ApprovalMax’s Datamolino handoff instructions explicitly require Awaiting approval. Datamolino’s export-status guide explains where those statuses fit. Exporting directly to Awaiting Payment is a different process and bypasses this initial handoff.
Configure one bill before a batch
- Connect the Datamolino folder to the intended Xero organisation.
- Set the bill export status to Awaiting Approval for this route. Check whether a supplier-specific setting overrides the folder default.
- Connect ApprovalMax to the same Xero organisation and activate the intended bill workflow.
- Prepare one invoice in Datamolino. Check its supplier, line amounts and the coding your team owns before export.
- Open the exported bill in Xero, confirm its status and then locate the request in ApprovalMax.
This procedure is based on the vendors’ current documentation. Test it in your own organisation before enabling routine batch or automatic exports.
Assign one owner for each kind of edit
Decide whether the bookkeeper completes account and tax coding before export or whether permitted reviewers finish it in ApprovalMax. A department manager may know whether the purchase was received without knowing which ledger code to use.
After export, avoid correcting the same bill independently in several systems. Use the permitted correction path for the current status, then check the resulting record in Xero. Datamolino’s export-status guide explains that re-export capability also depends on the status of the existing Xero bill.
Test approval, rejection and a missing request
Approve the first test bill and inspect its final Xero status and approval record. Reject another with a clear reason. ApprovalMax’s bill lifecycle guide says rejection returns the bill to Draft in Xero. Correct and resubmit it, then verify that the new request follows the intended workflow.
If a bill does not arrive, first check the Xero organisation, submission status and active workflow. ApprovalMax provides a sync action and troubleshooting guidance. Do not upload a second copy just because the first has not appeared yet.
Why a team may keep the combination
“Datamolino enables invoice importation and automation of coding for line items, while Approval Max streamlines approval workflows.”
Chew Li Ngiam, as quoted in the original article.
That comment describes a division of work between two products. It should not be read as saying that Datamolino lacks approvals or ApprovalMax lacks capture today.
The original article also attributed this comment to Keith Bristow: “Customizable approval processes prevent errors; duplicate detection stops double processing, ensuring compliance and audit trails.” It is a published customer opinion, not a product guarantee or evidence that software alone establishes compliance.
For a new setup, choose the route with the controls you need and the fewest unnecessary handoffs. If approval before Xero export is enough, review Datamolino’s built-in workflow before adding a second approval system.
What happens if an approver rejects the bill?
ApprovalMax’s current Xero guide says a rejected bill returns to Draft in Xero. Assign someone to correct it and submit it again, then check that a new approval request starts.
