Dext reads supplier invoices and receipts automatically using OCR, extracts the data, codes it against your chart of accounts, and pushes it into Xero — without a human touching it.
What Is Dext
Dext sits between your inbox and Xero. Supplier invoices and receipts arrive, Dext reads them, and the coded transactions appear in Xero ready for review — or straight through to approval.
Dext reads supplier invoices — whether emailed as PDFs, photographed on a phone, or uploaded from a shared folder — and extracts supplier name, date, amount, VAT, and line items automatically.
Based on the supplier and transaction history, Dext suggests the correct Xero account code for each bill. Rules can be set to auto-apply codes for known suppliers automatically.
Every Dext account has a dedicated email address. Forward your supplier invoices to it and they appear in Dext processed and coded — ready to push to Xero.
The Dext mobile app lets employees photograph receipts immediately after purchase. The image is processed in real time, the data extracted, and the receipt stored digitally — no paper receipts, no lost claims.
Reviewed and approved transactions push from Dext directly into Xero or QuickBooks as bills, ready for payment. No manual entry, no duplication, no data transfer.
Every original document is stored in Dext permanently — matched to the corresponding transaction in Xero. The original invoice is always accessible from the accounting entry.
Why Dext
Dext has become the default bill capture tool for UK businesses on Xero. Here is what earns it that position.
Why it wins against manual entry: Manual bill entry is the most error-prone and time-consuming task in most finance functions. A 50-invoice month takes 3–5 hours of manual work. With Dext, the same volume takes under 30 minutes — and the accuracy is higher because the data is read directly from the source document.
What You Can Do With It
Dext does more than read receipts. Here is the full range of what it handles in a properly configured setup.
Give your suppliers a dedicated Dext email address to send invoices to. They arrive, get processed by OCR, coded against your rules, and appear in Xero ready for approval — with zero manual handling.
Employees photograph receipts on the Dext mobile app immediately after purchase. The receipt is processed in real time, the expense coded, and the digital image stored permanently. Paper receipts and spreadsheet expense reports are eliminated.
Dext can process supplier statements and reconcile them against the transactions already in Xero — identifying any missing invoices before they become overdue. Proactive AP management rather than reactive.
Set up coding rules for recurring suppliers — when an invoice from a known supplier arrives, Dext applies the correct account code, VAT treatment, and tracking category automatically. Zero review needed for routine bills.
Every original document — invoice, receipt, statement — is stored in Dext permanently and linked to the corresponding Xero transaction. Find any original document in seconds from within Xero or Dext. HMRC audit-ready at all times.
After Dext pushes bills into Xero, ApprovalMax routes them for approval before they can be paid. The combination means bills go from supplier email to approved bill in Xero with no manual entry and no approval gaps.
Better Together
Dext is the intake layer of your finance function. Everything it captures flows downstream. Here is what the connected stack looks like.
Dext captures and codes bills automatically. ApprovalMax routes them for approval. Xero records the approved bills. The full AP cycle — from supplier email to approved bill — runs without manual input.
Supplier invoices arrive in Dext and appear in Xero coded and ready for review. The bookkeeper reviews rather than types. Processing time drops by 80% or more.
Dext ensures bills are correctly coded when they enter Xero. Fathom reads that correctly coded data to produce management accounts. The reporting accuracy depends on the data accuracy upstream.
Dext processes bills from international suppliers in any currency. Airwallex pays them in their local currency at competitive rates. The full international AP cycle handled in one connected flow.
Who Benefits Most
Any business with significant supplier invoice volume benefits from Dext. These industries see the highest impact.
High volume of supplier invoices for materials, subcontractors, and equipment hire. Dext processes them all automatically — no manual entry for each invoice.
Regular supplier bills, subscriptions, office costs. Dext handles routine AP so the finance team focuses on value-add work rather than data entry.
Multi-currency invoices from overseas suppliers processed and coded correctly. Dext handles multiple currencies and VAT treatments automatically.
Maintenance invoices, contractor bills, service charge receipts. High volume from multiple suppliers across multiple properties — all processed automatically.
High volumes of supplier invoices for food, beverage, equipment, and services. Dext reduces the manual bookkeeping burden significantly for hospitality businesses.
Job board invoices, contractor costs, office expenses. Dext keeps the AP running automatically so the finance team handles the complex placement invoicing rather than routine bills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dext is a document capture and automated bookkeeping tool that integrates with Xero and QuickBooks Online. It reads supplier invoices and receipts using OCR technology, extracts the key data, suggests the correct account codes, and pushes the transactions into your accounting software automatically.
Dext achieves over 99% accuracy on standard invoice formats from major suppliers. For non-standard formats or handwritten receipts, accuracy may be lower — but the system learns and improves with use. Coding rules for known suppliers mean zero manual review is needed for recurring bills.
Yes. Dext has a native Xero integration. Processed and reviewed documents push directly from Dext into Xero as bills, matching the correct account codes, VAT treatment, and tracking categories. The original document is stored in Dext and linked to the Xero transaction.
Yes. Dext processes invoices in multiple currencies and pushes them to Xero in the correct currency. Xero handles the currency conversion and foreign exchange gain/loss accounting.
Employees download the Dext mobile app and photograph receipts immediately after purchase. The image is processed in real time, the data extracted, and the receipt stored digitally in Dext. The coded expense is then pushed to Xero for approval and reimbursement processing.
For most UK SMEs, a properly configured Dext setup takes one to two weeks. This includes setting up the supplier email addresses, configuring auto-coding rules for recurring suppliers, testing with a sample batch, and briefing the team on the new workflow.
Book a free 30-minute scoping call. We will map your current bill processing workflow and show you what an automated version looks like inside your existing Xero setup.
