Help centre

Connect Xero

Connect the Xero organisation your ServiceM8 invoices sync to. DocketBridge adds docket PDFs to its sales invoices and never edits the invoices themselves.

Connect

  1. On the "2. Xero" card of your dashboard, press Connect Xero.
  2. Sign in to Xero and authorise DocketBridge.
  3. If you authorise more than one organisation, the Which Xero organisation? page asks you to pick the one DocketBridge should attach dockets in. Press its name.
  4. You return to your dashboard with "Xero connected", and the card shows "connected to" the organisation name.

Finish within 10 minutes in the same browser and DocketBridge login. Pick the organisation within 10 minutes too, or you see "Session expired, connect Xero again".

What DocketBridge can do in Xero

DocketBridge asks Xero for offline access (so it keeps working while you are logged out), invoice access and attachment access. It reads your sales invoices, never your supplier bills. The only thing it writes is a docket PDF attachment on a sales invoice, with "Include with online invoice" ticked.

One organisation per account

Each DocketBridge account attaches dockets in one Xero organisation. To change it, press Reconnect Xero and pick the other organisation. To run DocketBridge for a second business, create a separate DocketBridge account with a different email.

Reconnect Xero

Once connected, the button reads Reconnect Xero. It runs the connection again and replaces the stored connection. It does not change whether DocketBridge is running or paused.

Reconnect when:

  • Xero's connection has expired. It expires if it is not used for 60 days, for example during a long pause or after your trial ends without a subscription.
  • DocketBridge was disconnected from within Xero.
  • Run once now shows "Run failed: reconnect Xero" or "Run failed: Xero refused the request, try Reconnect Xero".

When the Xero card says needs attention

If Xero refuses DocketBridge during a check, for example because the connection expired or DocketBridge was disconnected in Xero, the Xero card shows needs attention instead of "connected to" and says "DocketBridge can no longer reach" your organisation "in Xero. This happens when DocketBridge is disconnected in Xero or the connection goes unused for 60 days. Press Reconnect Xero." The top card also says "A connection needs attention, so checks are failing. See below."

  • Press Reconnect Xero and choose the same organisation. Once reconnected, the message clears and checks carry on.
  • If the connection stays broken for 10 minutes, DocketBridge emails you once: "Reconnect Xero to keep dockets attaching". You only get another one if the connection is fixed and later breaks again.
  • Xero outages and rate limits do not count. They never show needs attention; the next check simply tries again.
  • DocketBridge only finds out when a check reaches Xero. While DocketBridge is paused, the card can still say "connected to" until you press Run once now. While attachments are paused for billing, checks do not contact Xero, so the card only changes after you subscribe or your payment goes through.

If something goes wrong

  • "Xero authorisation failed": you cancelled in Xero, Xero returned an error, or the connection did not complete. Press Connect Xero again.
  • "No organisation was authorised": you did not tick an organisation in Xero. Connect again and choose one.
  • "Bad or expired state": more than 10 minutes passed, the link was used twice, or you finished in a different browser or login. Connect again.
  • "Session expired, connect Xero again": the organisation picker was left open for more than 10 minutes. Connect again.

Testing with the Xero Demo Company

Xero resets its Demo Company every few weeks. After a reset, reconnect Xero and sync a test invoice from ServiceM8 again. This is expected.

Removing access

Press Disconnect Xero on the "Your account and data" card at the bottom of your dashboard. DocketBridge asks Xero to remove its connection, deletes the stored Xero connection details and pauses. See disconnecting and your data.

Still need help?

Email laurits@specializedcg.com.au. DocketBridge is supported by its developer, not by ServiceM8 or Xero, so please contact us rather than ServiceM8 or Xero support. If it is about a docket, include the invoice number.