Help centre

Troubleshooting

Most problems come down to a connection that needs redoing or an invoice that does not match its job. Start with the checklist below.

A docket did not attach

Work through these in order:

  1. What does Recent activity say? Look for the invoice number. A skipped invoice shows why, for example "Skipped: totals differ" with both totals, "Skipped: client rule" or "Skipped: job number used more than once", with what to do underneath. See Recent activity results.
  2. Is DocketBridge running? The status should read RUNNING and the last check time should be recent. If it is PAUSED, press Start. If a card says needs attention, follow the fix on that card.
  3. Is your trial or subscription current? If the Billing card shows TRIAL ENDED, SUBSCRIPTION ENDED or PAYMENT FAILED, see billing.
  4. Has the invoice synced to Xero? DocketBridge only attaches to invoices already in Xero. It does not create them.
  5. Do the numbers match exactly? The Xero invoice number must be the same as the ServiceM8 job number, and only one ServiceM8 job can have it. A prefix such as INV- never matches. An invoice with no matching job is not listed in Recent activity.
  6. Do the totals agree? They must be within 4 cents. For example, a line added in Xero after the invoice synced stops the match.
  7. Does your client rule allow this client? See client rules.
  8. Is the docket a completed form on that job, with a PDF? If you ticked forms under "Which forms are dockets?", it must be one of them. Photos and other attachments are never sent.
  9. Is the invoice within reach? Each check reads your 100 most recently updated sales invoices. After a pause or an outage it also catches up on invoices updated in Xero since its last finished check, up to 50 a check and going back up to 90 days. An older invoice that has not changed in Xero is not looked at again, so attach that docket by hand in Xero. See which invoices are checked again.
  10. Press Run once now and read the message. The "other" count includes invoices stopped by your client rule, by totals that do not agree or by a job number used more than once.

If you still cannot see why, email us with the invoice number.

Recent activity results

  • "Already on the invoice" (skipped_exists): a file with the same name was already on the invoice, so DocketBridge did not upload another. If it is a different docket, remove that file from the invoice in Xero, then press Attach again.
  • "Not attached: not a PDF" (error:not_pdf): the file in ServiceM8 is not a PDF. It will not attach until it is a PDF. Check the form in ServiceM8, then press Attach again.
  • "Not attached: Xero refused access" (error:401 or error:403): press Reconnect Xero, then Attach again.
  • "Not attached: Xero was busy" (error:429): DocketBridge tries again by itself.
  • "Not attached: Xero refused the upload (500)", or another number (error:500): it is tried again at later checks. If it keeps failing, press Attach again or email us with the invoice number and the result.
  • "Skipped: totals differ", "Skipped: job number used more than once": fix the totals or the job number, then press Check again.
  • "Skipped: client rule": change your client rules if that client should get dockets. Saving them checks the invoice again.

The full list is in Recent activity.

A docket was deleted from the Xero invoice

DocketBridge attaches each docket to an invoice once. If a docket it attached is later deleted from the invoice in Xero, it is not attached again, and its Attached row has no Attach again button. Attach it by hand in Xero. Attach again only appears on "Not attached" and "Already on the invoice" rows.

The invoice was emailed before the docket attached

DocketBridge checks every 5 minutes, plus the time the last check took. If you email invoices as soon as they sync, press Run once now first, or wait until Recent activity shows Attached for that invoice.

The last check time has stopped moving

If the status is RUNNING but the last check time is old, checks are failing. When ServiceM8 or Xero has refused DocketBridge, the top card says "A connection needs attention, so checks are failing. See below." and that card shows needs attention with the fix. DocketBridge also emails you once if it lasts 10 minutes. Otherwise press Run once now to see why:

  • "Run failed: ServiceM8 refused the request, check the ServiceM8 connection": for example, the ServiceM8 API key was removed in ServiceM8. In that case, create a new read-only key and save it. See connect ServiceM8.
  • "Run failed: reconnect Xero": Xero refused to refresh the connection, which happens after 60 days without use or if DocketBridge was disconnected in Xero. Press Reconnect Xero.
  • "Run failed: Xero refused the request, try Reconnect Xero": press Reconnect Xero, then Run once now again.
  • "Run failed: could not reach ServiceM8 or Xero, try again shortly": an outage or a network problem, including at Xero's sign-in service. There is no need to reconnect. The next check tries again.

Other signs of a ServiceM8 connection problem: the forms list is empty and the clients card says "No active ServiceM8 clients were found." even though you have forms and clients.

ServiceM8 and Xero outages and rate limits never disconnect you and never show needs attention. The check fails and the next one tries again.

Other dashboard messages

  • "A check is already running. Refresh in a minute to see the result.": Run once now waited a few seconds for another check of your account to finish. Refresh shortly and look at Recent activity.
  • "A check is running. Try again in a minute": saving a ServiceM8 key, disconnecting, deleting or subscribing waits for a running check to finish first. Try again shortly.
  • "Attachments are paused until your payment goes through": a payment failed more than 24 hours ago. Press Manage billing. See payment problems.
  • "You already have a subscription. Use Manage billing": each account has one subscription. Use Manage billing to change it.
  • "Queued. DocketBridge tries again at the next check, or press Run once now": Attach again or Check again worked.
  • "That activity row cannot be retried": the row was already retried or has changed. Refresh the page.
  • "There is no API key to remove" or "Xero is not connected": that connection was already removed.
  • "Type delete to confirm": to delete your account, type the word delete in the box first.

Messages while connecting

  • "Bad or expired state": more than 10 minutes passed, the link was used twice, or you finished in a different browser or DocketBridge login. Start again from your dashboard.
  • "Xero authorisation failed" or "No organisation was authorised": press Connect Xero again and authorise an organisation.
  • "Session expired, connect Xero again": the organisation picker was left open for more than 10 minutes.
  • "ServiceM8 key did not work, check it and try again": ServiceM8 did not accept the API key. Copy it again, or create a new read-only key.
  • "Connect both ServiceM8 and Xero first": Start and Run once now need both connections.

Emails and logging in

  • The email has not arrived. Wait a minute and check your spam folder. Emails come from DocketBridge <accounts@mail.docketbridge.com.au>. Then use Resend verification email or Forgot your password? again. Only the newest link works.
  • Still nothing after several tries. Each of these emails is limited to 5 requests an hour. After that the page looks the same but nothing is sent, so wait an hour or email us.
  • No reset email. Reset emails are only sent to verified accounts. Verify your email first.
  • Link expired. Verification links last 24 hours and reset links 30 minutes. Request a new one.
  • "Too many attempts, try again in 15 minutes". Wait 15 minutes, then log in again.
  • Other emails from DocketBridge. Reminders and notices, for example about your trial, a failed payment or a connection, come from the same address. See emails DocketBridge sends.
  • "Request origin missing", "Request origin invalid" or "Invalid CSRF token". Open DocketBridge at https://docketbridge.com.au, reload the page and try again.

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.