If an item fails to publish from Dext to Xero, an error message will appear on the item. This article covers the most common errors, what causes them, and how to resolve them.
How to find the error message
When an item fails to publish, a yellow status badge appears on the item row. Hover over the badge to see the error message, or open the item to see it in the Please resolve these issues panel on the Item details page.
If your account uses approval workflows, items go through approval before publishing. A failed item will appear in the Approvals tab rather than the Inbox. If editing is not allowed in the approval workflow, the item details are read-only in this state - to edit the item, select Cancel request to return it to the Inbox, make your changes, request approval again, and then publish.
Note: After resolving an error, the message will still appear on the item. This is expected - the error is returned by Xero's API on each publishing attempt and only clears once a successful publish goes through. Publish the item regardless of the error still showing.
Account code '###' has been archived or deleted
This error means the category assigned to the item has been archived in Xero. To resolve it, reload your categories list in Dext and select an active category. If you want to use the original category, unarchive it in Xero first, then reload.
Account code "###" is not a valid code for this document
This error usually means the tax rate and category are incompatible - for example, a sales tax rate applied to a cost item, or a costs category applied to a sales item. It can also affect line items.
Check that the tax rate and category on the item (and each line item) are appropriate for the document type, then publish again.
The TaxType code ### cannot be used with this account code
This error has the same cause as Account code "###" is not a valid code for this document above. Check that the tax rate and category are compatible for the document type, then publish again.
An existing invoice with the specified ID could not be found
This error means the item was previously published to Xero but has since been deleted or voided there. Before clearing publishing data in Dext and republishing the item, make sure the original item is voided or deleted in Xero to avoid duplicates.
Credit note or invoice not of valid status for modification
This error appears when an item has previously been published to Xero and then edited, leaving it in a state that can no longer be updated. Before clearing publishing data in Dext, delete the item in Xero to avoid duplicates.
Sorry, we cannot publish this item because your request to Xero was not authorised
This error usually indicates a connection issue or a temporary problem with Xero. Check Xero's status page for any known issues first. If there are none, reconnect the integration and try publishing again.
Sorry, we were not able to publish the image for this item
This error means Dext published the transaction data successfully, but couldn't send the document image due to Xero's API file size limits. The data is in Xero - only the image is missing.
To fix it, go to your Costs Archive in Dext, open the item, and select Republish image. This sends only the image without creating a duplicate transaction in Xero.
Spend money transactions cannot be updated
This error occurs when a spend money transaction in Xero has already been published and cannot be updated directly. Log in to Xero and void the item first, then clear its publishing data in Dext and republish.
The document date cannot be before the end of year lock date
This error means the date on the document falls before the period lock date set in Xero. Either update the lock date in Xero if appropriate, or correct the document date in Dext to fall within the open period, then publish again.
The item already exists in Xero with status different from 'DRAFT'
This error appears when an item has already been published to Xero and has moved beyond draft status - for example, to Awaiting approval or Paid. Log in to Xero and void the existing item first, then clear its publishing data in Dext and republish.
You cannot save this transaction using an inventory account type
This error appears when the Product/Service applied to the item or a line item is linked to an inventory-type category in Xero, but the item in Xero isn't marked as Track inventory item.
To resolve it, go to Xero and mark the relevant product or service as a tracked inventory item. Then refresh your integration data in Dext to sync the change, and publish again. See How to refresh your accounting software data in Dext.
The specified bank account details do not match a known bank account
This error appears when the payment method assigned to the item isn't linked to a bank-type account in Xero. There are 2 common causes:
The bank account has been archived in Xero - refresh your chart of accounts in Dext, then select the correct active bank account. See How to refresh your accounting software data in Dext.
The payment method is linked to a non-bank account type - update the payment method in Dext to link it to a bank-type account, or select a different payment method that's already linked to one. See How to link a Payment method to a bank account
The tax amount cannot be greater than the line amount
This error has 2 causes.
Cause 1 - Rounding mismatch on line items: If you've applied a percentage tax rate to a line item, Xero's calculation may not match the actual tax amount on the main item. To fix this, set the tax field on the line item to Extracted amount and enter the tax amounts manually, making sure the line item totals match the main item.
Cause 2 - Tax genuinely exceeds the net amount: In some cases, the tax amount on a document is correctly greater than the net amount, but Xero's API won't accept this. In this case, the item can't be published from Dext and will need to be entered manually in Xero.
The User specified does not have the correct permissions to perform this action
This error appears when publishing to the Classic Expense Claims section of Xero, and the Xero user doesn't have the required permissions for that section.
To fix this, update the user's permissions in Xero - make sure the Business and Accounting checkbox is selected and assign the appropriate role. For guidance, see About user roles in Xero and User role access to classic expense claims.
Once the permissions are updated, refresh your chart of accounts in Dext, then publish the items again. See How to refresh your accounting software data in Dext.
This invoice number must be unique
This error means an invoice already exists in Xero with the same invoice number. Change the invoice number (document reference) on the item in Dext to one that doesn't already exist in Xero, then publish again.
To send to bank accounts you will need to set a linked bank account
This error appears when no bank account is linked to the payment method assigned to the item. See How to link a Payment method to a bank account
A valid user should be identified using the UserID
This error occurs when publishing to the Classic Expense Claims section of Xero, and the Dext user hasn't been linked to a Xero user. Go to Users in the sidebar, select Link users to Xero, match each Dext user to their corresponding Xero user, and select Close. Then publish the item again.
You can't publish the item - make sure your Xero subscription is still active
This error usually means there's an issue with the Xero subscription status. It can also appear if the Xero plan is Simple Start, which limits the number of bills that can sit in Awaiting approval status.
Confirm the subscription is active in Xero, then reconnect the integration in Dext and publish again.
You have reached the limit of invoices you can approve
This error is sent from Xero and means you've reached the approval limit on your Xero plan. Upgrade your Xero plan, then reconnect the integration in Dext and publish again.