---
title: How to Automatically Forward Bills & Receipts to Hubdoc, Xero or Dext
description: How to Automatically Forward Bills & Receipts to Hubdoc, Xero or Dext
---
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# How to Automatically Forward Bills & Receipts to Hubdoc, Xero or Dext
## Set up one email rule once, and every bill or receipt that lands in your accounts’ inbox (for example, accounts@clientcompany.com.au) goes straight to Hubdoc, Xero, or Dext without anyone forwarding it manually. Your Fullstack bookkeeper then picks the documents up, codes them, and reconciles them in Xero.
**Which tool do you use?** If you are not sure whether your business uses Hubdoc, Xero's built-in document capture or Dext, ask your Fullstack bookkeeper before you start. Only forward to one of them, or every bill will be entered twice.
### **Step 1: Find your upload email address**
Every Hubdoc, Xero and Dext account have its own unique email address. Anything sent to it is read and queued for your bookkeeper. Copy yours from the table below, then save it as a contact in your email (for example, ‘Xero Bills – Client Company’) so it is easy to pick later.
| **Tool** | **Where to find the address** | **Looks like** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Hubdoc](https://support.hubdoc.com/hc/en-us/articles/16568348864781-About-getting-documents-into-Hubdoc) | Settings (gear icon) \> Organisation Settings, or click Upload Document and copy it from there | yourcompany@app.hubdoc.com |
| [Xero Smart Document Capture (Documents inbox](https://blog.xero.com/product-updates/files-now-called-documents/) | Accounting \> Documents \> Email to Documents Inbox | A unique address shown in Documents |
| Xero bills address (draft bills only) | Purchases (or Business) \> Bills \> New bill \> Copy your forwarding email address | something@xerofiles.com |
| [Dext](https://help.dext.com/en/articles/416754-how-to-submit-documents-to-dext-via-email) | Add documents panel, or Profile \> User settings \> Extract by Email. For a shared accounts inbox, use the account-level address under Business settings \> Extraction \> Extract by email | yourname@dext.cc |
A few things to know before you choose an address:
- **Xero:** Files was renamed **Documents** in September 2026 and moved to the Accounting menu. Smart Document Capture works on items sent to the Documents inbox. Use the bill's address only if your bookkeeper asks you to.
- **Hubdoc:** If your intake address is still the default one Hubdoc created, ask us to change it first. Default addresses are a common cause of bounced emails, especially from Outlook.
- **Dext:** Use the Single address (@dext.cc) for automatic forwarding, so each attachment becomes one item. The **Multiple** address (@multiple.dext.cc) splits every page into its own item and is only for batches of scanned receipts.
Not sure which address to use? Ask your Fullstack bookkeeper. We can send it to you.
### **Step 2**
#### **Option A: Gmail or Google Workspace**
In Gmail, you add your upload address as a verified forwarding address, then create a filter that forwards only bills and receipts. Do this in Gmail on a computer, signed in to the accounts’ inbox. [Google's guide](https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/kb/how-to-automatically-forward-gmail-messages-to-another-account-000009431)
###### **A1. Add and verify the forwarding address**
1. Click the **gear icon \> See all settings**
2. Open the **Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab**
3. Click **Add a forwarding address**, paste your Hubdoc, Xero or Dext address, then click **Next \> Proceed \> OK**
4. Google sends a confirmation email to that address. It lands inside Hubdoc, Xero or Dext as a new document. Open it there, copy the confirmation code or click the link, and enter it back in Gmail
5. Refresh the settings page and confirm the address now shows as verified
6. **Leave ‘Disable forwarding’ selected**. Do not choose ‘Forward a copy of incoming mail’, or every email in the inbox, including spam and newsletters, will be sent across
Can't find the confirmation email? Tell your Fullstack bookkeeper. As long as we have access, we can find it in your Hubdoc, Xero, or Dext inbox and send you the code.
###### **A2. Create the filter**
1. In the Gmail search bar, click the **Show search options** icon (the sliders on the right)
2. Fill in the criteria. Two common set-ups:
- **By keyword:** in **Has the words**, enter subject:(invoice OR receipt OR bill OR "tax invoice") has:attachment
- **By supplier:** in **From**, enter your suppliers' billing addresses separated by OR, for example billing@telstra.com OR accounts@supplier.com.au
3. Click **Search** to check that the results only show bills and receipts. Adjust the criteria
4. Click **Create filter**
5. Tick **Forward** it to and pick your verified upload address
6. Optional: tick **Apply the label** (for example ‘Sent to Xero’) so your team can see what has been forwarded
7. Click **Create filter**
The filter only acts on new emails. To send older bills, forward them by hand.
###### **A3. Google Workspace admin check**
If the forwarding option is greyed out or you see ‘Forwarding is disabled by your administrator’, your Workspace admin needs to allow it. In the [Google Admin console](https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/gmail/let-users-automatically-forward-their-own-gmail-emails), go to **Apps \> Google Workspace \> Gmail \> End User Access \> Automatic forwarding**, allow forwarding to any address, and save. Changes can take up to 24 hours.
#### **Option B: Outlook or Microsoft 365**
In Outlook you create an inbox rule that forwards bills and receipts to your upload address. No verification step is needed. Rules made in Outlook on the web or the new Outlook run on Microsoft's servers, so they work even when no one has Outlook open.
###### **B1. Outlook on the web or the new Outlook for Windows/Mac**
1. Sign in to the accounts mailbox at [outlook.office.com](https://outlook.office.com/). If accounts@ is a shared mailbox, click your profile picture \> **Open another mailbox** and open it first, so the rule is saved on the shared mailbox and not on your own
2. Click the **gear icon (**Settings) \> **Mail \> Rules \> + Add new rule**
3. Name it, for example, ‘Forward bills to Xero’
4. Under **Add a condition**, choose one or more:
- **Subject includes: i**nvoice, receipt, bill, tax invoice (add each word separately; any one will match)
- **From:** your suppliers' billing addresses
- **Has attachment**
5. Under **Add an action**, choose **Forward** to and paste your Hubdoc, Xero or Dext address
6. Leave **Stop processing more rules** ticked unless you have other rules that must also run
7. Optional: tick **Run rule now** to send matching emails already in the inbox. Check the list first, as this can create duplicates
8. Click **Save**
###### **B2. Classic Outlook desktop app**
1. Select an email from a supplier, then go to **Home \> Rules \> Manage Rules & Alerts \> New Rule**
2. Choose **Apply rule on messages I receive**, then **Next**
3. Tick your conditions, such as **from people or public group, with specific words in the subject and which has an attachment**. Click the underlined words to fill in suppliers or keywords
4. Tick **Forward it to people or public group** and enter your upload address
5. Finish the wizard, make sure the rule is turned on, and click **OK**
If the rule shows ‘(client only)’, it will only run while Outlook is open on that computer. Recreate it in Outlook on the web (B1) instead.
###### **B3. Microsoft 365 admin check: external forwarding**
Microsoft 365 blocks automatic forwarding to outside addresses by default. If your test email bounces with **550 5.7.520 Access denied, Your organisation does not allow external forwarding**, your IT admin needs to allow it. In the [Microsoft Defender portal](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/defender-office-365/outbound-spam-policies-external-email-forwarding), go to **Email & collaboration \> Policies & rules \> Threat policies \> Anti-spam**. The safest option is a new outbound policy that applies only to the accounts’ mailbox, with **Automatic forwarding rules** set to **On – Forwarding is enabled**. This keeps forwarding blocked for everyone else.
#### **Option C: Other email providers**
Almost every email service can be forwarded by rule. Look for **Rules, Filters, or Message filters** in its settings, and build the same rule as above: *if* the subject has invoice, receipt, or bill (or it's from a known supplier), *then* forward to your upload address.
| **Provider** | **Where the rules live** | **Note** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Apple iCloud Mail | icloud.com \> Mail \> Settings \> **Rules** | Use the web version. Rules in the Mac Mail app only run while that Mac is on and Mail is open. |
| Zoho Mail | Settings \> **Filters** | Zoho may ask you to verify the forwarding address, similar to Gmail. |
| cPanel / web hosting email (Roundcube, Horde) | cPanel \> **Email Filters**, or Roundcube \> Settings \> **Filters** | **Choose ‘Redirect to’ or** ‘Forward to’ as the action. |
| Yahoo, AOL, others | Settings \> **Filters** | Some free accounts don't allow forwarding by filter. Ask us for options. |
Dext also keeps a list of [provider-specific forwarding guides](https://help.dext.com/en/s/article/how-to-set-up-email-forwarding-rules) that work for any of the three tools.
##### **No forwarding needed: send bills straight to the upload address**
For regular suppliers (utilities, phone, software subscriptions), the simplest fix is often to give the supplier your upload address directly. Add it as a second billing contact in the supplier's portal, or ask them to CC it on every invoice. Bills then arrive in Hubdoc, Xero or Dext even if your forwarding rule misses them. Keep accounts@ as the main contact so you still see every bill.
### **Step 3: Test it, then follow these good habits**
Send yourself a test right away: email a sample PDF invoice to accounts@ with ‘Tax invoice’ in the subject. Within about 30 minutes, it should appear in your Hubdoc, Xero Documents, or Dext inbox. Let your Fullstack bookkeeper know the rule is live so we can watch the first few documents come through.
**What to forward**
- Supplier tax invoices and bills
- Receipts for purchases made on business cards
- Credit notes from suppliers
**What not to forward**
- Remittance advices and payment reminders. They repeat bills already sent and create duplicates. Add words such as ‘remittance’ or ‘reminder’ as an exception in your rule.
- Quotes, order confirmations and delivery notices
- Sales invoices you send to your own customers
- Marketing emails and newsletters from suppliers
**Keep the rule tidy**
- Forward to one tool only. Sending the same bill to Hubdoc and Dext, or to two Xero addresses, enters it twice.
- Attach the original PDF where you can. Clear PDFs read more accurately than screenshots or photos.
- Keep a copy in the accounts inbox. Forwarding rules send a copy; don't set them to delete the original.
- Review the rule every few months and add new suppliers' billing addresses
### **Troubleshooting and FAQ**
| **Problem** | **Likely cause** | **What to do** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nothing arrives in Hubdoc, Xero or Dext | Rule is off, conditions don't match, or the address has a typo | Check the rule is enabled, compare the address character by character, and send another test |
| Test email bounces with 550 5.7.520 | Microsoft 365 blocks external forwarding | Ask your IT admin to follow B3 above |
| Gmail forwarding option is greyed out | Google Workspace admin has turned off forwarding | Ask your admin to follow A3 above |
| Hubdoc email bounces or creates no document | Intake address is still the default, attachment isn't a PDF or image, or it was treated as spam | Ask us to update the Hubdoc address; check the attachment type |
| Invoice only has a ‘View invoice’ link | None of the tools can open links in an email body | Download the PDF from the supplier portal and forward it, or ask the supplier to attach PDFs |
| Invoice PDF is password-protected | Locked files can't be read | Ask the supplier to send unprotected PDFs, or save an unlocked copy and forward that |
| The same bill appears twice | Bill was sent to two tools, or the supplier also sent a statement or reminder | Forward to one tool only and exclude statements and reminders |
| Dext document is missing | Dext removed it as a duplicate or rejected it | Check Submission history in Dext, or ask us to look |
**Can I forward from more than one inbox?** Yes. Any mailbox (for example, accounts@ and a director's own email) can forward to the same upload address.
**Will my bookkeeper see my other emails?** No. Only emails that match your rule are forwarded, and only to Hubdoc, Xero or Dext.
**Do I still need to pay bills from the email?** Yes. Forwarding only records the bill.
***Disclaimer (Last Reviewed: 12 November 2026):** This article is based on the features, menus and processes available in Hubdoc, Xero, Dext, Gmail, Google Workspace, Outlook and Microsoft 365 at the time of review. Software providers may update their platforms, security settings and integration processes without notice, which may affect the accuracy of these instructions. Before implementing any email forwarding, mailbox rules or configuration changes, confirm the latest requirements with your IT advisor and refer to the provider's current documentation.*
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