1
of 5— Create a Dext account and set up your firm
What you'll accomplish
Dext set up to automatically extract data from receipts your clients send (photos, emails, PDFs) and push them directly into QuickBooks or Xero, with the vendor, amount, date, and expense category pre-filled. No more manual data entry for receipts.
What you'll need
- A Dext account (dext.com — free trial, then ~$30–$50/month depending on plan and volume)
- Your client's QuickBooks Online or Xero account credentials (or access via your firm's accountant access)
- A list of your client's expense categories (exported from their chart of accounts)
- Time needed: 45–60 minutes for full setup; 5 minutes per client after that
- Cost: ~$30–$50/month (Dext pricing varies; check current plans at dext.com)
Automate Receipt Processing with Dext
Step 1: Create a Dext account and set up your firm
- Go to dext.com and click Start Free Trial
- Complete registration with your business email
- On the dashboard, click Add Client — this creates a separate workspace for each bookkeeping client
What you should see: A clean dashboard with a "Clients" sidebar. Each client has their own inbox for incoming receipts.
Troubleshooting: If you're setting this up for a client (not your own firm), use their business email to create the account so they own it, then add yourself as an accountant.
Tools:Difficulty: MediumStep