The problem
Builders' merchant receipts end up in the van, and at month end nobody knows what each site has actually cost. With about 120 receipts and invoices a month across 2 sites, keying each one in at 3 minutes is 6 hours a month, and a lost receipt is lost VAT.
What the AI does
Dext captures receipts and supplier invoices from a phone photo, email or WhatsApp, reads the details and sends them to accounting software such as Xero for you to approve. Before publishing you check the supplier, tax rate and tracking category, using tracking categories synced from Xero, so each cost goes to the right site. Dext remembers your settings for each supplier, and nothing crosses to Xero until you press publish. Dext needs accounting software; this example already uses Xero.
A worked example
A small developer in Leeds runs 2 refurbishments at a time with about 120 receipts and supplier invoices a month, and already uses Xero with a tracking category for each site. Everyone on site photographs receipts into Dext the day they get them.
Before
120 documents a month keyed in at 3 minutes each: 6 hours
After
120 documents a month at about 1 minute each to photograph and check: 2 hours
What it's worth
About $160£120€143A$230C$226 a month saved, against a $32£24€29A$46C$45 to $40£30€36A$58C$56 cost. That is 4 hours a month valued at $40£30€36A$58C$56 an hour. Dext's page shows $32.15£24.17€28.76A$46.41C$45.44 a month plus VAT billed annually ($386£290€345A$557C$545 a year) for 250 documents and 5 users; monthly billing costs more, estimated at roughly $40£30€36A$58C$56. Xero is priced separately and already in place here.
How to set it up
- In Xero, set up a tracking category with one option per site.
- Start Dext's trial, connect it to Xero and invite everyone who buys materials.
- Ask each buyer to photograph every receipt in Dext the same day, or forward invoices to the Dext email address.
- Each week, check the supplier, VAT and site on each document and publish to Xero.
- At month end, run a report by tracking category to see each site's spend against budget.
What goes wrong
- Dext needs accounting software, priced separately. If you don't already use Xero or similar, add that cost.
- A wrong site on a receipt puts the cost in the wrong budget. Set supplier rules carefully and check before publishing.
- The price depends on documents a month and users; a busier month can push you into a higher band.
- Receipts not photographed are still lost. The habit matters more than the software.