Electronic Invoice
Electronic Invoice
What is the electronic invoice or e-invoice?
An electronic invoice is an invoice that is issued and received in electronic format and is capable of being transmitted through electronic communications networks, such as the Internet.
There are two types of electronic invoice:
- Electronic invoice with a structured format, for example, the Facturae, which facilitates its automated processing. However, it is not readable by a natural person.
- Electronic invoice in an unstructured format, such as PDF, consisting of an image that can be read by a natural person, but which requires manual intervention or optical recognition (OCR), not always successful, to introduce it into the recipient’s accounting system.
Royal Decree 1619/2012, of November 30th, establishes the rules that invoices must comply with, both on paper and electronically. And, above all, it regulates that they must guarantee legibility, authenticity and integrity.
Who is obliged to issue electronic invoices?
In 2014, the European Union promoted the implementation of electronic invoicing in its member states, establishing a mandatory common format in European B2G relations.
On January 15th, 2015, the obligation to use the Facturae electronic invoice format came into force for any invoice addressed to Public Administrations, sending them through the FACeB2B electronic platform provided by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation.
The issuance of the rest of the electronic invoices was conditional on the recipient’s consent. Therefore, the electronic invoice is a legal alternative to the traditional paper invoice.
However, this changes with the new Law 18/2022 on the Creation and Growth of Companies, better known as “Ley Crea y Crece”, of September 28th, 2022, which establishes electronic invoicing as the only system that can be used in commercial transactions between companies and freelancers (B2B). Initiative born with the aim of promoting digitization and fighting late payment.
When does the electronic invoice obligation come into force in B2B?
Before March 28th, 2023, the technical and information requirements to be included in the B2B electronic invoice will be published. However, what is already known is that:
- Companies with a turnover of more than €8M will have 1 year to implement it, after the publication of the regulations, so they must do so before March 28th, 2024.
- The rest of the companies and freelancers must do so before March 28th, 2025.
What other implications does B2B electronic invoicing have?
In the absence of the publication of the technical regulation that regulates the new electronic invoicing system, the law contemplates the following obligations in the private sector:
- Obligation to issue, send and receive electronic invoices in their commercial relations with other companies and professionals.
- Both the recipient and the issuer must provide information on the status of the invoices.
- Providers of technological solutions or platforms must guarantee free interconnection and interoperability between them.
- Recipients of electronic invoices may not force their issuer to use a predetermined electronic invoicing solution, platform or service provider.
- Recipients will be able to request free access to electronic invoices for 4 years. Even in the case of having ceased to be clients of the issuing companies, they must allow their access during the 3 years after the end of the contracts.
- The electronic invoice must include information that allows control of the payment date and facilitates the calculation of the average payment period.
- Sanctions for non-compliance can reach up to €10,000
Advantages of issuing in Electronic Invoice format
Download the B2B Electronic Invoice EBOOK with technical and legal specifications established by law “Crea y Crece”
How can we help you with electronic invoicing?
In case your ERP does not have the electronic invoicing module incorporated, we will adapt to it. Our Electronic Invoicing Module adapts to any ERP (Microsoft Dynamics, Baan, Navision, SAGE X3, Murano, AS400, SAP, Oracle, AX, Movex, M3 Infor, JdEdwards, own or custom ERP…)
Our Electronic Invoicing Module provides customers with the possibility of generating and issuing invoices in three different ways:
Features of our Electronic Invoicing Module
This electronic invoicing module hosted in the cloud and easily accessible through a link, facilitates the possibility of the platform itself issuing and sending the invoice to its recipients.
To do this, it has the following functionalities:
- Integrable into any ERP via Restful Call to our API
- Manual loading, that is, manually entering the data to generate an electronic invoice.
- Unlimited issuance of invoices in both PDF and Facturae formats.
- QR code added to the invoice
- Receipt of electronic invoices allowed.
- Interconnection and interoperability with other platforms or technological solutions guaranteed.
- Unlimited number of customers to send by email.
- Minimum storage capacity of 1 GB.
- Download and reprint electronic invoices as many times as you want and at no additional cost for the legally required time allowed.
- System that allows control of the payment dates of electronic invoices and facilitates the calculation of the average payment period included.
- Client Portal and a Recipient Portal, for consulting the history of electronic invoices, included.
- Integration with the PuenteSII Option: It allows the sending of invoices to the SII (Immediate Supply of VAT Information)
- Integration Option with PuenteSIF – VeriFACTU Module: It allows the sending of invoice records to the AEAT.
