Electronic invoice

Laelectronic invoicingIt is a functional equivalent of the paper invoice and consists of the transmission of invoices or similar documents between issuer and recipient by electronic means (computer files) and telematics (from one computer to another), digitally signed with recognized certificates.

The Preliminary Draft Law on Measures to Promote the Information Society defines electronic invoicing as “an electronic document that meets the legal and regulatory requirements for invoices and that, in addition, guarantees the authenticity of its origin and the integrity of its content, which allows the invoice to be attributed to its obligatory tax issuer”.

From this definition extended throughout the market, three conditions for the realization of e-Invoice are transmitted:

• You need oneelectronic formatinvoice of greater or lesser complexity (EDIFACT, XML, PDF, HTML, DOC, XLS, GIF, JPEG or txt, among others).
• You need onetelematic transmission(It has to start from one computer, and be collected by another computer).
• This electronic format and telematic transmission, must guarantee itsIntegrity and authenticity through a recognized electronic signature.

To learn more about e-invoicing, click on this link: Electronic Invoice Portal.

For electronic invoicing to have the same legal validity as a paper invoice, the consent of both parties (issuer and recipient) is required.

Additionally, and as a requirement of all invoices regardless of how they are transmitted, in paper or in electronic format, article 6 of RD 1496/2003 that regulates the content of an invoice establishes that the mandatory fields of an invoice are:

• No. Invoice
• Date of dispatch
• Social Reason issuer and recipient
• NIF issuer and “receiver”
• Domicile issuer and receiver
• Description of the transactions (tax base)
• Tax rate
• Tax quota
• Date of service (if other than expedition)

Requirements for the recipient

• Have the appropriate software for the validation of the invoice depending on the generation format
• Store the invoices received digitally (invoice and signature)

Requirements for the issuer

• Have the prior consent of the recipient of the invoices
• Guarantee the authenticity of the origin (identity) and integrity of the invoices: this is possible thanks to the digital certificates of belonging to the company and certificate of legal person
• Store the invoices digitally as they were sent, including the invoice and the electronic signature thereof.
• Provide the recipient with the appropriate software that allows him to validate the signed invoices.