Everything you need to know about XML-Invoices

Everything you need to know about XML-Invoices

Why process XML invoices?

Our goal is to have users spend as little time as possible in the Spend Cloud. The software should do as much as possible automatically, so that our users can focus on other important tasks. Digital invoice processing helps with this, especially invoices in XML format.

XML invoices have the advantage that all information (such as invoice date, invoice number and order number) of an invoice can be automatically read by the software. This makes the processing of invoices more efficient and less prone to errors than when you use PDF or paper invoices.


The advantages of an XML invoice:
  1. The information on an invoice can be fully identified
  2. 100% order matching
  3. Process invoices faster and easier, resulting in faster payments
  4. Cost reduction
  5. Future-proof for PEPPOL network. Also known in the Netherlands as Nederlandse Peppolautoriteit (NPa).

Complete identification of the invoice text sounds like a utopia, are you sure? 

XML stands for Extensible Markup Language (XML). This is a so-called markup language that makes it possible to make a set of rules machine-readable. This machine language allows the Spend Cloud to see exactly what is in the invoice. The (design) objective of XML is therefore simplicity, uniformity and usability. Due to its uniformity, an XML invoice is a method of electronic invoicing (e-invoicing) that is supported and advised worldwide by the European Union and its member states.

Receive XML invoices in the Spend Cloud

Above we briefly mentioned the uniformity of an XML invoice. Rules have been laid down on how an XML invoice must be constructed (UBL). Based on this uniformity, the Spend Cloud knows exactly where which data can be found and in which field it should be entered during encoding. See here the standard we use and how we process this data. We have a wide range of predefined fields (a mapping) that allows us to process them properly even if you have never received XML invoices before. Read more about receiving XML invoices.

You can receive XML invoices in the mailbox of the Spend Cloud and process them from there for coding. From now on, it is no longer possible to ignore XML files in the mailbox if an XML field layout is available to extract the invoice data. This ensures that Spend Cloud can read out more and more accurate data. XML files for which no XML field layout is available can still be ignored. This means, of course, that you can still process all invoices as usual.
Info
Mark the PDF file as view of the digital invoice. This way, you keep the familiar view of the invoice in the Spend Cloud while still benefitting from the data in the XML invoice. Want to learn more about how to process XML-invoices in the mailbox? Then read the article on how to add invoices via the mailbox.
Idea
Did you know that you can request creditors to send XML invoices from the Spend Cloud mailbox? You do this by opening an email and clicking on 'Inform Creditor'. This contains a standard text that is sent to the creditor with the request to send XML invoices. You can adjust this email in this screen. Would you like to know more about this? Then read the following article: Example email digital invoices - inform creditor

An unique XML mapping

We always recommend suppliers to use the UBL 2.0 standard for constructing XML invoices. We have a predefined mapping for this standard. This means that all our customers are able to receive this format without having to do anything themselves. We are also increasingly seeing that suppliers prefer to use their own structure, or that agreements have been made to include customer-specific data in the XML invoice. To properly facilitate this in the Spend Cloud, you can put together an XML mapping yourself. This way you can receive even more XML invoices. Read more about setting up an XML mapping here. 

Improving the Process with a Supplier

If a supplier does not provide invoices in the correct format, requiring manual processing, it's a good idea to work with the supplier to improve the process. We at Visma | ProActive are open to facilitating this communication with you and the supplier. We have already improved this process with Eneco and PostNL. If you have a supplier from whom you want to receive invoices in a better format and you can't establish contact, send an email to customersuccess@proactive.nl, and we will work on it together! #bettertogether

Creditor management and XML invoicing

When you start working with XML invoices, it is important to have your creditor management in order in the Spend Cloud. The creditor has various settings that make processing XML invoices even easier. View these workshops for optimal creditor management (Dutch only).