From a legal point of view, an e-invoice has the same purpose as a traditional invoice but it has a different form and process of production. The two basic differences are:

1. An e-invoice is not a just a digital version of a paper invoice. It should be created in an XML format, which is a particular file type that can be opened only with special software.

2. Before being sent to the customer, an e-invoice has to be sent to the Exchange System, which will validate the document and send it on the behalf of the seller to the final buyer. This way, the Exchange System will certify the date of sending and receiving the e-invoice, and the document will become legally valid for the Tax Authority.

From the 1st of January 2019 e-invoicing became mandatory for almost any business in Italy. While making traditional invoices seems easy, for sending e-invoices, you need advanced technical skills that will allow you to connect directly to the Exchange System.

Finom makes the process of creating and sending e-invoices easy and does not require you to possess any technical skills.