Factur-X / ZUGFeRD

Factur-X is a Franco-German standard for hybrid e-invoice (PDF for users and XML data for process automation), the first implementation of the European Semantic Standard EN 16931 published by the European Commission on October 16th 2017. Factur-X is the same standard than ZUGFeRD 2.1.

Factur-X is at the same time a full readable invoice in a PDF A/3 format, containing all information useful for its treatment, especially in case of discrepancy or absence of automatic matching with orders and / or receptions, and a set of invoice data presented in an XML structured file conformant to EN16931 (syntax CII D16B), complete or not, allowing invoice process automation.

INETAPP has the ability to create reports that adhere to the Factur-X standard by mapping datasource fields to their Factur-X representatives. This process is done during report design using the i-net Designer. PDF files will always be generated using Factur-X when at least one field was set in the Factur-X dialog.

PDF files incorporating Factur-X invoices information can be recognised by the embedded facturx.xml inside the PDF file.

For more information about Factur-X, please check the official website.

Note: Factur-X is also known as ZUGFeRD in Germany.

The i-net Designer offers a dialog in the menu Report > Factur Mapping to map values from the report into the electronic invoice. Factur-X is set up using profiles. By selecting the profile required for an invoice there are several static fields as well as invoice positions that need to be filled out.

The following profiles are currently supported:

• MINIMUM: corresponding to the minimum invoice information required on CHORUSPRO and equivalent to a classic header OCR and manual validation data capture.
• BASIC-WL: corresponding to the document level invoice information that are mostly required or useful for buyers for their process automation
• BASIC: corresponding to the BASIC WL profile with the core line information required or useful for buyers for their process automation
• EN 16931 (COMFORT): corresponding to all the invoice information present in the European Norm EN16931
• EXTENDED: corresponding to the EN16931 profile, with some additional invoice data. This profile is under construction, and will be published later.

Note: exporting a report file into a PDF file including Factur-X data implies the usage of PDF A/3, which also requires fonts to be embedded.

Note: PDF files using the Factur-X profiles MINIMUM or BASIC-WL are not considered as valid invoices in Germany.

Note: Invalid Factur-X definitions will result in the report not being exported into PDF. An error will be displayed instead.

Information that is used in the Global section is also referred to as static data and must not change while rendering the report, e.g.:

• reports datasource fields that always represent the same value
• constant formula values
• prompt parameters
• non-grouped / non-running total sums.

The Data tab contains invoice information that can occur more often, such as data from the details section of the report.

The validation of Factur-X information is being done using the Problem Finder in the i-net Designer. The validation can, however, only run if the report can be rendered - or has been rendered for the first time. The reason for this restriction is that prompt- and and other dynamic fields have to be available first so that their values are fully available for the validation.

Note: There are a number of form fields in Factur-X that require specific values, predefined by the specification. The Formula dialog of the i-net Designer has an additional Tab "Possible return values" besides the Help-Tab where applicable. Even though only a single value may be allowed in a Factur-X form field, the user still has to set it up own their own. This is due to possible additional fields being required to configure when using a given form field.