Import PDF Invoices from Foreign Suppliers
Included in the Pro and Max plans: on the Standard plan you create self-invoices by hand, as explained in Issue a self-invoice.
Invoices from foreign suppliers do not arrive through the SDI: you usually get them as PDFs by email. Instead of copying them, you upload them to FatturaSmart: we read the supplier, number, date and amounts and prepare the TD17 and TD18 self-invoices. You check and send.
Always check before sending. The data is read automatically by an artificial intelligence service and may contain errors. Verify the supplier, dates, amounts and self-invoice type: you decide when to send to the SDI, one document at a time.
Upload the PDFs
Step 1: Open New self-invoice
Go to the Invoices list, open the menu next to the Create button and choose Self-invoice. At the top you find the box Got PDF invoices from foreign suppliers?
Step 2: Upload the files
Click Upload PDFs or drag the files into the box.
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| File types | PDF, JPG, PNG |
| Files per upload | 20 |
| Files per day, per business | 50 |
| Size of each file | 3.6 MB |
If you choose more than 20 files, we upload the first 20: add the others afterwards.
Step 3: Wait for the reading
The invoices appear in the To check list, with the supplier, the number, the amount, the proposed type and the status.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Reading | We are reading the file |
| Ready | You can open and check it |
| New supplier | The supplier is not in your contacts |
| Already imported | This invoice was already uploaded or is already in a self-invoice |
| Italian supplier | An Italian supplier’s invoice normally arrives through the SDI |
| Amount to enter | We could not work out the amount in euro |
| To verify | There is data we are not sure about |
| Unreadable | The file could not be read |
Check and Send
Step 1: Open and check
On the row click Open and check. The self-invoice opens already filled in, with the notice Data read from the PDF: check it and the list of fields to verify.
The proposed type is TD17 for services and TD18 for goods bought from a supplier in the European Union. If you need another type, change it from Document data.
Step 2: Confirm the supplier
- If the supplier is already in your contacts, it is already set.
- If it is new, you see the data read from the PDF: click Check and create, correct it if needed and confirm.
Step 3: Check the supplier’s invoice, the date and the lines
The number and date of the supplier’s invoice are already entered in the Supplier’s invoice card. Also check the document date and the lines: every line read from the PDF has the 22% rate, to change if the transaction calls for another one.
Step 4: Send
Click Send self-invoice, or Save draft to finish later.
Invoices in a Foreign Currency
If the invoice is not in euro, the amounts are converted at the European Central Bank rate, and the notice tells you of which day. The description of each line keeps the original amount with the rate used.
The field Exchange rate (currency units per 1 euro) can be edited: if your accountant gives you a different rate, enter it and the lines are recalculated.
If we cannot read the invoice date, the amount is not converted: enter it yourself.
Discard or Fill In by Hand
| Action | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Discard | The invoice does not need a self-invoice, or you uploaded it by mistake. The PDF is deleted and does not become a self-invoice |
| Fill in by hand | The file could not be read: open the self-invoice and enter the data yourself |
Useful notices: if the supplier charged VAT, we ask you to check that a self-invoice is really needed. If the same invoice was already imported, we tell you before you send it twice.
Invoices waiting to be checked also appear in Due dates, under Self-invoices to send. Uploaded PDFs that are not used are deleted after 90 days.
Next Steps
- Issue a self-invoice or an integration – all the types and fields of a self-invoice
- Understanding Document Status – follow the delivery to the SDI
Need help?
Contact us on WhatsApp by clicking the icon at the bottom right, or write to supporto@fatturasmart.com. Support covers the use of the software: for the choice of the self-invoice type, ask your accountant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which plan do I need to upload PDFs from foreign suppliers?
Reading PDFs is included in the Pro and Max plans. On the Standard plan you can still create self-invoices by filling them in by hand.
Which files can I upload, and how many?
You can upload PDF, JPG and PNG files, up to 20 at a time and 50 a day per business. Each file can weigh 3.6 MB at most.
Do I have to check the data read from the PDF?
Yes, always. The data is read automatically and may contain errors: FatturaSmart highlights the fields to verify, but you check the supplier, dates, amounts and type before sending.
What happens if the invoice is not in euro?
The amounts are converted to euro at the European Central Bank rate of the day shown in the notice. The rate appears in a field you can edit: the line amounts update accordingly.
Is the supplier added to my contacts automatically?
No. If the supplier is not in your contacts, the self-invoice shows the data read from the PDF and the Check and create button: the supplier is saved only when you confirm it.
