As managing director for the Americas region, Alvaro leads multiple Sovos initiatives, including integrating acquired companies and technologies into our strategic solutions and product offerings. Alvaro believes that adopting a client first approach helps to better understand customer needs and focus on solving specific problems across regions.

Alvaro joined Sovos from its acquisition of Acepta, where he served as CEO. During his tenure, he guided the company to a leadership position in the issuance of electronic invoices, e-documents and digital identity in Chile. Now with Sovos, he sets the strategy to bring these services to all of the SSA region.

Creating a culture with a singular focus on solving customer problems is something Alvaro is passionate about. He views his role as bringing together a talented group of people, tapping their full potential and providing them with the tool necessary to be successful. The opportunity to build a new team inside Sovos has inspired him to begin a new journey of problem solving.

When not in the office, you’ll find Alvaro playing golf, tennis or running. He also keeps busy by teaching tennis to his three kids.

With more than 15 years of experience leading management, financial and strategic advisory projects in various global companies, Rodolfo Esquivel is responsible for directing Sovos’ commercial operations in the region and leading the mergers and integrations of the company’s new acquisitions. helping to strengthen the commitment with Sovos Latin America customers.

Economist from the American University, in the United States, with a diploma in finance from the Adolfo Ibáñez University in Chile and a specialization in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) from the Diego Portales University, his background in consulting includes business finance, transaction services and assistance for financial and strategic clients.

His career includes the positions of Transaction Services Manager at PWC Consulting, Senior Business Development Manager at Honeywell, Corporate Finance Director at Glitnir Capital, Corporate Management Director at Deloitte Consulting, Corporate Finance Partner at EY and Director of Agricultural Land Corporation finances.

Paulo Castro has held the position of Country Manager for Sovos Brazil since 2018. He has more than 26 years of experience in the information technology market, in highly competitive segments and in business transformation projects.

He began his career at IBM in the PC area and held various managerial and executive positions in Brazil and Latin America. After 20 years he joined SAP Brazil, where he served for 5 years as Vice President of Sales.

His legacy has been to create highly motivated teams and business models aimed at exceeding set goals and generating sustained growth through the use of technological solutions and a commitment to the development and success of his team. He believes in the need to establish a clear strategy, in the team and in the daily execution. His main personal characteristics are discipline, resilience and creativity.

He is an engineer and holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from EAESP – FGV, with specializations at the Wharton School and the University of Cologne, in Germany.

This will address the tax challenges of an increasingly digital worldwide economy. As of 9 July 2021, 132 of the 139 OECD/G20 member jurisdictions have agreed to the Inclusive Framework on BEPS.

Pillar Details

Pillar 1 gives a new taxing right, Amount A, to market countries to ensure companies pay tax on a portion of residual profits earned from activities in those jurisdictions, regardless of physical presence. Pillar 1 will apply to multinational enterprises (“MNEs”) with global turnover above 20 billion euros and profitability above 10%.

There will be a new nexus rule permitting allocation of Amount A to a market jurisdiction when the in-scope multinational enterprise derives at least 1 million euros in revenue from that jurisdiction. For jurisdictions with a GDP less than 40 billion euros, the nexus will instead be set at 250,000 euros.

The “special purpose nexus rule” determines if a jurisdiction qualifies for the Amount A allocation. Furthermore, countries have agreed on an allocation of 20-30% of in-scope MNE residual profits to market jurisdictions, with nexus using a revenue-based allocation key.

Revenue will be sourced to the end market jurisdictions where goods or services are consumed, with detailed source rules still to come.

More details on segmentation are still in the works, as is the final design of a marketing and distribution profits safe harbour that will cap the residual profits allowed to the market jurisdiction through Amount A.

Lastly, countries have agreed to streamline and simplify Amount B with a particular focus on the needs of low-capacity countries. The finalised details are expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

Pillar 2 consists of Global anti-Base Erosion (“GloBE”) Rules that will ensure MNEs that meet the 750 million euros threshold pay a minimum tax rate of at least 15%. The GloBE Rules consist of an Income Inclusion Rule and an Undertaxed Payment Rule, the latter of which still needs to be finalised.

Pillar 2 also includes a Subject to tax rule, which is a treaty-based rule, allowing source jurisdictions to impose limited source taxation on certain related party payments subject to tax below a minimum rate. The rate will range from 7.5 to 9 percent.

When Will the Plan be Implemented?

There is currently a commitment to continue discussion, in order to finalise the design elements of the plan within the agreed framework by October 2021. Inclusive Framework members will agree and release an implementation plan.

The current timeline is that the multilateral instrument through which Amount A is implemented will be developed and opened for signature in 2022, with Amount A coming into effect in 2021. Similarly, Pillar Two should be brought into law in 2022, to be effective in 2023.

More Details to Come

Although the key components of the Two-Pillar Solution have been agreed upon, a detailed implementation plan that includes resolving remaining issues is still to come.

As many countries could be implementing these changes in the near future, it is important for businesses active in the digital economy to carefully track and understand the developments surrounding the OECD/G20 Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Project.

Moving goods from one place to another is a quintessential part of business. Manufacturers, wholesalers, transporters, retailers and consumers all need to carefully orchestrate the shipping and handling of raw materials, parts, equipment, finished goods and other products to keep business flowing. This supply chain harmony is what makes production and trade possible in society.

In Canada, the United States and most European countries, tax administrations don’t intervene much in these trade processes. Until recently, the same could be said about most countries of Latin America. But, with the rise and expansion of electronic invoicing mandates in the region, this is rapidly changing.

Most governments with mature e-invoicing mandates are now recognizing that these mechanisms and government platforms can be used as vehicles to understand where, what, how and when goods are being moved. The traditional electronic invoice, is no longer enough – and tax authorities are requiring businesses to report goods movements in real-time.

The implications are serious too. Goods moved on public roads without those documents are very likely to be seized by the authorities, and the owners and transporters will be subject to fines and other sanctions.

Brazil and Mexico lead the way

The country with the most sophisticated system in place is arguably Brazil. The MDF-e (or Manifesto Eletrônico de Documentos Fiscais) is a mandatory document required by the tax administration in order to audit the movement of goods in Brazil.

This purely digital document combines the information of an electronic invoice (NF-e) and the electronic documents that hauling companies issue to their clients (CT-e). This system became mandatory in 2014 and has since been expanded and modernized with a vast grid of electronic sensors and transponders placed in the public highways of Brazil, intended to ensure that every truck moving goods already has the corresponding MDF-e, NF-e and CT-e. In most cases, the authorities don’t need to stop the trucks to verify the existence of the document.

Mexico recently issued a new resolution requiring taxpayers delivering goods, or simply redistributing them, to have the corresponding authorization from the tax administration (SAT). Products delivered by road, rail, air or waterways need to have what is known as the CFDI with the Supplement of Carta Porte.

CFDI is the acronym for an electronic invoice in Mexico. That supplement of Carta Porte is a new attachment to the electronic invoice of transfer (Traslado) issued by the owners delivering products or to the CFDI of Income (Ingresos) issued by the hauling companies. Carta Porte will provide all the details about the goods being transported, the truck or other means being used, the time of delivery, route, destination, purchaser, transporter and other information. This new mandate will become effective on 30 September 2021. As is in Brazil, noncompliance with this mandate will result in hefty penalties.

E-transport elsewhere in LatAm

Chile also has a mandate requiring the delivery of goods to be pre-authorized by the tax administration. These tax authorized documents are locally known as Guias de Despacho (or dispatch guides) and since January 2020 they can only be issued in an electronic format.

There are some exceptions where the dispatch guide can be issued temporarily on a paper format by certain taxpayers. Also, in cases of contingency, taxpayers may be authorized to issue paper versions of the guide; however, that will not exempt the issuer of regularizing the process once the contingency is complete.

The content of the dispatch guide will vary depending on who issues it and the purpose of the delivery (sales, consignment, returns, exports, internal transfers etc.) but in general, delivery of goods in Chile without the authorized dispatch guide will be subject to penalties from the tax administration (SII).

Argentina has a federal level VAT and a provincial level gross revenue tax. To control tax evasion, both levels of governments exercise certain levels of control in the process of dispatching goods within their jurisdictions.

The tax authority’s system for controlling the flow of goods in public ways is not as encompassing as in Brazil, Chile and Mexico, but it is getting closer. Only the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and Mendoza, plus the City of Buenos Aires, require authorization from the fiscal authority to move goods that originated in, or are destined to, their jurisdictions. For that, they require the COT (or Transport Operations Code) where all the data related to the products, means of transport and other information is included once the authorization is provided. The provinces of Salta, Rio Negro and Entre Rios are working on similar regulations.

At federal level, the AFIP (Federal tax administration) only requires pre-authorization for the delivery of certain products such as meat and cereals. But at this level too, the regulatory environment is changing.

The AFIP, along with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Transportation have issued a joint resolution 5017/2021 that mandates the use of a digital bill of lading (Carta Porte Electronica) whenever there is a transfer of agricultural products on public roads in Argentina. This change will become effective on 1 November 2021. In 2022, this federal requirement may expand to other products.

LatAm sets the scene for electronic invoicing trends

The requirement of authorization for moving goods in LatAm is not limited to the largest economies of the region. Smaller countries with electronic invoicing systems have expanded, or are in the process of expanding their mandates to require taxpayers to inform the tax authority, before goods are moved as result of a sale or any other internal distribution.

For instance, Peru requires the Guias de Remision from taxpayers before they start the delivery of their products. This electronic document should be informed to and authorized by the tax administration (SUNAT) using the digital format established for that purpose and will include all the information about the product delivered, issuer, recipient, means of transport, dates and more.

Uruguay has the ‘e-Remitos’ which is an electronic document authorized by the tax administration (DGI). It is required for any physical movement of goods in Uruguay. As in other countries, this document will provide all the information about the goods being transported, the means used, the issuer, the recipient and additional data. It is electronically delivered and authorized by the tax administration using the XML schemas established for that purpose.

Lastly, in Ecuador the tax administration (SRI) requires the ‘Guias de Remision’ (Delivery Guide) for any goods to be transported legally inside the country. As the infrastructure to support the electronic invoice is not fully developed in Ecuador, in some cases the tax administration allows the taxpayer to comply with this part of the mandate by having the electronic invoice issued by the retailer delivering the goods to his clients. Even though Colombia and Costa Rica do not require a separate electronic document to authorize the transport of goods, it is expected that in the future, this requirement will come into effect, mirroring what has happened in many other countries of the region.

The common element of all these mandates in Latin America, is that all of them are closely knitted to the electronic invoicing system imposed in each country. They are basically seen as another module of the electronic invoice system where information regarding goods being transported by public roads, waterways, by rail or air should be submitted to the tax administration, via the XML schemas established for that purpose.

Tax administrations in the region are actively enhancing their systems to ensure that movements of goods are properly controlled in real time. In some cases, tax administrations have provided online solutions aimed at taxpayers with small numbers of deliveries. But for all other taxpayers, a self-deployed solution is required.

Enforcement of the mandate is made not only by the tax administration, but also by the police and the public roads authorities, both of which routinely seize goods for non- compliance. Since these mandates have proven to be successful to control tax avoidance and smuggling, it’s safe to say that the Remitos, Dispatch Guides, Carta Porte or COTs are here to stay for good and taxpayers doing business in Latin America have no option but to comply with this new regulatory requirement.

Electronic invoicing in Mexico

Mexico has one of the most complex electronic invoicing systems in Latin America. Its scheme, Comprobante Fiscal Digital por Internet (or simply CFDI), was implemented in 2011 as a replacement for the CFD.

Resources such as this overview, carefully detailing the components of the mandate that taxpayers need to consider for compliance, simplify the country’s complex e-invoicing scheme. Be sure to bookmark this page to stay on top of any regulatory changes over time.

1. How does e-invoicing work in Mexico?

2. Characteristics of electronic invoicing in Mexico

3. Types of vouchers in Mexico

4. Format of electronic invoices and documents in Mexico

5. What is the CFDI?

6. Cancellation of CFDIs

7. Timeline of e-invoicing adoption in Mexico

8. Penalties: What happens if I don’t comply with e-invoicing in Mexico?

9. What else do I need for VAT compliance in Mexico?

10. Setting up e-invoicing in Mexico with Sovos

11. FAQ

12. Additional resources

How does e-invoicing work in Mexico?

There is a rigorous set of processes that taxpayers must follow when invoicing electronically in Mexico.

The generated XML file must comply, both in terms of format and syntax, with the specifications of the Miscellaneous Tax Resolution in force.
The document must pass the validation rules established for both its content and the format of the XML file generated.

It’s mandatory that all electronic documents, including e-invoices, are sent to the PCCFDI (or to the SAT in exceptions) for validation. The invoice must include specific information, as detailed further down the page, to be considered legally valid.

Mexican invoicing law does not require the recipient to confirm it has received the e-invoice, though they must securely store the documents for five years from the time the corresponding tax return was filed.

Characteristics of electronic invoicing in Mexico

Mexico B2B e-invoicing

Mexico has mandated the issuance of electronic invoices between businesses since 2014, though it had voluntary schemes and conditional requirements for specific taxpayers prior to that year.

Organisations must meet set rules and requirements when participating in the country’s e-invoicing scheme.

Mexico B2G e-invoicing

As well as with B2B transactions, Mexico requires businesses to issue electronic invoices when transacting with governmental and public administration bodies.

The process remains the same, and the aforementioned rules apply – failure to meet the specifications of Mexico’s e-invoicing regulations may result in penalties.

Types of vouchers in Mexico

Mexico’s electronic invoice system contains multiple types of vouchers. Among the main ones are:

In other cases, the requirement to issue a supplement to the CFDI is due to withholdings made at the time of making payments for specific transactions. These supplements are the following:

Derivative transactions
Disposal of shares
Dividends
Financial sector
Interests
Leasing
Mortgage interest
Non-business trusts
Payments to foreigners
Prizes
Retirement plans
Technology platforms

Format of electronic invoices and documents in Mexico

Mexico has a series of unconditional elements that digital documents like e-invoices must include. These features are established in the country’s Tax Code (Código Fiscal), the current Miscellaneous Tax Resolution (Resolución Miscelánea Fiscal, RMF) and its Annexes. Some of the essential components of income CFDIs include:

Header
Item detail
Form and method of payment
Value consigned
Discounts and surcharges
Informative subtotals
Type of payment made
Taxes
Related CFDIs
SAT digital stamp
Signature with a valid advanced electronic signature certificate

What is the CFDI?

CFDI, which stands for Comprobantes Fiscal Digital por Internet, is an e-invoice format mandated by Mexico’s tax authorities. It is also used in select countries across Latin America.

CFDI is effectively an electronic invoice, often also referred to as a digital tax receipt. It provides all necessary details of a transaction, including goods or services provided, associated costs and subsequent taxes.

Mexico’s tax administrative service, SAT (Servicio de Administración Tributaria), approves and certifies these electronic invoices – deeming them legally valid.

The most recent version of CFDI in Mexico is 4.0, which has updated major features of the document. This includes the new requirement to include the sender and receiver’s names, additional fields for exported goods, and a section explaining the reason for a documentation cancellation.

Cancellation of CFDIs

Electronic invoices, or CFDIs, can indeed be cancelled in Mexico. However, with the introduction of CFDI 4.0, the cancellation must be adequately justified and documented, including one of the designated service response codes.

An e-invoice can only be cancelled within the year it was issued – after that, it is impossible to do so. However, each year, the Miscellaneous Tax Resolution establishes the ability to cancel no later than the month in which the annual Income Tax return corresponding to the year in which the receipt was issued must be filed.

Timeline of e-invoicing in Mexico

Mexico’s journey towards electronic invoicing becoming commonplace may have started in the early 2000s, but its e-invoicing scheme is still developing to this day.

2004: Mexico introduces the e-invoice
2010: E-invoicing to tax authorities became mandatory for suppliers with annual turnover exceeding MXN $4,000,000
April 2014: E-invoicing became mandatory for all taxpayers
2017: All domestic businesses and VAT-registered entrepreneurs must send e-invoices to the SAT within 72 hours
1 July 2023: Taxpayers must use version 4.0 of CFDI e-invoicing system

Penalties: What happens if I don’t comply with e-invoicing in Mexico?

Failing to meet the requirements of Mexico’s electronic invoicing requirements could lead to penalties.

Taxpayers can expect to receive a fine of:

MXN $400.00 – $600.00 for each CFDI issued that is missing the necessary supplements
MXN $880.00 – $17,030.00 for not issuing documentation for the transportation of goods
MXN $19,700.00 – $112,650.00 for not issuing or delivering the CFDI for their activities or issuing them without meeting the requirements; not delivering or not making available the printed representation of the CFDI when this is requested by its clients; not issuing the CFDI that covers the operations carried out with the general public; not making them available to the tax authorities when required
MXN $19,050.00 – $108,880.00 for issuing a CFDI that includes the incorrect tax identification number for the buyer. In the case of a repeat offence, the penalty will consist of the preventive closure of the taxpayer’s establishment for a period of three to 15 days.

In certain cases of recidivism, the Tax Code establishes that the SAT can sanction offenders with the closure of the establishment from where such infractions are committed. Mexican legislation also includes the possible commission of equated tax fraud and smuggling crimes if the provisions regulating CFDI and their complements are not duly observed.

What else do I need for VAT compliance in Mexico?

For taxpayers in Mexico, there are more obligations than just e-invoicing. Tax compliance requires a lot of care and attention, especially for multinational organisations, and it can take up significant internal resources.

FAQ

Is e-invoicing mandatory in Mexico?

E-invoicing has been mandatory for all taxpayers in Mexico since April 2014.

Who needs electronic invoicing in Mexico?

Every taxpayer established in Mexico must issue and receive electronic invoices. This has been enforced since April 2014.

Can an electronic invoice be cancelled?

Yes, issuers can cancel electronic invoices they have sent to buyers, but there is a time limit on this. The cancellation process has undergone significant updates over the years, but it is still possible.

How much time is there to cancel electronic invoices in Mexico?

Once buyers receive a notice from the seller, they have 72 hours to accept or reject an e-invoice cancellation. If the buyer does not respond, the electronic invoice will be cancelled.

By default, the recipient of an invoice must accept its cancellation for it to be admissible; however, according to Rule 2.7.1.35 of the Miscellaneous Tax Resolution, there are 12 cases in which accepting the counterparty is unnecessary.

What information should be included in an electronic invoice in Mexico?

There is a lot of compulsory information that must be included in an e-invoice in Mexico, including:

Tax identification number
Buyer name and address
Seller name and address
Folio number
Total invoice amount
Type of transaction

Failing to include all required information may result in the SAT issuing penalties.

Is the use of the CFDI 4.0 scheme mandatory?

The use of Mexico’s CFDI 4.0 e-invoicing system has been mandatory since 1 July 2023.

What are the main differences between CFDI 3.3 and CFDI 4.0?

CDFI 4.0 delivered several significant changes to 3.3, including:

Changes to the cancellation process for CFDIs
The requirement for the fiscal address of both parties
A new format for the Retention Receipt and Payment Information

What kind of receipts can I generate with Sovos?

Sovos ensures full compliance with all e-invoicing requirements in Mexico. We are a PAC authorised by the SAT, offering a comprehensive solution to resolve your indirect tax needs, and we support all CFDIs and their complements.

Setting up e-invoicing in Mexico with Sovos

With electronic invoicing becoming more common globally, following the lead of Latin American countries like Mexico, it is important that you prioritise compliance.

The global – yet fragmented – adoption of e-invoicing solidifies the need to choose a single vendor for complete compliance, wherever you do business. Sovos is a tax compliance partner you can trust.

Focus on what truly matters: speak with a member of our team today to begin reclaiming your time.

Complete the form below to speak with one of our e-invoicing experts

Additional resources for e-invoicing compliance

Integrating with the Platforms You Already Use

Facilitating tax reporting and automation across SAP, NetSuite, Magento and more.

Learn more

The First Global Solution For E-Invoicing Compliance

Find your global solution to e-invoicing

Learn more

Tax Rules, Mandates and Regulations

Find out more about e-invoicing obligations in other countries

Learn more

Electronic invoicing in Colombia

Electronic invoicing in Colombia, often referred to as Colombia facturacion electronica, is mandated for established taxpayers. While it was an early mover in giving legal weight to e-invoices, Colombia’s mandate only came into effect in 2019 and has been subject to change since.

Understanding the specificities of the rules of overall tax compliance is vital. That’s why Sovos’ regulatory experts have produced this complete overview of Colombia e-invoicing. Bookmark this page to stay up to date with the latest requirements.

1. Characteristics of electronic invoicing in Colombia

2. Electronic invoicing law in Colombia

3. How does an e-invoice work in Colombia

4. Benefits of using e-invoicing in Colombia

5. Timeline of e-invoicing in Colombia

6. Penalties: What happens if I don’t comply to e-invoicing in Colombia?

7. How to choose the right e-invoicing software in Colombia?

8. Setting up e-invoicing in Colombia with Sovos

9. FAQ

10. Additional resources

Characteristics of electronic invoicing in Colombia

Colombia B2B e-invoicing

All companies are required to issue electronic sales invoices with prior validation before issuance. Companies must enable themselves as electronic issuers through the web portal assigned by the DIAN.

Suppliers must also certify as Technology Services Providers (PST) and receive a unique software identifier. The standard format used is XML, following the UBL V2.1 (Universal Business Language) adopted by the DIAN.

A digital signature is mandatory to ensure authenticity and integrity throughout the invoicing process.

Invoices must use a consecutive numbering system assigned by the DIAN, along with a Unique Electronic Invoice Code (CUFE) for identification and data integrity. Issuers must create a graphic representation of the invoice in PDF format, including a QR code.

Both issuers and recipients must archive invoices for the period established by the tax statute.

Colombia B2G e-invoicing

Starting in November 2020, electronic invoicing became mandatory for all taxpayers – including B2G transactions. All suppliers must issue electronic invoices and buyers are required to receive them. Buyers do not need to validate the invoice, but they can accept or reject it.

Electronic invoices (Facturas electrónicas)

The electronic invoice is the evolution of the traditional invoice. It has the same validity as paper in a legal sense, but it is generated, validated, issued, received, rejected and preserved electronically. In tax terms, it supports sales transactions of goods and/or services.

All electronic sales invoices for tax recognition must be validated prior to their issuance by the Special Administrative Unit of the National Tax and Customs Directorate (DIAN).

The electronic sales invoice will only be classed as issued when it is validated and delivered to the purchaser – providing it also complies with the conditions, terms and technical and technological mechanisms established by the DIAN.

Electronic equivalent documents (Documentos equivalentes electrónicos)

In the context of electronic invoicing in Colombia, equivalent documents are digital receipts issued by the DIAN (National Tax and Customs Directorate) for transactions that do not require a sales invoice.

The Electronic Equivalent Document is defined as a document that:

Contains the information of a commercial operation carried out by a subject that is not required to issue an electronic invoice
Complies with legal requirements
Is generated and transferred electronically through a technology provider authorised by the DIAN

Adjustment notes are included for the electronic equivalent document and have been created as a mechanism for their cancellation or correction.

Electronic sales receipt

An electronic sales receipt is a receipt that is issued to final consumers. It does not generate tax credit and its structure is less complex than electronic invoices.

Electronic debit and credit notes

Credit and debit notes are documents that allow adjustments or corrections to be made to electronic invoices. They must be generated and transmitted electronically to the DIAN for validation.

Document for payments in favour of non-VAT responsible

This document is a type of invoice that must be issued by the buyer when purchasing goods or services from persons not responsible for VAT.

Export and import electronic invoice

These documents must be issued to support export and import operations, in addition to other documents related to customs operations.

Electronic invoicing law in Colombia

Electronic Invoicing is mandatory in Colombia for businesses that are registered for Value Added Tax (VAT).

The mandate follows a pre-clearance model which came into effect in January 2019, starting with large taxpayers. It became mandatory for all taxpayers as of November 2020, covering B2G, B2B and B2C transactions.

Colombia requires suppliers to issue e-invoices and buyers have to either accept or reject them, though they do not need to validate the document. DIAN, the country’s tax authority, must clear the electronic invoices before they can be sent to the buyer – without clearance, the receipt cannot be issued and the goods cannot be shipped.

For more specifics on Colombia facturacion electronica (e-invoicing), read on.

Types of Operations Subject to the Colombian Electronic Invoice Regime

The electronic invoicing mandate in Colombia applies to the following documents and transactions:

Electronic invoices: Required in B2B transactions and when generating tax credit. The validity of this document is subject to strict compliance rules covering structure, issuance and validation.

Electronic equivalent documents: The following are currently considered equivalent to electronic invoices:

Tickets for cash registers with POS systems
Cinema admission tickets
Passenger transport tickets
Extracts issued by financial and similar institutions for financing operations
Air transport tickets
Documents in localized games of slots, bingo, casinos and the like
The ballot, fraction, cardboard, forms or the like in games of luck or chance
Documents issued in the collection of tolls
Settlement receipts issued by the Colombian Stock Exchange
The document of operations of the agricultural exchange and other commodities
Documents issued for home public services
Income tickets for public shows

Electronic sales ticket: The voucher issued to final consumers. It does not generate tax credit and its structure is less complex than electronic invoices.

Electronic debit and credit notes: Issued by the seller to recover expenses or accredit cancellations, discounts or other modifications to issued electronic invoices and tickets. Like electronic invoices, such notes must be pre-validated.

Document for payments in favour of the non-VAT-responsible: A type of invoice that must be issued by the buyer when purchasing goods or services from people not responsible for VAT.

Receipt for work income: Must be issued according to the format established in the technical documents of the electronic invoice when disbursements related to the taxpayer’s payroll are made, including parafiscal and social security contributions.

Electronic export and import invoice: Must be issued to support export and import operations, in addition to other documents related to customs operations. So far, only electronic export invoices have been developed and put into production.

Other documents: Expense support documents, deductions and other types of electronic media that facilitate compliance with tax obligations.

XML schema based on UBL 2.1

The standard e-invoicing format for e-invoices in Colombia is XML. This format follows Universal Business Language (UBL) V2.1.

The XML document is generated, comprised of the information that Colombia’s tax authority requires, and then signed with a digital certificate. From there, the taxpayer’s certified software validates the data, as well as both the issuer and recipient, and reports the transaction to the DIAN.

The tax authority will then record the document, assign a unique e-invoice number, notify the issuer that it has been processed successfully and deliver the XML to the issuer.

Unique electronic invoice code - CUFE

The Clave Única de Facturación (CUFE) code enables electronic invoices to be identified unequivocally. It’s also known simply as a unique electronic invoice code and is comprised of data from an invoice and the Technical Control Content Key provided by the tax authority.

The CUFE code also ensures the integrity of documents by using SHA384 encryption.

QR code

As well as being in the XML format with a digital signature and unique e-invoice code (CUFE), valid e-invoices in Colombia must include a QR code. This is mandated by law and is possible via certified technology providers like Sovos.

For customers who cannot receive electronic invoices, they are sent a QR Code invoice for the transaction.

Electronic container

One of the changes in Resolution 000012 saw the DIAN modify the e-invoicing law to implement the use of the electronic container. The electronic container is a mandatory electronic instrument used to include the information of the electronic sales invoice, debit notes, credit notes and general electronic information derived from the systems of billing – along with the validation carried out by the DIAN where applicable.

This modification means that e-invoices must utilise digital signatures to guarantee the authenticity and integrity of the document. The issuer must digitally sign the invoice to the standards laid out by the regulation and the tax authority’s signature policy.

How does an e-invoice work in Colombia?

Colombia’s electronic invoicing system contains multiple processes that the electronic biller, the DIAN, the technology providers and the electronic receivers or purchasers participate in.

Once the electronic biller complies with the authorisation requirements, they can start generating electronic invoices and equivalent documents.

Among the most important processes of this generation system are the following:

Validation: Colombia’s current electronic invoicing system requires invoices, and other documents issued by the person responsible for electronic invoicing, to be validated by the DIAN before being issued to their recipient.

Once this process is completed, the DIAN will proceed to register the electronic document in its databases with the value “document validated by the DIAN” while generating, signing, storing and sending a validation message to the electronic biller for its issuance and delivery to the acquirer.

Receipt of electronic documents: Electronic billers must also act as electronic receivers. To do this, they must establish an email to receive electronic sales invoices issued by their suppliers and other documents subject to the electronic invoice mandate.

This obligation is fulfilled by issuing an acknowledgement of receipt by the recipient and should only be done when the document issued has been validated by the DIAN. From a commercial point of view, if the recipient of the document agrees with the document received then they must formally accept it.

If the document does not comply with the commercial conditions agreed with the supplier, they must commercially reject the document and the associated acknowledgement of receipt issued. If, after receiving the document, the recipient does not reject it within three working days from the day indicated in the deliveryDate field (or in the issueDate field), the document will be considered tacitly accepted.

Contingency: The current electronic invoicing legislation states that if the taxpayer is unable to issue an electronic invoice, or any of the other equivalent documents, due to technological problems attributable to the DIAN, they may issue the document supporting the transaction without the validation of the DIAN.

These documents may be invoices in a paper checkbook. In such situations, the taxpayer must use the billing ranges authorised by the DIAN. After the contingency situation is over, the obligor will have a period of 48 hours to send these documents to the tax authority for validation.

The RADIAN: RADIAN is an information system that allows the circulation and traceability of e-invoices as a security title, hereinafter referred to as an electronic sales invoice value title.

Once an electronic sales invoice becomes a value title and is registered in RADIAN, negotiation is possible for the legitimate holder and/or through agents and/or operators authorised by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism.

There are other processes aimed at guaranteeing the negotiation, transfer, endorsement and execution of said document.

Issuance and delivery of the sales invoice and/or the equivalent document: The issuance of the sales invoice or equivalent document includes its generation, transmission, validation and delivery to the purchaser for each of the sales operations and/or provision of services carried out.

The issuance of these documents must comply with the applicable legal requirements, as well as with the special requirements and the conditions, characteristics, terms and technical and technological mechanisms developed by the DIAN.

Benefits of using e-invoicing in Colombia

There are a host of benefits that come with e-invoicing, including:

Timeline of e-invoicing in Colombia

1995: Colombia gives e-invoices the same status as paper invoices
18 April 2016: Pilot project launched with 58 companies
January 2019: E-invoicing becomes mandatory for large VAT-registered businesses
February 2023: Large taxpayers required to issue electronic sales invoices for cash register tickets over 5 UVT
November 2020: E-invoicing becomes mandatory for all VAT-registered businesses
March 2023: Decree 442 introduces changes to electronic invoice regulations
March 2023: Taxpayers that file for income and complementary tax must issue electronics sales invoices for cash register tickets over 5 UVT
April 2023: Taxpayers that do not file for income and complementary tax must issue electronics sales invoices for cash register tickets over 5 UVT
June 2023: All taxpayers must issue electronics sales invoices for cash register tickets over 5 UVT
November 2023: Resolution 165/2023 introduces more changes to e-invoicing regulations
November 2023: Calendar of implementation of Electronic Equivalent Documents is postponed until 1 May
1 February 2024: All taxpayers in scope must have implemented the latest electronic sales invoice rules by now

Penalties: What happens if I don’t comply to e-invoicing in Colombia?

Those who do not meet the requirements of Colombia’s e-invoicing mandate may well face repercussions.

The current sanctioning system of the regime of Colombia is regulated by the provisions of article 652-1 of the Tax Statute, which basically provides for two types of sanctions. Non-compliance may result in fines of up to 1% of the value involved in invalid invoices, or the closure of establishments for up to 30 days.

How to choose the right e-invoicing software in Colombia?

When choosing e-invoicing software for Colombia, it’s crucial to consider the future. The DIAN has already introduced changes to the electronic invoicing regulations and there is a high probability that more alterations will come. The ideal compliance partner is one that combines technology with knowledge, flexibility and foresight – a partner that evolves as regulations do.

Another consideration should be the nature of your business. You could choose a point solution, but it’s more efficient to use a solution that covers all facets of tax compliance – not just in Colombia but everywhere you do business. Sovos can help.

What else do I need for VAT compliance in Colombia?

Businesses that provide taxable goods or services in Colombia may need to register for VAT. The VAT registration process is done through the single tax registry (RUT). Once registered, the taxpayer identification number (NIT) is obtained.

Foreign businesses cannot directly register for indirect taxes in Colombia as non-residents. Foreign traders must form a permanent establishment in Colombia and register for indirect taxes.

FAQ

What is electronic invoicing in Colombia?

In Colombia, all VAT-registered businesses are required to send and receive invoices electronically. All taxpayers must establish themselves as electronic invoice issuers through the tax authority’s web portal and then issue e-invoices for transactions.

Is e-invoicing mandatory in Colombia?

Colombia’s e-invoicing regime is mandatory for all businesses that are registered for VAT. That said, there are some exclusions like financial institutions, companies with an income below a particular threshold and other segments of business.

Who needs electronic invoicing in Colombia?

Any VAT-registered business that is established in Colombia is required to meet the demands of the tax authority’s electronic invoicing mandate.

How can I view an electronic invoice received in Colombia?

You can view the electronic invoice in two ways:

Using a software authorised by the DIAN to open and verify the electronic container. The software must be able to read the XML format and the digital signature of the invoice. You can use the free DIAN upload portal or a third-party software provider.

Scanning the QR code of the invoice with your smartphone or tablet. The QR code will redirect you to the DIAN website, where you can see the invoice details and download it in PDF format.

What is DIAN registration, testing and enablement?

DIAN registration, testing and enablement are the steps that a taxpayer must follow to become an authorised issuer of electronic invoices in Colombia.

The process consists of the following stages:

Registration: The taxpayer must register in the Unique Tax Registry (RUT) and obtain a digital certificate to sign the electronic invoices. The taxpayer must also choose a software provider to generate, transmit and validate the electronic invoices.

Testing: The taxpayer must perform a series of tests to verify the correct functioning of the software and the compliance with the technical and legal requirements established by the DIAN. The tests include the generation, transmission, validation and consultation of electronic invoices – as well as the management of contingencies and errors.

Enablement: Once the taxpayer passes the tests, the DIAN will enable the taxpayer to issue electronic invoices in the production environment. The taxpayer will receive a notification and a number of authorisation of numeration (NAN) to start issuing electronic invoices.

How is the monthly billing value composed?

The monthly billing value is calculated by adding the net sales value, the VAT value and the consumption tax value. The monthly billing value must be reported to the DIAN through the electronic invoicing system and must be paid within the deadlines established by the DIAN.

Is Sovos authorised by the DIAN?

Sovos is certified by the DIAN to provide e-invoicing technology and solutions to eligible taxpayers in Colombia.

Setting up e-invoicing in Colombia with Sovos

With electronic invoicing becoming more common globally, following the lead of Latin American countries like Colombia, it is important that you prioritise compliance.

Focus on what truly matters: speak with a member of our team today to begin reclaiming your time.

Complete the form below to speak with one of our e-invoicing experts

Additional resources for e-invoicing compliance

Related resources you’d like to highlight here

E-invoicing with SAP

Learn how to solve the e-invoicing dilemma with this eBook.

Learn more

E-Invoicing with Sovos

Find your global solution to e-invoicing

Learn more

Global Tax Compliance Obligations

Find out more about tax rules in other countries.

Learn more

Electronic invoicing in Brazil

Brazil is widely regarded as a major player in the world of electronic invoicing, largely due to the sheer number of electronic tax documents and e-invoicing models it has in place. If you’re a taxpayer in Brazil, you will have to issue electronic invoices.

From electronic transport invoices to standard e-invoices for tax, there is a lot to consider when operating in Brazil. This page has all the electronic invoicing information you need to be aware of your obligations and will be updated when necessary, so bookmark the overview to add it to your compliance toolkit.

1. How does e-invoicing work in Brazil?

2. Characteristics of electronic invoicing in Brazil

3. Format of electronic invoices and documents in Brazil

4. NF-e invoices

5. NFS-e invoices

6. What is the CT-e | Electronic Transportation Invoice?

7. E-signature requirements in Brazil

8. Timeline of e-invoicing adoption in Brazil

9. Penalties: What happens if I don’t comply with e-invoicing in Brazil?

10. What else do I need for VAT compliance in Brazil?

11. Setting up e-invoicing in Brazil with Sovos

12. FAQ

13. Additional resources

How does e-invoicing work in Brazil?

While there are several e-invoice types in Brazil, there is a general process that taxpayers need to follow when issuing invoices electronically. While some steps may vary per invoice type, the process often includes:

Applying for a digital signature
Generating an electronic invoice in XML format
Submitting the invoice via web service to SEFAZ (Secretaria da Fazenda Estadual)
Sending the invoice to the customer

Characteristics of electronic invoicing in Brazil

Brazil B2B e-invoicing

In Brazil, issuing electronic invoices – of which there are several types – is mandatory for all taxpayers. If a business is established in Brazil and supplies goods or services, it must participate in the country’s e-invoicing initiatives.

There are numerous electronic invoicing systems in Brazil, and the product category of goods supplied dictates which system will be used.

Brazil B2G e-invoicing

E-invoicing is mandatory for all established businesses in Brazil, including when issuing invoices to governmental and public administration entities.

Format of electronic invoices and documents in Brazil

Brazil has a complex, somewhat fragmented e-invoicing system that requires taxpayers to use specific systems – depending on the category of the goods or services they supply. To ensure compliance, organisations and persons alike must be aware of what’s required of them when issuing an electronic invoice.

While there are several e-invoice types in the country, there are specific characteristics of electronic invoices. Electronic signatures are required no matter the invoice type, and the documents need to be securely archived for five years. Each invoice type is in a structured XML format, and they need to be validated by the Brazilian tax authorities before being issued to the buyer.

NF-e invoices

The NF-e electronic invoice is Brazil’s standard electronic invoice for documenting the transaction of goods and services.

It is issued electronically to the buyer and the Brazilian government. To be deemed legitimate, NF-e e-invoices must be validated by the tax authority.

NFS-e invoices

Unlike Brazil’s standard electronic invoice, NFS-e e-invoices document the transaction of services. Like NF-e e-invoices, NSF-e documents must be transmitted electronically and validated by the Brazilian government.

What is the CT-e | Electronic Transportation Invoice?

CT-e documents are also known as electronic transportation invoices. These e-invoices document the transportation of goods in Brazil via:

Air
Pipeline
Rail
Road
Water

When using a transport service that is external to the company fulfilling the transaction, the buyer must validate the CT-e e-invoice and list it in its monthly report to the government.

E-signature requirements in Brazil

Brazil requires e-invoices to be protected by an electronic signature. This technology irrefutably proves the signing parties’ identity and the document’s integrity.

Once signed by the seller and the buyer, the e-invoice is considered valid from both a legal and fiscal standpoint – especially considering that invoices are also validated by the tax authorities.

Timeline of e-invoicing in Brazil

Brazil was an early adopter of electronic invoicing, though the implementation took time. Here are the key dates of the country’s e-invoicing implementation:

2005: Brazil publishes its first e-invoicing legislation, introducing a clearance model
2008: Taxpayers became obligated to issue electronic invoices
19 April 2023: Electric energy e-invoices (NF3-e) are introduced, with staggered implementation of mandated use
1 September 2023: Individual micro-entrepreneurs (MEI) that are not subject to Interstate Sales Tax (ICMS) are obligated to issue e-invoices

Penalties: What happens if I don’t comply with e-invoicing in Brazil?

There is a price to pay for failing to comply with Brazil’s e-invoicing regulations. Drastic cases of non-compliance may be considered a criminal offence, such as tax evasion.

Taxpayers can be charged a financial penalty of up to 100% of an invoice’s value or transaction price should they fail to issue an e-invoice. This same penalty may apply if electronic invoices do not meet legal and technical requirements.

What else do I need for VAT compliance in Brazil?

While you must stay on top of your e-invoicing regulations in Brazil, additional tax compliance considerations exist.

We have a dedicated page for Brazil VAT Compliance that is a companion tool to this e-invoicing overview, carefully detailing other tax-related regulations that may apply to you.

FAQ

Is e-invoicing mandatory in Brazil?

E-invoicing is mandatory for all established taxpayers in Brazil.

Who needs electronic invoicing in Brazil?

All established taxpayers in Brazil are required to issue electronic invoices.

Can an electronic invoice be cancelled?

Electronic invoices can be cancelled in Brazil, but the time required may differ depending on the taxpayer’s state of operation.

How much time is there to cancel electronic invoices in Brazil?

Generally, an electronic invoice for goods can be cancelled within the first 24 hours of its validation by the Brazilian tax authorities. That said, this may differ state-by-state, so verifying the deadline with the SEFAZ is important.

What information should be included in an electronic invoice in Brazil?

As a rule, the NF-e must contain registration data such as CNPJ (National Register of Legal Entities), address and other data of both the issuer and recipient, as well as information such as product code, description, quantity, unit value and details about taxes such as ICMS, IPI, PIS, COFINS, among others, and a valid digital signature. Electronic invoices must be in XML format.

Setting up e-invoicing in Brazil with Sovos

With electronic invoicing becoming more common globally, following the lead of Latin American countries like Brazil, it is important to prioritise compliance.

The global – yet fragmented – adoption of e-invoicing solidifies the need to choose a single vendor for complete compliance wherever you do business. Sovos is a tax compliance partner you can trust.

Focus on what truly matters: speak with Sovos today to reclaim your time.

Complete the form below to speak with one of our e-invoicing experts

Additional resources for e-invoicing compliance

Integrating with the Platforms You Already Use

Facilitating tax reporting and automation across SAP, NetSuite, Magento and more.

Learn more

The First Global Solution For E-Invoicing Compliance

Find your global solution to e-invoicing

Learn more

Tax Rules, Mandates and Regulations

Find out more about e-invoicing obligations in other countries

Learn more

Sovos recently sponsored a benchmark report with SAP Insider to better understand how SAP customers are adapting their strategies and technology investments to evolve their finance and accounting organizations. This blog hits on some of the key points covered in the report and offers some direct responses made by survey respondents, as well as conclusions made by the report author. To get the full report, please download your complimentary copy of SAP S/4HANA Finance and Central Finance: State of the Market.

In this year’s benchmark report, research found that most companies are focused on reducing complexity and cost as a primary driver of their overall finance and accounting, including tax, strategies. With this reduction, they are working to solve their biggest pain point which continues to be a lack of visibility into financial transactions and reporting.

The survey revealed several key strategies and investments that SAPinsiders are prioritizing to evolve their finance and accounting processes and organizations. The number one driver of finance and accounting strategy in 2021 is to reduce cost and complexity. This was named by 57% of our audience as the top driver of their finance and accounting strategy. This jumped 24% from last year. To support their top drivers, a majority (56%) of the finance and accounting teams in the study plan to increase their use of automation in 2021.

Clean and harmonized data and a centralized single point of truth are the most important requirements that SAPinsiders are prioritizing. 83% of survey respondents report that clean data is important or very important, while 80% highlight the significance of the Universal Journal in centralizing critical information.

Continued complexity within core financial and accounting systems is limiting organizations’ ability to adapt rapidly to changing business conditions and provide real-time visibility into operations. That is why the number one driver of finance and accounting strategy based on this year’s survey is the pressure to cut both cost and complexity.

Survey responses and interviews with customers about their largest sources of pain consistently mention system and process complexity as one of their most significant challenges. Respondents are focused on addressing this obstacle in a variety of ways such as through investments in analytics, automation, centralization, and system consolidation.

This directly impacts how companies approach tax as rapidly changing global tax laws and mandates often have organizations playing catch up to ensure they are charging and remitting the proper amounts of tax to each country in which they operate. Failure to do this can lead to costly audits, potential fines and penalties and damage to brand reputation.

Simplicity, speed, and easy access to data were among the top benefits cited by survey respondents who have completed or nearly completed their move to SAP S/4HANA Finance. Several mentioned the ease with which they can go from high-level reports and drill down to the document or line-item level, making it easier to understand the numbers and perform in-depth analysis quickly. This directly aligns with the pain points that were identified in the benchmark report survey.

What is clear from this survey and subsequent report is that complexity across all layers of finance is having a direct impact on a companies’ ability to function at the highest operational level possible and is threating to impact the bottom line.

Accounting for tax early in your migration strategies and technology upgrades is a key component to ensuring that you are prepared to handle the challenges of modern tax on an international scale. For companies that operate on a multi-national basis, having a centralized approach to tax with enhanced visibility and reporting capabilities is imperative to achieving and remaining compliant no matter how many changes to tax law are introduced every year.

Please download the full report for a more detailed explanation of these critical areas of focus.

Mexico releases Carta Porte Version 3.0

On 25 September 2023, the Tax Authority in Mexico (SAT) published Version 3.0 of the Carta Porte Supplement on its portal with some adjustments.

The use of Version 2.0 of the Carta Porte became mandatory as of 1 January 2022 in accordance with the Fourth Resolution of modifications to the Miscellaneous Tax Resolution of 2021.

However, the authority established 1 January to 31 December 2023 as a grace period to correctly issue said supplement, without sanctions or fines for non-compliance with any requirement.

Main changes of Carta Porte V3.0

There was also the introduction of fields for foreign trade operations, such as:

The Customs Document replaces the Pedimento Section with the addition of fields to identify the type, Tax ID of the Importer and ID custom document.

Through the anticipated version of the 8^th RMRMF, the SAT has modified Rule 2.7.1.7 relating to the requirements of the printed representations of the CFDI, indicating that in the case of the CFDI to which the Carta Porte is incorporated, the structure of the supplement allows the printed representation of the CFDI and the Carta Porte to be displayed separately.

Likewise, Rules 2.7.7.1.1. and 2.7.7.1.2 for the CFDI of the income type and the transfer type to which the Carta Porte is incorporated, respectively, will serve to prove the legal stay and/or possession of the goods and merchandise of foreign origin during their transfer in national territory, providing the number of the customs request or custom document in said receipt in terms of the applicable customs provisions.

Transition and mandatory terms for Carta Porte 3.0

Printed representation

The printed representation introduces a new two-dimensional barcode that will accompany the printed representation of the Carta Porte.

Technical documentation about the latest changes to Carta Porte is available at:

It is important to note that the authority has not yet updated Filling Guide of said complement, so we must be attentive to these regulations.

For historical information on the initiative, read our dedicated Carta Porte 2.0 blog.

Key information about the Carta Porte Supplement

Updates to the Scope and Definitions of the Carta Porte Supplement

Mexico’s Carta Porte supplement was introduced in May 2021 to ensure the traceability of products moved within the country. Use of the supplement became mandatory on 1 January 2022 but there have been many changes and additions to its requirements.

Taxpayers in scope of the Carta Porte

Section 2.7.7 of the Miscellaneous Tax Resolution (RMF) 2023 regulates the Carta Porte Supplement which specifies that the following must issue a CFDI of Income to which they must incorporate the Carta Porte supplement:

Owners of goods transporting its own assets via its own transport methods in national territory, including the use of towing cranes and vehicles for the transport of funds and values, can provide proof of transport through the printed or digital representation of the CFDI of Transfer issued by themselves, to which they must incorporate the Carta Porte supplement.

Transport of imported goods

For those within the scope mentioned above, the RMF indicates that the carrier must prove the legal stay and/or possession of foreign goods and merchandise during their transport in national territory. This can be done using the CFDI of Income or Transfer as appropriate, to which the Carta Porte supplement is incorporated if the CFDI contains the import request number.

Types of transport in scope of the Carta Porte

The current RMF includes a specific section for Maritime Transport and Motor Transport, which also establishes the rules for exported goods.

Exceptions to the Carta Porte obligation

These taxpayers must prove transport with the printed or digital representation of either the CFDI of Income or Transfer as appropriate without Carta Porte. The CFDI must include the product and service key according to the CFDI Filling Instructions to which the Carta Porte supplement is incorporated. Transport of medicines is not included in this exception, among others.

There is also an exception for the provision of parcel or courier services and consolidated transport of goods, following the corresponding rules.

Understanding Mexico’s Carta Porte Supplement

On 1 May 2021, the Mexican tax administration (SAT) released one of the most important updates to the electronic invoicing system of the country since 2017.

The update was about the new Bill of Lading Supplement (locally known as Suplemento de Carta Porte) that should be added as an annex to the electronic invoice (CFDI) of Transfer (CFDI de Traslado) or to the CFDI of Revenues (CFDI de Ingresos) that are issued for hauling services.

This supplement is based on the provisions of Articles 29 and 29-A of the Fiscal Code of Mexico, and the rule 2.7.1.9 of the Miscellaneous Fiscal Resolution. The articles of the tax code grant the tax administration the power to define the documents to be used for supporting the legal transportation goods inside that country via specific rules. The mentioned rule describes the specific requirements of the Supplement of Carta Porte.

Why has Mexico introduced the Carta Porte supplement?

Latin American countries have a serious problem with tax evasion, usually made possible by smuggling goods without paying the corresponding taxes. According to the information provided by the SAT, 60% of the goods transported in Mexico have an illegal origin.

Therefore, the purpose of enforcing the use of the Carta Porte supplement, whether as an annex to the CFDI of Transfers or the CFDI of Revenues, is to ensure the traceability of the products moved inside the Mexican territory by requiring the provision of additional information about the origin, location, precise destination and routes of transport of the products transferred by roads, rail, water or air in Mexico.

Once this change comes into effect, transporters of goods by road, rail, water or air must have a copy of the Supplement of Carta Porte in the vehicle that proves lawful compliance with this mandate.

Who is required to issue the Carta Porte supplement?

When will the supplement become mandatory and when should it be issued?

The Carta Porte as a supplement of the CFDI of Transfers or the CFDI of Revenues

As we know, the new regulations require the Carta Porte supplement to be added to the CFDI of Transfers or to the CFDI of Revenues, depending on who is transporting the goods.

The Carta Porte supplement will be added to the CFDI of Transfers when the transport of goods is made by the owner (i.e. internal distributions between warehouses and stores, consignment, etc.) or when the seller assumes the shipment of the products to the purchaser.

The Carta Porte supplement will also be added to CFDI of Transfers when the shipping of the goods is made by an intermediary or by an agent of transport as explained before. In such cases the current regulations provide that the CFDI should have zero as a value of the products and the RFC key to be used is the generic key established for transactions carried out with the public. In the field for description, the object of the transfer should be specified.

When the Carta Porte supplement is issued as part of the CFDI of Revenues (CFDI de Ingresos) as a result of the goods being transported by a haulage company, the haulage company should issue the CFDI of Revenues with the Carta Porte supplement. However, different to the previous case where the CFDI had a value of zero, the value to be included in the CFDI of Revenues will be the price of transportation services charged by the haulage company to the client.

It is important to mention that Carta Porte supplement does not substitute other documents necessary to prove the legitimate origin or ownership of products. Other additional documents will be required for this purpose.

Documents accompanying the Carta Porte supplement

While the Carta Porte supplement provides clear information about the transportation of goods being transferred, that document alone does not prove the lawful status of the goods being hauled. That status should be proven by whoever is providing the transportation, with the corresponding documents proving the origin of those hauled products, such as import documents, CFDI of Pagos, registrations and licenses etc.

In the case of transportation of petroleum products, the lawful status of the product will be proven with the printed representation of the supplement established for that type of products (the Complemento de Hidrocarburos y Petroliferos).

Structure of the Carta Porte supplement

According to the technical documentation released by the SAT, the information provided via the Carta Porte supplement will be conveyed via a number of fields (around 215) that will contain optional and mandatory information about the product being transported, type of packaging used, weight, quantity, insurance, the permit of transportation provided to the hauling company by the Secretary of Public transportation, plate and registration of the motor vehicle used, driver, as well as information about the recipient of the products being transported within Mexico.

The information of those fields will be filled via direct input by the taxpayers or in some cases via the specific choices available in a set of catalogs established by the SAT.

Other catalogs included in this supplement are those related to the type of transport and trailers used to transfer the products by land, packaging, the types of permits, the municipalities, neighborhoods, and locations, among others.

Penalties and sanctions

Once the use of the Carta Porte supplement becomes mandatory, noncompliance with this requirement will have several immediate consequences for the violators.

Additional clarifications about the scope of the Carta Porte supplement:

When the SAT released the new Miscellaneous Fiscal Resolution for 2021 there were several doubts about the scope of this mandate. This was because for the case of land transportation, the rule established that the use of the supplement would be required only when the goods were transported via federal roads. That original release of the Miscellaneous Fiscal Resolution also established compliance with this mandate would be required to owners of national goods that are part of their assets when they haul those assets in Mexico.

To remove those misunderstandings and limitations, the SAT has recently released a new modification specifying that the mandate will be required for all movement of goods, regardless of the road used. The new resolution also excluded the reference to “national goods that are part of their assets”, so that it is clear now that it applies to any goods being transferred, regardless of its origin.

Take Action

The Colombian electronic invoicing system is reaching maturity level. Since its inception in 2018, Colombia has been steadily consolidating and expanding the mandate to make it more stable, reliable and comprehensive.

As a result of the enactment of the recent Resolution 000013/2021, the Colombian tax administration (DIAN), officially expanded the electronic invoicing mandate to also include payroll transactions. This expansion follows the pattern established by Mexico, Brazil and other countries that already expanded the electronic invoicing mandate to payroll transactions as well.

The Support Document for Electronic Payroll is known locally in Colombia as Documento Soporte de Nomina Electronica or also simply as Nomina Electronica. It is a new digital document intended to support and validate the payroll related costs and deductions of income tax and the VAT credits (if applicable) when businesses make payments resulting from labor, legal, and other similar types of relations (pensions).

In simple terms, labour cost transactions should be reported under this new digital system for them to be valid. This is whenever employers make payments for wages, salaries, reimbursements, pensions etc.

Who is required to comply with the electronic payroll mandate?

Employers paying wages under a labor relation, where payments are reported as expenses for income tax purposes or as deductible taxes for VAT, need to comply. However, there are important exceptions derived from that legal framework. For instance, public offices, non-for-profit entities or taxpayers under the simplified regime are not currently required to comply. Consequently, they do not need to use such payments for deductions of income tax or VAT.

Schedule of deployment

The DIAN established an implementation schedule based on the number of employees the taxpayer has in the payroll. There are four stages or groups subject to the following deadlines:

Deadline for remittance

As the Nomina Electronica is required to be reported monthly, the payments for each month should be reported by the 10th day of the next month as a result. The adjustment notes should be reported within the same deadline, once they have been made by the employer.

Reporting elements of the electronic payroll mandate

There are two basic types of reports that are parts of this mandate: the Support Document of the electronic payroll, and – when necessary – the Adjustment Note.

Support Document of Electronic Payroll or Nomina Electronica

This electronic document contains the information supporting the payments made to employees as wages and other compensations, deductions and the difference between them made by the employer, as reported in the payroll. The employer must then generate and transmit the document to the DIAN using the XML format established in the technical documentation included in the regulation 000037/2021.

Adjustment Notes

In this mandate there are no credit notes as we know them in the electronic invoice system of Colombia. However, when an employer needs to make corrections to the Support Document of Electronic Payroll reported to the DIAN, it can issue what we know as Adjustment Notes (or Notas de Ajuste) where the employer will be allowed to correct any value previously reported to the DIAN via the Nomina Electronica.

Content and structure of the reports

Employers must submit reports to the DIAN individualised for each beneficiary receiving payments from the employers. As a result, the report requires the provision of some mandatory information for the DIAN to validate. This includes the proper identification of the report itself, the reporting party, in addition to the employees, wages or other payments employees, date, numbering, software etc.

Another mandatory information element that is worth mentioning is the CUNE or Unique Code of Electronic Payroll Support Document. This is a unique identifier for each Electronic Payroll Support Document. It will allow exact identification of each report or the Adjustment Notes issued after it. However, there is some additional optional information that can be provided depending on the needs or convenience of the employer making the report.

From a technical perspective, neither the Support Document of the Electronic Payroll nor the Adjustment Notes are based on the UBL 2.1 structure used in Colombia for the electronic invoice. This is because the UBL standard does not include modules for payroll transactions or reports. Therefore, the DIAN has based its architecture in a different XML standard. Each report requires a digital signature. For that, the taxpayer can use the same digital certificate used for signing electronic invoices.

Generation, transmission and validation

The current regulations do not require that the Nomina Electronica or the Adjustment Notes should be generated by a particular software solution or by a software provider authorized by the DIAN. Taxpayers have the option to generate the report using their own solution. That is a market solution or a solution that the DIAN will provide for small taxpayers. However, all reports should strictly follow the technical documentation issued by the DIAN within the Resolution 000037/2021. The remittance of those documents is electronic, using the webservices specified by the DIAN.

After making the transmission, the DIAN then validates the document. They will then report back the corresponding application response to the taxpayer, indicating its acceptance and validation. Only then, will the amounts reported in the payroll document are valid expenses for the deduction.

Penalties and sanctions

Non-compliance with electronic payroll in Colombia will be subject to the same fines and penalties established for not complying with the electronic invoicing mandate, as defined in Art. 652-1 of the Tax Code of Colombia (Estatuto Tributario). But the most important implication of non-compliance is that any payment not reported by the employer, will not be allowed as expenses for income tax or VAT purposes when applicable.

As managing director, Latin American development, Virginia Costa believes that the key to building motivated teams comes from a clarity of common purpose. This is the way to unleash the full potential of talented teams, build great products and solutions and complete our company mission.

Virginia has successfully led multiple integration processes, overseeing the creation and growth of development teams. She empowers her teams to set high standards built on a strong foundation of integrity.

Her Leadership philosophy is to continuously foster open and honest communication, creating an environment of trust and transparency, mutual respect and diversity.

When she is not working towards our company vision, Virginia enjoys playing tennis and spending time with her family.

Virginia credits her ability to relate to people in different jobs and situations with her well-rounded educational background and many years managing complex projects that required her to look at problems from different angles.

Infographic

VAT Solutions From Sovos – Tax Peace of Mind

It is time to get ready for the digital transformation of tax with Sovos VAT solutions.

New VAT reporting requirements are sweeping across the world with increasing intensity and diversity. Tax authorities are on a digital transformation journey, profoundly impacting how companies operate and comply with VAT law. As a result, the challenges that a company trading cross-border faces today may well be among the most onerous in history.

We are here to help.

The Rise of Continuous Transaction Controls

The end of this tax revolution, caused by varying forms of digitalization, is not yet in sight. Many countries around the world, particularly in Europe, have just started their individual journeys toward continuous transaction controls (CTCs). Then there are other countries such as Chile and Brazil in Latin America that have had them for many years. They continue to add new features to further close VAT gaps and to add interoperability. As a result, these additions increase economic benefits to the foundations they built.

Multinational companies need a global VAT solution that grows with them. Many companies feel lost among the rapid succession of CTC mandates around the world. They don’t know how to avoid placing themselves in a costly and perilous corner by using a multitude of diverse local solutions. In working with such companies and their solution providers, we know how crucial it is for responsible executives to help all affected corporate functions cooperate toward forming and adopting a coherent approach that turns CTCs into an advantage rather than a risk.

Tax peace of mind

Sovos is a global leader in tax compliance with global coverage and local expertise. We process more than five and a half billion tax compliance transactions every year in more than 100 countries. Our global coverage is supported by over 2,500 employees in more than 15 countries.

We provide our customers with complete tax peace of mind by providing the first complete global cloud solution for modern tax. Our team of 100 regulatory experts constantly monitor the VAT landscape for regulatory changes across thousands of jurisdictions.

As more tax authorities introduce tax reforms to increase efficiency and close VAT gaps, we make sure our customers are prepared. We ensure they’re able to meet the challenges that increased compliance requirements bring. We help businesses stay ahead of fast-changing government regulations allowing them the breathing space to innovate and grow.

Get ready for the digital transformation of tax

Our solutions are built into the business process platforms used today, including SAP, Oracle, and Magento. Sovos provides seamless integration with one global provider and a centralized global VAT solution.

Speak to a VAT Expert

Find out why Sovos is trusted by half the Fortune 500 and the world’s smartest companies

With two weeks to go until the first mandatory phase of the Indian e-invoicing reform go live, the GST Council slammed the breaks. Or at least, bring it to a significant temporary standstill of 6 months. As a result, the India e-invoicing reform is now postponed until 1 October 2020

Following a long list of complaints — both from the private sector toward the GST Council, as well as from the GST Council vis-á-vis the IT infrastructure provider that powers the GST Network, Infosys — the council decided to revisit the 1 April go-live in a recent meeting held today, Saturday 14 March.

GST Council Decisions

The decisions made in the 39^th meeting of the GST Council will require either that the legislative framework (Notifications) published in early December be amended or entirely replaced with new ones to reflect the new reality. However, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect even further delays to the roll out of this reform. This given to the recent economic volatility triggered by the ongoing pandemic. Only once both global markets as well as the underlying technical platforms of the GST control reform seem to stabilize will the post-October timeline of the roll out be fully certain.

Sun Chemical consolidates its global tax obligation with Sovos

case study

Sun Chemical

Sovos made multinational reporting simple for Sun Chemical, allowing it to consolidate its compliance efforts.

Summary

Business Challenges

Sun Chemical sought to find the right solution to minimise the impact of changing mandates on 24/7 business operations.
The company needed to address language barrier among local and technical teams.

Solution

Sun Chemical needed a platform that could consolidate its compliance efforts across all its Latin American markets.

Benefits

The Sovos Business to Government regional solution minimises business delays and disruptions for 24/7 operations.
It offers local support in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, eliminating the language barrier issue.
Without the constant need for legislative monitoring, the Sun Chemical team can focus on innovation.

The Company

Sun Chemical is the world’s largest producer of printing inks and pigments. With more than $3.5 billion in annual sales, the company is a leading provider of materials to packaging, publication, coatings, plastics, cosmetics and other industrial markets in 56 countries. Sun Chemical operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and has hundreds of multinational suppliers and partners from around the world.

The Challenge

Sun Chemical cannot afford business disruptions or shipping issues due to its operating schedule. Its e-invoicing process must be seamless across throughout the process, including SAP configuration, middleware performance, connections to the local authority’s compliance server, and printing.

Because of e-invoicing mandates in Latin America, Sun Chemical faced the challenge of conducting constant legislation reviews to determine new requirements that needed to be converted into the system. The language barrier also posed a challenge. With technical requirements being communicated in local languages, fluency to understand the mandates and to convert changes into the system was required. For parties without a high level of technical proficiency in the local language, this caused lag time and confusion, contributing to reduced efficiencies.

The Solution

Based on individual compliance needs, Sun Chemical initially elected to implement different solutions in each country. In Argentina, it selected the regional Sovos Business to Government Reporting solution to maintain its compliance platform. In Chile and Mexico, it selected two separate local providers with two different models, and in Mexico, it implemented an internal solution. Get in touch with our experts for your compliance journey.

“Change is happening, but we’ll automatically solve it with the [Sovos] solution. Converting a legal requirement in a local language into a configuration plan is very complex, so the service of automatic updates to the new legislation was a clear key point of help for us.”

Aldo Magenes

SAPAnalyst, Sun Chemical

The Benefits

The metrics showed a large production support advantage in Argentina, where Sun Chemical had implemented the Sovos Business to Government Reporting regional platform. The company elected to expand its partnership with Sovos to cover its operations in Chile, Mexico and Brazil as well.

The Results

With local support in English, Portuguese and Spanish, the Sovos Business to Government Reporting regional platform helped Sun Chemical isolate its compliance problems and focus on driving business results. The Sovos solution alleviated the need to monitor every single change and translate each of those changes into system configuration plans, saving the team valuable time and reducing the risk of penalties.

Why Sovos?

Sun Chemical evaluated each of its four Latin American e-invoicing compliance solutions with a series of analytics measuring cost and benefits. Company leaders knew the internal team’s time was best spent on innovation and improving business and customer relationships, so they were looking for the solution that would minimise delays and disruptions and keep the team focused where it mattered most.

Ensure your business is compliant with e-invoicing obligations.

Sovos provides the global expertise you need to manage regulatory requirements across all borders.

Talk with an expert today

Companies dealing with complex sales and use tax determination, VAT regulations and other tax challenges across the globe know that SAP alone is not equipped to support the varying requirements from country to country. As SAP sunsets support and updates for ECC and R3, companies must move to HANA to keep their systems up to date. With this inevitable change to S/4HANA or HANA Enterprise Cloud, now is the perfect time to step back and develop a comprehensive strategy to managing tax worldwide.

SAP users must migrate to HANA by 2025, but a majority have not yet started the process. Since the move requires major changes to ERP infrastructure, SAP users with global operations should take advantage of the unique opportunity to be more strategic in their implementation. With the right approach, companies can future-proof their solutions in a way that ensures they can keep pace with constant changes in tax regulations throughout Latin America, Europe and beyond.

Learn how to minimise business disruption during an SAP S/4HANA upgrade project in the wake of modern tax: Read Preparing SAP S/4HANA for Continuous Tax Compliance and don’t let the requirements of modern tax derail your company.

Governments around the world are implementing technology for tax enforcement. In order to keep up, companies must make the digitisation of tax a core pillar of their HANA migrations.

In the move to HANA, companies must consider the new world of tax, which includes:

The move to S/4HANA or HANA Enterprise Cloud requires companies to move all of their processes, customisations and third-party add-ons to the new platform. As such, there are several critical considerations.

What to migrate, and when

Since most companies’ SAP ERP systems have been built and customised over many years, many will benefit from a phased approach to HANA implementation. The less customised modules, such as Financial Accounting (FI) and Controlling (CO) will be easier to move than Materials Management (MM) or Sales and Distribution (SD), which will need a long-term plan for customisations.

What to do with customisations and third-party apps

Many SAP configurations have become a patchwork of customised code and bolt-on applications. This is especially true when it comes to sales and use tax determination, e-invoicing, and VAT compliance and reporting, since requirements are vastly different in every jurisdiction a company operates. The move to HANA gives companies the opportunity to consolidate, eliminating local configurations in favour of a global strategy. Companies that proactively plan can help to ensure that the next 15 years are simplified, without the constantly changing configurations needed in the previous 15 years as governments have gone digital.

The Common Reporting Standard (CRS) is fast becoming the global standard for tax information reporting outside the United States. As more countries adopt CRS, and as penalties for late, incorrect or missed CRS filings become more severe, financial institutions need to know what their compliance requirements are. The following are clarification and detail about what insurers need to know about CRS reporting obligations.

Establishing Key Terms

Under the CRS, the term “Financial Institution” means a Custodial Institution, a Depository Institution, an Investment Entity, or a Specified Insurance Company. (CRS, Section VIII: Defined Terms, A.3).

A “Specified Insurance Company” is “any Entity that is an insurance company (or the holding company of an insurance company) that issues, or is obligated to make payments with respect to, A Cash Value Insurance Contract or an Annuity Contract.” (Section VIII, A.8). Insurance companies that only provide general insurance or term life insurance will not be specified insurance companies, nor will reinsurance companies that only provide indemnity reinsurance contracts.

Typically, an insurance company meets the criteria of a Specified Insurance Company if:

Insurance companies that provide only general insurance or term life insurance are typically not classified as FIs; likewise, reinsurance companies which provide only indemnity reinsurance contracts and insurance brokers are typically not considered to be FIs.

Of the five types of financial accounts that must be reported under CRS, two relate to insurance companies: annuity contracts and cash value insurance contracts.

The CRS does note that in reporting account balances or values, that Cash Value Insurance Contracts and Annuity Contracts, FIs should report the Cash Value or surrender value of the contracts. (Section I, A.4).

In order to meet the requirement to report residence of the account owner, insurers who provide Cash Value Insurance Contracts may rely on the current residence address in its records until 1) there is a change of circumstances that causes the FI to know or have reason to know that the residence address is incorrect or unreliable, or 2) that the time of pay-out (whether full or partial) or maturity of the Cash Value Insurance Contract.

Insurance companies do not have to report, review, or identify a pre-existing individual account that is a Cash Value Insurance Contract or an Annuity Contract provided that the FI’s jurisdiction prevents FIs from selling contracts to residents of that jurisdiction.

Due Diligence Requirements

The CRS establishes an alternative due diligence procedure for Cash Value Insurance Contracts and Annuity Contracts in Paragraph B of the Special Due Diligence Rules. The CRS advises that a reporting FI may presume that an individual beneficiary (other than the owner) of a Cash Value Insurance Contract or Annuity Contract receiving a death benefit is not a reportable person, and that FIs may treat such accounts as other than a reportable account unless the reporting FI has actual knowledge or reason to know that the beneficiary is a reportable person. If the beneficiary is a reportable person, the FI is required to follow the procedures established in paragraph B of Section III.

The Commentary to the CRS notes that an alternative procedure similar to the above may be necessary for certain employer-sponsored group insurance contracts or annuity contracts. In such cases, the Commentary suggests adding a provision to account for group insurance contracts. In cases where such group insurance plans exist, the Commentary advises a provision to state something similar to the following: “A Reporting Financial Institution may treat a Financial Account that is a member’s interest in a Group Cash Value Insurance Contract or Group Annuity Contract as a Financial Account that is not a Reportable Account until the date on which an amount is payable to the employee/certificate holder or beneficiary, if the Financial Account that is a member’s interest in a Group Cash Value Insurance Contract or Group Annuity Contract meets the following requirements:

(Commentary on Section VII, paragraph 13; pg. 153). The last provision is provided if the Financial Institution does not have a direct relationship with the employee/certificate holder at inception of the contract and thus may not be able to obtain documentation regarding their residence.

Conclusion

Insurers who fall under the definition of Financial Institution provided by the CRS are obligated to report on Cash Value Contracts and Annuity Contracts, so long as such contracts are allowed in the jurisdiction the FI is reporting from. These FIs have an obligation to comply with the due diligence requirements that the CRS imposes on them, and can make use of an alternate procedure to comply.

Group	Deadline to start the generation and remittance of the document	Number of employees
Group		From	Up to
1	1 September 2021	More than 250 employees101
2	1 October 2021	101	250
3	1 November 2021	11	100
4	1 December 2021	1	10

Trends 13th Edition 2022

Trends 13th Edition 2022

Get the report

The four mega-trends that we examine are:

Pillar Details

When Will the Plan be Implemented?

More Details to Come

Take Action

Brazil and Mexico lead the way

E-transport elsewhere in LatAm

LatAm sets the scene for electronic invoicing trends

Take Action

Electronic invoicing in Mexico

Table of contents

How does e-invoicing work in Mexico?

Characteristics of electronic invoicing in Mexico

Mexico B2B e-invoicing

Mexico B2G e-invoicing

Types of vouchers in Mexico

Income receipt

Proof of expenditure

Transfer certificate

Certificate of payment receipts

Withholding and payment information certificates

CFDI Supplements

Format of electronic invoices and documents in Mexico

What is the CFDI?

Cancellation of CFDIs

Timeline of e-invoicing in Mexico

Penalties: What happens if I don’t comply with e-invoicing in Mexico?

What else do I need for VAT compliance in Mexico?

FAQ

Setting up e-invoicing in Mexico with Sovos

Complete the form below to speak with one of our e-invoicing experts

Additional resources for e-invoicing compliance

Integrating with the Platforms You Already Use

The First Global Solution For E-Invoicing Compliance

Tax Rules, Mandates and Regulations

Electronic invoicing in Colombia

Table of contents

Characteristics of electronic invoicing in Colombia

Colombia B2B e-invoicing

Colombia B2G e-invoicing

Electronic invoices (Facturas electrónicas)

Electronic equivalent documents (Documentos equivalentes electrónicos)

Electronic sales receipt

Electronic debit and credit notes

Document for payments in favour of non-VAT responsible

Export and import electronic invoice

Other documents

Electronic invoicing law in Colombia

Types of Operations Subject to the Colombian Electronic Invoice Regime

XML schema based on UBL 2.1

Unique electronic invoice code - CUFE

QR code

Electronic container

How does an e-invoice work in Colombia?

Benefits of using e-invoicing in Colombia

Reduced material costs – no need for paper, printing, enveloping, postage

Increased accuracy – Automated reporting eliminates the possibility of manual input errors

Time efficiency – E-invoicing and real-time reporting eliminate the paper process

Simple archiving – Paper invoices are at risk when stored for years (and producing copies is harder)

Timeline of e-invoicing in Colombia

Penalties: What happens if I don’t comply to e-invoicing in Colombia?

How to choose the right e-invoicing software in Colombia?

What else do I need for VAT compliance in Colombia?

FAQ

Setting up e-invoicing in Colombia with Sovos

Complete the form below to speak with one of our e-invoicing experts

Additional resources for e-invoicing compliance

E-invoicing with SAP

E-Invoicing with Sovos

Global Tax Compliance Obligations

Electronic invoicing in Brazil

Table of contents

How does e-invoicing work in Brazil?

Characteristics of electronic invoicing in Brazil

Brazil B2B e-invoicing

Brazil B2G e-invoicing

Format of electronic invoices and documents in Brazil