An e-invoice (electronic invoice) is a digital version of an invoice that is created, sent, and received in a structured electronic format. Unlike a PDF or scanned document, an e-invoice is generated in a standardized format — such as XML — that can be automatically read and processed by accounting or enterprise systems. E-invoices are usually accompanied by a more human-friendly version (such as a PDF or on-screen display) so the recipient can review details easily.

Beginning July 2030, all intra-EU B2B transactions are required to use this system, creating a more efficient and consistent approach to VAT across Europe. That said, each affected country has its own additional regulations, and national authorities are setting different timelines for compliance. 

Harvest supports UBL e-invoices — an XML file that includes additional data that is required by many European businesses. Optionally, Peppol network details can also be entered.

You may need to further edit these files to meet both EU-wide rules and your country-specific requirements.

Teammate permissions and UBL exports

Administrators can do everything related to UBL exports:

• Enable and disable UBL for the account
• Manage company UBL values
• Manage client UBL values
• Export UBL invoices
• Include UBL invoices with Harvest invoices, reminders, and thank-you messages sent through Harvest

Managers are never able to enable and disable UBL for the account or manage company UBL values. For the other aspects of UBL exports, they must have one or both of the following additional permissions:

• Send and fully manage invoices for projects they manage: This permission allows Managers to access and export e-invoices and include them when sending Harvest invoices, reminders, and thank-you messages through Harvest (only for projects they’re set to manage). They can also see UBL-related company and client information in the course of exporting an invoice and if they open the exported file.
• Create and edit all clients and tasks: This permission allows Managers to enter and update client UBL values, both in Manage > Clients and (if they also have the permission to send invoices) in the course of exporting an invoice.

Enable UBL exports

Any Administrator can enable UBL exports for your Harvest account.

1. In Invoices > Configure, go to the Company information tab.
2. Check the Export invoices in UBL format box.
3. Enter your company’s UBL export values in the fields that appear.
4. Peppol network requirements are optional. See more below.
5. Click Save company information.

Export a UBL invoice

Any Administrator can generate UBL exports of invoices. Managers must have the additional permission to send and fully manage invoices for projects they manage.

Before you export an invoice, ensure it has a number in the PO number field and has no more than one tax rate applied for each line item.

• Note: The name of the PO number field can be customized, so it may have a different name in your account. If you’re not sure which is the correct field, check Invoices > Configure > Translations to see its name in your account.

1. Go to Invoices and click the invoice you want to export.
2. Click Export and select UBL from the dropdown.
3. Review the Company information (for your own company) and click Save company information.
   • Administrators can update these values as part of this step. Once you complete this export, any changes here will apply to all UBL exports going forward.
4. Review the Client information (for your client).
   • Administrators as well as Managers with the additional permission to create and edit all clients and tasks can add and update these values as part of this step. Once you complete this export, any changes here will apply to all UBL exports for this client going forward.
   • Managers without the additional permission to create and edit all clients and tasks won’t be able to generate a UBL invoice export for a client that doesn’t already have client UBL values entered. A teammate with the necessary permissions will need to add those values to the client in Manage > Clients first.
5. Click Export UBL invoice. The invoice will be saved on your computer as a .xml file.

Once you’ve exported a UBL invoice, you can manually attach it to an email or upload it elsewhere.

You can also include a UBL invoice with an invoice, reminder, or thank-you message when it's sent directly through Harvest.

Include a UBL invoice when sending a Harvest invoice, reminder, or thank-you message

Any Administrator can include UBL invoices when sending an invoice, reminder, or thank-you message directly from Harvest. Managers must have the additional permission to send and fully manage invoices for projects they manage.

At this time, there's not a way to include a UBL invoice with recurring invoices.

Before you take the following steps, ensure the Harvest invoice has a number in the PO number field and has no more than one tax rate applied for each line item.

• Note: The name of the PO number field can be customized, so it may have a different name in your account. If you’re not sure which is the correct field, check Invoices > Configure > Translations to see its name in your account.

Sending a UBL invoice

1. Go to Invoices and select an invoice.
2. Click Send invoice, Send reminder (for a past-due invoice), or Send thank-you (for a paid invoice).
3. Review and update as needed the fields that appear.
4. Check the box to Include a UBL version of the invoice.
   • If you're not able to check the box because the client UBL settings are incomplete, or if you'd like to update the client UBL settings before sending the invoice, click Edit client UBL settings. Managers without the additional permission to create and edit all clients and tasks aren't able to add or update these values.
   • After you've edited the settings and been brought back to the invoice, start at step 2 of these instructions.
5. Click Send invoice, Send reminder (for a past-due invoice), or Send thank-you (for a paid invoice).

Manage company and client UBL values

Set and edit company UBL values

Your company’s UBL values are initially entered in the course of enabling UBL exports for the account. These values include optional fields for the company's bank account information, for countries that require the seller to include payment information.

Any Administrator can update the company UBL values from Invoices > Configure > Company information, or in the course of exporting a UBL invoice.

How Harvest keeps your bank account information safe

Your company's bank account information is securely encrypted in our database, just like all other personally identifiable information. You can learn more in our Security FAQ.

Note that in addition to all Administrators, Managers with the additional permission to Send and fully manage invoices for projects they manage can also see UBL-related company and client information, including your company's bank account information, in the course of exporting an invoice and if they open the exported file. Anyone else who opens the exported file will also be able to see this information.

Set and edit client UBL values

Administrators as well as Managers with the additional permission to create and edit all clients and tasks can set and edit a client’s UBL values by going to Manage > Clients and clicking the Edit button for that client.

They can also update a client’s UBL values in the course of exporting a UBL invoice for that client.

Troubleshoot UBL exports

If you run into any problems while trying to export an invoice to the UBL format, please double-check the following:

• Ensure the invoice has a number in its PO number field. If you’ve changed the name of the field to something different and are not sure which field is the right one, check Invoices > Configure > Translations.
• Ensure there are no line items with two tax rates. Even if you’re applying two taxes to a line item, you’ll need to combine them into one tax rate on your Harvest invoice in order to export it to UBL.
• Ensure the VAT numbers in your company and client UBL values are correctly formatted, with the country’s ISO code at the beginning. 

The Peppol network

The Peppol network (Pan-European Public Procurement Online) is a secure, standardized system that allows businesses and public authorities to exchange electronic documents, such as e-invoices, across borders. As part of the EU’s move to mandatory e-invoicing, several countries are requiring the use of Peppol — or a similar certified network — to send and receive invoices. 

While Harvest itself is not a Peppol gateway, Harvest can help you to prepare e-invoices to send through an external Peppol gateway. 

Peppol requirements are entered under Invoices > Configure > Company information > Configure UBL export values. There, look for and enter your relevant Peppol network requirements (Optional). 

You can learn more in our article about creating invoices that are accepted with Peppol.