International e-invoicing: Master it with Odoo

Invoicing internationally: What to expect?

When a company starts billing outside its home country, the first challenge is the variety of standards. In Italy, for example, invoices must go through the SdI (Sistema di Interscambio) platform; in France, the Factur-X format is mandatory, while in Germany, businesses more commonly use ZUGFeRD. For cross-border exchanges within Europe, the PEPPOL network is becoming essential, and on a global scale, UBL (Universal Business Language) acts as the common language between software systems.

Beyond formats, managing international VAT, handling currency conversion, applying the correct tax rates, and adding local requirements all increase the risk of errors. 

By 2025, complying with these regulations is no longer optional—it’s critical for SMBs to stay agile and avoid penalties or payment delays.

International invoicing: 4 challenges holding back SMBs

Expanding into international markets exposes businesses to a range of technical and regulatory hurdles. For small and mid-sized companies, every destination requires fast, flawless adaptation of invoicing processes.

• Multiple and evolving formats : Managing several standards means configuring documents manually, adjusting procedures, and keeping up with constant changes. Even a minor update can slow down accounting teams and lead to costly mistakes.
• Complex tax compliance : Accurately calculating VAT, applying the right tax regime for each transaction, and meeting strict issuance deadlines (sometimes within just 10 days under the ViDA reform) demand constant vigilance.
• Control and archiving of transactions : International platforms now require secure, time-stamped, and reversible archiving for every invoice sent or received. Legal traceability is no longer optional.
• A shifting compliance timeline : By 2030, all European businesses will need to comply with e-invoicing and real-time e-reporting requirements.

Multi-country e-invoicing: How Odoo automates compliance

Odoo streamlines international invoicing with automation designed for SMBs that do business abroad.

• Automatic adaptation to formats and platforms : Instead of juggling multiple tools, Odoo generates invoices in the required format, connects directly to national portals (PEPPOL, Chorus, InvoiceNow, and more), and validates compliance before submission.
• Automated tax and currency calculations : Local tax rules, VAT rates, currencies, and legal mentions are built into Odoo and kept up to date. Business teams don’t need to manually check every parameter—fields automatically adjust based on the customer’s or vendor’s country.
• Centralized global invoicing : Whether in Europe, Asia, or the Americas, all invoices are consolidated into a single dashboard. This makes monitoring, searching, and managing much simpler while reducing the risk of errors.
• Automated archiving and reporting : Every invoice is time-stamped, securely stored, and readily available for audits or regulatory checks. Odoo provides reports that meet both national and EU requirements, ensuring full traceability for accounting teams.

Direct benefits for your SMB

Switching to international e-invoicing with Odoo brings a series of concrete advantages for SMBs, boosting both efficiency and performance. Here’s why the move is strategic.

• Fewer errors : Standardized formats, automatic field validation, and direct connections to national portals eliminate the main causes of invoice rejections or delays.
• Faster payments : Submitting compliant invoices on time reduces disputes and speeds up collections, strengthening cash flow.
• Real-time visibility : Dashboards centralize invoice statuses (sent, received, approved, rejected), outstanding amounts, and upcoming deadlines across all markets.
• Peace of mind with tax and legal compliance : Local requirements are anticipated: Odoo updates its modules regularly to ensure every transaction complies with new regulations, making audits and inspections far simpler.
• Easier entry into new markets : SMBs can start invoicing in new territories without reconfiguring their processes—Odoo adapts automatically. What once required hours of manual work becomes a seamless, automated workflow.