What the file holds
The PDF reads like an ordinary invoice. It follows the PDF/A-3 standard, built for archiving, and carries a factur-x.xml file written in the CII syntax and conforming to the EN 16931 profile: the number, the dates, the seller, the customer, every line, VAT by rate and the totals. That’s the data software reads, with no retyping.
We checked invoices created with this tool, in every case it offers, with veraPDF for PDF/A-3 and with the EN 16931 rules published by the European Commission for the XML. The “XML only” button downloads that same file, without the PDF.
| On the invoice | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Totals excluding VAT, VAT by rate, total including VAT | Worked out to the cent from your lines |
| Late payment penalties, €40 recovery fee, early payment discount | Added by default, to adjust under “Payment and mentions” |
| Customer’s SIREN, delivery address, nature of the transactions, VAT on invoicing option | The mentions added by the French reform, which the form asks for |
| « TVA non applicable, art. 293 B du CGI » | Added when you tick the French VAT exemption for small businesses |
The mandatory mentions
An invoice between businesses in France carries about fifteen mentions, and the e-invoicing reform adds four: the customer’s SIREN (the French company number), the delivery address if it differs, the nature of the transactions and, where relevant, the option to pay VAT on invoicing (« d’après les débits »). The form asks for all of them. The full list, with an example for each, is in our article on the mandatory information on a French invoice.
Factur-X and the 2026-2027 reform
An e-invoice isn’t just a PDF sent by email. Between VAT-registered businesses established in France, it is issued, sent and received through an accredited platform (plateforme agréée). Large and mid-sized companies have issued e-invoices since September 1, 2026; SMEs, very small businesses and micro-entrepreneurs will from September 1, 2027.
This tool doesn’t send anything. It creates a file in the right format, useful for your invoices until your date comes, for those outside e-invoicing, such as sales to private persons, which fall under e-reporting, or for testing. The dates and obligations are in our guide to e-invoicing in France.
The cases the tool handles
- The French VAT rates of 20%, 10%, 5.5% and 2.1%, on the same invoice if needed.
- Exempt lines, with the reason for the exemption.
- The reverse charge, when the customer owes the VAT.
- The French VAT exemption for small businesses (franchise en base).
- Long invoices, over several pages.
It doesn’t do credit notes, deposit invoices, invoice-level discounts or other currencies yet.
Frequently asked questions
Is an invoice created here an e-invoice under the French reform?
The file has the expected format: a PDF/A-3 carrying the invoice’s XML in the EN 16931 profile. But the reform also sets a route: between VAT-registered businesses established in France, invoices are issued, sent and received through an accredited platform, since September 1, 2026 for large and mid-sized companies, and from September 1, 2027 for SMEs, very small businesses and micro-entrepreneurs. Emailing this file doesn’t replace that route.
Which Factur-X profile does the tool use?
The EN 16931 profile, which holds all the data of the European standard’s model, invoice lines included. ZUGFeRD calls this profile COMFORT.
Is my information sent anywhere?
No. The invoice is computed and created in your browser, and the file is saved straight to your device. Clivio doesn’t receive or keep anything you type.
Can I make a credit note or a deposit invoice?
Not yet. The tool creates standard sales invoices in euros, without an invoice-level discount. For a credit note, a deposit invoice or an invoice in another currency, use your invoicing software or your accredited platform.
How do I check the invoice I created?
Drop the PDF into our Check an e-invoice tool, which reads the attached XML and lists the fields it finds. You can also open it in the Factur-X invoice reader.