IOTILL / ELECTRONIC INVOICING
Understanding Factur-X
You open your invoice like an ordinary PDF. Your customer can also have their software read it, without entering all the information again. Factur-X brings both uses together in one file.
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THE ESSENTIALS
In practice, for your shop.
Factur-X contains a readable PDF invoice and an embedded data file called XML. The PDF lets you view the invoice; the data lets compatible software process it. iotill generates invoices compatible with this format.
You read the invoice
Items, quantities and amounts appear in the PDF document.
The software reads the data
Information embedded in the file can be used by compatible software.
The invoice follows its workflow
For transactions within scope, regulatory exchange goes through an approved platform.
01
An invoice you can read and software can use.
You see the usual invoice layout: the customer, sales lines, amounts and VAT. You can open its PDF part to view this information.
The same file also contains data organised for software. This is the XML part: a way to present information to a machine without asking it to work out what is written on the page. Compatible software can then use the data in its processes.
02
Why a plain PDF does not do the same job.
An ordinary PDF shows an invoice’s content, but does not necessarily contain the structured data another application expects. Factur-X adds this data to the document you can read.
The reform adds another step: exchanging the invoice through the regulatory workflow. For transactions within scope, emailing a PDF does not replace this exchange through an approved platform. The file format and how it is transmitted need to be prepared together.
03
With iotill, start from your sale to see the result.
Invoices generated by iotill are compatible with Factur-X. You can issue an invoice from your business documents, notably a sale or delivery notes linked to a business customer.
During a demonstration, ask to see the resulting file. Your reseller can explain the required information, the level of data produced — called a “Factur-X profile” — and the planned connection to your platform. You see both the invoice and how it fits into your organisation.
Straightforward answers to your questions.
- Can my customer open the invoice without a specialised tool?
- Yes, the PDF part lets them view the invoice. Retrieving and processing the embedded data requires software compatible with Factur-X.
- Is a Factur-X invoice automatically transmitted?
- The file format does not trigger transmission by itself. Your chosen platform and your solution’s connection determine how the invoice is exchanged and how you monitor the outcome.
Sources and updates
This guide presents the French reform. The sources below let you check the rules. Your accountant can confirm which ones apply to your business.
Sources consulted on 12 October 2026.
EXPLORE FURTHER
Continue with the right guide.
POS and electronic invoicing
Checkout, business customers, Factur-X and QR codes: discover how iotill connects your sales to electronic invoicing.
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E-invoicing or e-reporting?
An invoice between businesses or sales data to transmit: understand the difference between e-invoicing and e-reporting with simple examples.
Read the guide
Electronic invoicing: the 2026–2027 timeline
Receiving invoices since September 2026, issuing them according to your business: find the dates and stages to prepare for electronic invoicing.
Read the guideExplore these workflows in iotill.
YOUR SHOP, YOUR WORKFLOW
See how it works for your business.
Request a demonstration using a typical sale or order. You can see the resulting invoice and ask questions about the stages to set up.