ThriveCart can provide a structured, machine-readable UBL XML version of an invoice in addition to the existing PDF invoice. UBL XML is designed for software systems to read and process invoice data such as the seller, buyer, invoice number, line items, taxes, totals, and payment information.
This feature is particularly useful for merchants preparing for structured e-invoicing requirements, including the French e-invoicing rollout.
ThriveCart only generates and provides the formatted file for download. It does not submit the file to a government authority, or complete any required e-reporting on your behalf.
A standard PDF invoice remains available and its existing download behavior is unchanged.
What is a UBL XML invoice?
UBL stands for Universal Business Language. UBL is an XML-based format that represents business documents in a structured way.
Unlike a PDF, which is primarily designed for people to read visually, a UBL file is designed for software to process. It can contain structured information such as:
- Invoice number and issue date
- Seller and buyer details
- Tax and VAT identifiers
- Product or service descriptions
- Quantities and prices
- Discounts and charges
- VAT rates and tax amounts
- Invoice totals and amount due
- Payment terms and references
- References to earlier invoices or credit notes
The Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 specification defines a UBL invoice and credit-note syntax based on the EN 16931 semantic model. It includes required identifiers, dates, invoice type codes, currency, seller, buyer, payment, tax, totals, and invoice-line structures.
Important: A file being valid XML does not automatically mean it is legally valid for every jurisdiction. The exact profile, business rules, tax data, identifiers, and transmission process must match the applicable country requirements.
Requirements
To download a UBL XML invoice:
- The invoice must be available through the existing invoice experience.
- A UBL XML file must be available for the transaction.
- The invoice must contain enough stored data for ThriveCart to generate the XML file.
- Your browser must be able to download files from the signed download URL.
- All of the required fields must be enabled on the checkout (see more details below)
During this initial launch phase, the Invoice section within the ThriveCart dashboard is currently only accessible to those on Pro+ plans.
Users on the Standard plan level can reach out to ThriveCart Support directly for exports.
Required Checkout Fields
Make sure that all of the required fields are enabled within the customer information field within your checkout editor in order to generate a UBL XML invoice with the required customer data. A file will not be generated on transactions missing the required information. See more on enabling these fields in our guide here.
- Personal Info
- Full Name (required)
- Business Name (optional)
- VAT number (required)
- Address (all required)
- Address
- City
- ZIP/Post Code
- Country
- Notifications Opt-In (required)
- ‘Include my business info & address in receipts’: head to Account > My Profile > Notifications to enable this checkbox and include your business information on invoices.
Accessing Individual E-invoices
Step 1: Navigate to Invoices
From the ThriveCart dashboard, open Transactions and click on Invoices, locate the transaction, and click the Get E-Invoice beside the transaction.
The feature is intended to work with both future and historical invoices that remain available through the existing invoice experience. The existing PDF option remains unchanged.
Step 2: Select e-invoices
After clicking the “Get E-invoice” button, a confirmation modal opens, detailing the invoice ID and Peppol UBL as the file download type.
The modal will explain that the file is structured and machine-readable.
Step 3: Download the XML file
Select Download.
ThriveCart retrieves the UBL XML file and starts the download. The file will use an XML extension, an appropriate XML content type, and set the invoice number as the filename.
After downloading, provide the file to:
- Your accountant
- Your accounting software
- Your e-invoicing provider
- Your government approved platform, if applicable
ThriveCart does not submit the file to the government or to an approved platform, and it is your responsibility to be registered with the proper authorities and to submit your files to them directly, or via an approved platform.
Data Included in the file
The XML carries information collected during checkout, such as:
- Invoice number
- Issue dates
- Currency of the transaction
- Both parties name, address, VAT id, company reg no
- Payment details
- Per-line qty/price/tax rate + category
- Whether taxes are inclusive or exclusive, the XML will be identical either way as UBL is always net lines + tax stated separately
- The tax category (reverse charge or zero-rated taxes) is pulled directly from the invoice data
- Tax totals per rate
- Document totals
UBL files are separated based on their transaction type. This means that new files are generated for refunds, and all rebills (recurring payments), referencing the original transaction.
Not included yet: discounts/surcharges, delivery details, order references
Known Limitations & What this feature does not do
This release does not include:
- Government registration, file transmission, or submission status tracking
- Merchant onboarding with Avalara or another provider
- Mandate configuration
- Country-specific activation settings
- E-reporting for B2C or international transactions
- E-invoice stamping
- Additional formats such as Factur-X or XRechnung
- Submission of invoices to Chorus Pro or an alternate government-approved platform
- Validation of the merchant’s legal eligibility
- A guarantee that the invoice satisfies every local tax requirement
- Creation of a government acknowledgment or clearance number
FAQs
- Q: Does downloading the UBL file make my invoice compliant?
- A: No. The UBL file is a structured invoice artifact that may support a compliant workflow. For covered French transactions, the invoice must also contain the required information and be transmitted through the appropriate approved platform. ThriveCart does not perform that transmission.
- A: No. The UBL file is a structured invoice artifact that may support a compliant workflow. For covered French transactions, the invoice must also contain the required information and be transmitted through the appropriate approved platform. ThriveCart does not perform that transmission.
- Q: Can I upload the file directly to the government?
- A: Not as part of the ThriveCart feature. For private-sector B2B transactions, the expected route is generally through the merchant’s chosen approved platform, which handles transmission to the recipient’s platform and the required data transmission to the administration.
For invoices addressed to public-sector entities, Chorus Pro is just one of many options for a reference platform for French Compliance for the public sector. Other jurisdictions may have their own approved portals.
The exact upload or import process depends on the platform selected by the merchant and is not standardized by ThriveCart.
- A: Not as part of the ThriveCart feature. For private-sector B2B transactions, the expected route is generally through the merchant’s chosen approved platform, which handles transmission to the recipient’s platform and the required data transmission to the administration.
- Q: Do I need to register with the French tax authority?
- A: Merchants generally need to select an approved platform and complete that platform’s onboarding and designation process. The approved platform updates the central directory used for invoice addressing. The merchant is not registering ThriveCart as a government platform through this feature.
- A: Merchants generally need to select an approved platform and complete that platform’s onboarding and designation process. The approved platform updates the central directory used for invoice addressing. The merchant is not registering ThriveCart as a government platform through this feature.
- Q: Can I download files in bulk?
- A: As part of the current release, no. Files can currently be downloaded individually from each transaction, but we are working to roll out bulk download functionality in the near future.
- A: As part of the current release, no. Files can currently be downloaded individually from each transaction, but we are working to roll out bulk download functionality in the near future.
- Q: Can I download UBL files for historical invoices?
- A: No. E-invoices can only currently be accessed from the release date onwards. Earlier invoices can be requested by contacting support.
- A: No. E-invoices can only currently be accessed from the release date onwards. Earlier invoices can be requested by contacting support.
- Q: What happens if required invoice data is missing?
- A:The UBL will be generated based on information collected in checkout at the time of the transaction. If information is missing from a transaction, that information was never collected from the customer, and a UBL cannot be generated.
- A:The UBL will be generated based on information collected in checkout at the time of the transaction. If information is missing from a transaction, that information was never collected from the customer, and a UBL cannot be generated.
- Q: Will the XML file be emailed to the customer?
- A: No. This allows downloading of the file by the merchant only and does not automatically deliver a UBL file to the customer email.
- A: No. This allows downloading of the file by the merchant only and does not automatically deliver a UBL file to the customer email.
- Q: Does this make ThriveCart a Merchant of Record?
- A: No. ThriveCart is not the merchant of record. A Merchant of Record (MoR) is the legal entity responsible for selling a product or service to an end customer and taking full financial and legal liability for the transaction. ThriveCart is simply the software that you are using to sell your product to your customer.
Related articles
- Setting your products payment notifications
- Setting Invoice Options
- Collecting customer details at checkout
External Articles: