Reading the XML: the invoice is already fields

An e-invoice XML holds the invoice as fields: parties, number, dates, lines, VAT breakdown, totals. Reading it means addressing those fields, not recognising text.

Try it on your own invoice

5 documents free. PDF, photo or XML — data out as CSV, Excel or JSON.

Why not the PDF

A PDF is a rendering: the numbers are positioned text, and their meaning depends on layout. Change the template and a regex returns the wrong number — or none.

The XML is the source. Same file, same result, every run.

What is in the file

Header: invoice number, issue date, due date, currency, buyer reference.

Parties: supplier and buyer with identifiers and addresses.

Body: line items with quantity, unit price, line amount; then a VAT breakdown by category with rate, taxable base and tax amount.

Where extraction usually breaks

Taking the first VAT group only, when the invoice has zero-rated lines as well.

Ignoring line-level discounts: the line amount is already net of discount, so quantity × price will not match.

Assuming one currency: multi-currency invoices state the total in the invoice currency and sometimes a converted amount.

After extraction

Verify VAT groups, then totals. If the groups match, the invoice is almost certainly consistent.

Export to CSV, Excel or JSON and import into the ledger.

Frequently asked

Can I open an e-invoice XML in a browser?

Yes, you will see the structure rather than a formatted invoice. That is normal — the file is data, not a document layout.

Does reading XML cost anything?

No. There is no recognition involved, so structured e-invoices are free to process.