Viewing received e-invoices: how to do it

Opening and viewing received e-invoices is not as difficult as you might think. In this guide we explain how to do it

Although it is now in full swing, there are still many doubts about electronic invoicing. There are those who, for example, are still trying to understand what e-invoicing is and how it works, those who wonder what it is for and how to make an e-invoice, those who would like to understand what the SDI code is for and how to get it.

Among the most common doubts, especially among those who don't have much to do with invoicing and accounting issues, there is also another one: how to view the e-invoices you receive. From a practical point of view, the electronic invoice is nothing more than an XML file composed of strings of characters that are difficult to read for an untrained eye. The question arises, therefore, how to read electronic invoices once received and, possibly, how to convert the xml electronic invoice into PDF, so that it can be easily viewed and printed.

Of the various methods available to receive electronic invoices, the Certified Electronic Mail is the one that provides the most advantages for individuals, freelancers or SMEs. Receiving electronic invoices on PEC, in fact, you will have the possibility to easily convert the XML file into PDF and read the invoice in a simple and immediate way. And, compared to other solutions, it is also cheaper: to open a PEC box with Libero costs just 12.99 euros (if you activate Libero Family PEC, while Libero Mail PEC costs 25 euros + VAT  per year) and allows you to communicate with Public Administration bodies, to send cancellations for subscription services and much more.

How to view electronic invoices

If you need to receive an electronic invoice, you have three different methods at your disposal: an ad hoc platform for electronic invoicing, the tax drawer of the Inland Revenue and, of course, the Certified Electronic Mail. Among the three, the most convenient, economical and easy to use for private users or freelancers is the PEC.

Using your own Certified Electronic Mail address instead of the unique SDI code (which you can get only if you have a VAT number) it will also be easier to open and read electronic invoices. All you have to do is download the file in XML format from your certified mailbox (which you open from a normal browser) and import it into a free software such as FatturaPA, from the Italian Revenue Agency and Sogei.

As mentioned before, PEC is more versatile and cheaper than other paid tools to receive electronic invoices: by opening a Libero Family PEC box you'll pay only 12.99 euros and you'll have the possibility to send as many Certified Mail messages as you want.