Concept Definition
What is invoice archiving?
Invoice archiving is the storage of issued and received invoices in a manner that ensures their integrity, authenticity, and readability over the legally required retention period. For e-invoices, archiving must preserve the original structured data and the human-readable representation in a format that cannot be altered.
What are the key requirements for compliant invoice archiving?
Regulatory frameworks across EU jurisdictions set consistent archiving requirements:
- Integrity: Archived invoices must be unalterable. Hash values or digital signatures verify integrity.
- Authenticity: The identity of the issuer must be verifiable over the retention period.
- Readability: Invoices must be reproducible in human-readable form throughout the retention period.
- Accessibility: Archived invoices must be retrievable within a reasonable time on tax authority request.
- Retention period: Typically 5-10 years depending on jurisdiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can invoices be archived in the cloud?
- Yes. Cloud archiving is permitted in most jurisdictions provided the archive meets integrity, authenticity, and accessibility requirements. The data must remain accessible within the jurisdiction's legal framework, and businesses must ensure they can retrieve invoices even if they change providers.
- Can paper invoices be destroyed after digital archiving?
- In some jurisdictions, digitized paper invoices can replace the paper original if the digitization process meets specific integrity and authentication standards. France permits dematerialization of paper invoices under strict conditions. Most jurisdictions require legal review before destroying paper originals.