Simple and compliant invoicing with SDI

E-invoicing in Italy

E-invoicing has been well-established in Italy. Paper or fax invoices and even PDFs are no longer accepted as legal invoice formats.

Italy does not use Peppol for e-invoicing but a separate platform called SDI.

Discover below how you can receive and send Italian invoices via SDI and get started in a few easy steps.

E-invoicing Italy

E-invoicing requirements in Italy

Legal obligations

Businesses who work with the Italian government, have been required to use e-invoicing since 2014. More specifically, this is the case for submitting, receiving an processing e-invoices.

As of July 2022, this obligation has been extended to all Italian invoices, including those concerning foreign partners. This means e- invoicing is mandatory for B2G, B2B and B2C in Italy.

All e-invoices must be sent via SDI.

What is SDI?

SDI - or Systema Di Interscambio - is a centralized platform and network for e-invoicing in Italy. Businesses must send and receive invoices via this system. All invoices need to be submitted in the FatturaPA file format. Other types of invoices such as paper or non-electronic invoices (such as PDFs) are no longer accepted in Italy.

This obligation applies to e-invoicing for B2G, B2B and B2C.

How it works: sending and receiving invoices via SDI

Companies register on the SDI network

Businesses are first required to register on SDI or another service connected to SDI to be able to send and receive Italian invoices.

Data is validated

The data from the e-invoices are validated according to the requirements of the Italian Revenue Agency.

Valid invoices sent to recipient

When an invoice has been checked and deemed valid, it is forwared to the correct recipient.

Invalid invoices sent back

if an invoices is rejected by the Italian Revenue Agency, the sender is informed via the SDI platform.

Options for sending e-invoices to Italy

There are 5 options for legally sending e-invoices to Italian businesses, consumers or the government. They all have their specific requirements, such as the e-invoice file size.

  1. Certified Electronic Mail (CEM)
  2. Revenue Agency website: The Italian Revenue Agency has created a webform to upload e-invoices. You will need authentication credentials to continue.
  3. SDIFTP: A File Transfer Protocol for sending e-invoices. You will need to meet certain technical specifications in order to use this service.
  4. SDICoop: a web service which you will need to set up to connect to SDI. 
  5. Billit: this software connects to SDI via API web service. When you create an account, Billit will automatically register you on the SDI network and take care of all communication.
SDI Logo 656X600

Why use Billit to connect with SDI?

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Easy registering

Billit takes care of your registration on SDI. Wen you create a Billit account, you will also automatically register on SDI.

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Correct format

Your invoices are automatically converted in the required FatturaPA format. That means you don't have to retype anything and all your invoices will meet the required standard as soon as you create them.

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Central platform

Use one platform to create, track and receive your invoices. Billit will automatically retrieve all communication and status messages from SDI. Your incoming invoices will also appear immediately in Billit so you can keep all your e-invoices in one place.

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Safely exchange sensitive financial data

The identity of everyone affiliated with the network is verified, so you can be sure that the invoices you receive are genuine, and you avoid invoice fraud.

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Automate your invoicing process

The invoices you send through the network are completely digital, so you can process them automatically in your invoicing software.

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Send invoices quickly

Create your invoice and send it immediately via SDI. Combined with automatic processing, this will save a lot of time.

How to send e-invoices to Italy

If you want to send or receive e-invoices from Italy, you need to register on the SDI network. 

Follow the steps below to register on SDI via Billit and send your first invoice.

@Model.Label
Step 1

Create a Billit account

  • Create your free trial account using the button below.
  • Enter your company information in the 'My company' tab.
  • Through the menu item 'My Profile' you can further complete your company details.
Billit - Create Account
Step 2

Connect to SDI

In order to send your first Italian invoice, you need to connect to SDI. 

  • In Billit, go to 'Settings' and 'Integrations' in the left-hand menu.
  • Look for 'SDI' in the search bar or scroll down the list. 
  • Click on the 'available' button.
  • Next, click 'Connect' to start your registration process and follow the instructions.
  • For the use of the SDI network, the Italian government charges a setup fee of €175 for the registration and certification process and an annual subscription fee of €175. These costs will be automatically added to your invoice.
Screen SDI Integrationpage 656X600 2 (4)
Step 3

Create a customer

  • Click on 'Customers' in the menu on the left and click the '+add' button
  • Fill in your customer's details
  • In the section 'invoicing address' set the country to 'Italy'
  • Click the '+' button next to the VAT field and select 'SDICODFIS'. This is your primary identifier. You can check the validity of codes via Angezia Entrate.
  • Companies that are liable to VAT require a VAT number as well. Complete it in the 'VAT' field (ITxxxxxxxxxx). You can look up Italian VAT numbers in the CBE-database.
Billit - Dashboard
Step 4

Create & send invoice

  • Go to the income tab to create your first invoice and click the '+Add' button
  • In the customer field, select the customer you've just created
  • Fill in the rest of your invoice and click 'create invoice' to finalize
  • Click the 'Send' button to see all sending options
  • Billit will automatically recognize if your customer is connected to SDI. Click the button 'Sending via SDI' to send your invoice
Billit - Create Invoice

Which identifiers are being used in Italy?

There are many kinds of identifiers for sending invoices via SDI. Find out the difference between each option below.

Type Description Example
Codice Fiscale (CFI) This 16-digit number is allotted to all Italian individuals. It as used as a tax or personal identification number or fiscal code. cvonmr69d63f205w
VAT (identification) number or VAT-id number A unique identification number for entrepreneurs liable to VAT. It should be included on each invoice to customers. An Italian VAT number starts with IT, followed by 11 digits. IT11694100014
Posta Elettronica Certificata (PEC) This code refers to the email certificate which can be used to send certified emails. Email addresses end in @pec.it or @legalmail.it
Codice Destinatario (CODDEST) This code consists of 7 characters and represents the digital address your customer is registered on. T04ZHR3
Codice Univoco d'Ufficio (CUU) The CUU is required when sending to Italian public services. It is not mandatory for B2B invoicing. rspzcl
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Frequently asked questions about SDI & Billit