Italy · SDI Receiving Invoices Guide
🇮🇹 Receive and process electronic invoices from Italy’s SDI system
Introduction
Electronic invoicing is mandatory for all businesses in Italy. The Sistema di Interscambio (SDI) serves as the Italian government’s central hub for transmitting, validating, and delivering all electronic invoices throughout the country.
The SDI system operates using a standardized XML format called FatturaPA, which ensures all invoices contain the required information and comply with the strict validation rules established by the Italian tax authority (Agenzia delle Entrate). To ensure proper routing of invoices to the correct recipient, the SDI system uses a unique identifier called a Recipient Code, which is assigned to each registered SDI provider.
Invopop simplifies SDI integration by allowing you to work with GOBL format instead of XML, providing synchronous validation before submission, and offering a simple API integration with automatic handling of SDI notifications and status updates. For sending invoices through SDI, see our companion guide: Italy - SDI: Sending Invoices.
Setup
Connect the SDI Italy app
- Navigate to Configuration → Apps
- Locate SDI Italy in the app discovery list
- Tap Connect to activate
Unlike sending, receiving invoices requires additional configuration after the initial connection.
Set up the Customer Registration Workflow
Use this workflow to register a company to receive invoices through SDI.
Copy and paste into a new Empty Party workflow code view.
Before starting, review the workflows guide to understand the general setup process.
In Console, create a new workflow and choose Empty Party workflow as the base. Then name the workflow with a descriptive label such as “SDI Register Supplier”.
The new workflow will need to perform these steps:
- Set State: Select
"Processing"to mark the start of the registration. - Register SDI Customer (Italy): This step registers the company as an invoice receiver through SDI. Make sure to select the
"Production"environment to go live. - Set State: Once the registration is complete, select
"Registered".
In the Error Handling section, add a Set State step and choose "Error" to capture any issues during registration.
This minimal workflow is required to onboard a customer for SDI e-invoicing in Italy. You can extend it with notification steps, such as sending confirmation emails or updating external systems when registration succeeds or fails.
Import Invoices Workflow
Use this workflow to import and process invoices received through SDI. This workflow must be selected in the SDI Italy app configuration to automatically process incoming invoices.
Copy and paste into a new Empty Invoice workflow code view.
This workflow automates the import and processing of incoming invoices via Italy’s SDI (Sistema di Interscambio).
Before starting, review the workflows guide to understand the general setup process.
In Console, create a new workflow and choose Empty Invoice workflow as the base. Then add the following steps:
- Import from SDI (Italy): Retrieves invoices in the FatturaPA format from SDI and converts them into GOBL. Set the environment to
"Production"for real operations. - Generate PDF: Generates a visual representation of the invoice in Italian, using the specified locale (
"it"), date format (%Y-%m-%d), and logo height (40px). - Set State: Marks the invoice as
"Sent"once it’s successfully processed.
In the Error Handling section, add a Set State step with the state set to "Error" to capture and flag failed imports.
This is the minimal workflow required to automate the reception and visualization of invoices received through SDI. You may expand it with additional steps such as storing a backup copy, notifying clients, or integrating the documents into an ERP system.
Configure the app for receiving invoices
To start processing incoming invoices navigate to Configuration → Apps, find the SDI Italy app and tap Configure and select the appropriate Import Invoices workflow
This workflow will automatically trigger whenever a new invoice is received through SDI. Any errors in the import process will trigger the rescue steps in the workflow, allowing identification and resolution of issues.
Register with Italian tax authority
You must register the Recipient Code (Codice Destinatario) for each company you want to receive invoices.
- Access the Italian tax authority’s website and log in with valid credentials for the company being registered.
- Tap on the Fatture e Corrispettivi section.
- In the box Fatturazione elettronica, tap on Registrazione delle modalità di ricezione della fattura elettronica.
- Select the Recipient Code (Codice Destinatario) option and enter the code
JKKZDGRprovided by Invopop - Tap on Conferma
After completing this registration with the tax authority, execute the Customer Registration workflow in Invopop to complete the setup for that company.
Both steps must be completed for each company
- Register the Codice Destinatario
JKKZDGRwith the Italian tax authority for that company - Run the Customer Registration workflow for that company in Invopop
Registration is only required for receiving invoices, not for sending them.
Receiving Invoices
Invopop uses the GOBL FatturaPA library to process conversions, automatically converting received FatturaPA XML documents into GOBL format.
Detailed information about the SDI-specific extensions and validations can be found in:
How the process works
Register with Italian tax authority
Register the Recipient Code JKKZDGR with the Italian tax authority for each company that needs to receive invoices, as outlined in the setup steps.
Set up the Customer Registration workflow
Run this workflow for each company that needs to receive invoices. This registers the company’s tax ID with our SDI integration partner to subscribe to invoice events for that organization.
Configure the app for import
Select the Import Invoices workflow in the SDI Italy app configuration to automatically process incoming invoices.
Process received invoices
Once registered, any invoices addressed to the registered companies with the Recipient Code will be automatically received and processed through the Import Invoices workflow configured in the app settings.
The import process uses the open-source library gobl.fatturapa to convert FatturaPA documents into GOBL format, making them accessible within the Invopop workspace like any other document.
If errors occur during the import process, they will trigger the rescue steps in the workflow, allowing users to check what went wrong and take appropriate action.
FAQ
Is electronic invoicing mandatory in Italy?
Is electronic invoicing mandatory in Italy?
Yes, electronic invoicing through SDI is mandatory in Italy for B2G, B2B, and B2C transactions.
All invoices must be issued in FatturaPA format and transmitted through the SDI (Sistema di Interscambio) platform.
What happens if a received invoice contains errors?
What happens if a received invoice contains errors?
If an invoice received through SDI contains errors:
- The import process will still attempt to convert it to GOBL format
- Any validation errors will be logged, and the rescue steps in your workflow will be triggered
- You can review the errors and decide how to handle the invoice
If the invoice has significant structural issues that prevent conversion, you may need to contact the sender to request a corrected invoice.
How quickly are invoices received after being sent by suppliers?
How quickly are invoices received after being sent by suppliers?
Invoices are typically received within minutes after being sent by suppliers through SDI. The automatic import process in Invopop processes them as soon as they are received by our system.
Can I register multiple companies to receive invoices?
Can I register multiple companies to receive invoices?
Yes, multiple companies can be registered to receive invoices through a single Invopop workspace. For each company, you must:
- Register the Recipient Code
JKKZDGRwith the Italian tax authority for that specific company - Have its tax ID registered using the Customer Registration workflow in Invopop
- Use the same Import Invoices workflow configured in the app settings
This two-step registration process (with the tax authority and with Invopop) must be completed for each company you want to register. This is particularly useful for white-labeling scenarios where a user manages multiple entities.
Can I use the same workflow for both sending and receiving invoices?
Can I use the same workflow for both sending and receiving invoices?
No, sending and receiving invoices require different workflows:
- For sending invoices, a workflow with the Generate FatturaPA and Send to SDI steps is needed
- For receiving invoices, two workflows are required:
- A Customer Registration workflow (run once for each company that needs to receive invoices)
- An Import Invoices workflow (configured to run automatically)
For more information on sending invoices, see our Italy - SDI: Sending Invoices guide.
What is the difference between registering with the tax authority and registering with Invopop?
What is the difference between registering with the tax authority and registering with Invopop?