Facturación

Facturación is the set of processes that organizations use to generate, issue, and manage invoices for goods and services, with the aim of recording receivables, enabling payment, and satisfying tax and accounting requirements. It encompasses the creation of documents that document commercial transactions and support financial control and revenue recognition.

A typical invoice includes essential information such as the date and a unique invoice number, data identifying the issuer and the recipient (including tax or business identification numbers), a description of the goods or services, quantity, unit price, subtotals, applicable taxes and tax rates, the total amount, currency, payment terms and due date, as well as payment methods. In some jurisdictions, invoices must be accompanied by signatures or digital seals to ensure authenticity and integrity.

Beyond standard invoices, the field distinguishes simplified invoices, pro forma documents (non-binding quotations), and debit or credit notes used to correct or reflect changes in a transaction. The invoicing process generally covers creation, approval, issuance, delivery to the customer, payment tracking, and eventual posting to accounting records, with reconciliation of payments and receipts.

Regulatory and regional aspects are central to facturación. In many countries, invoicing is tightly regulated to support tax collection, often requiring electronic invoicing and standardized formats. Value-added tax (VAT) or goods and services tax (GST) rules, digital reporting, and archival requirements shape how invoices are issued and stored. Examples of electronic invoicing systems include e-invoicing frameworks in various Latin American and European countries, sometimes linked to tax administration portals or networks.

Benefits of effective facturación include improved cash flow, reduced administrative costs, and enhanced compliance and fraud prevention, while challenges involve data accuracy, interoperability across systems, and data security.