With the implementation of CFDI 4.0 in 2022, significant changes impacted how invoices are issued and received in the country. In this article, we will see what CFDI 4.0 consists of, its evolution up to the present, and what those changes have been.
Since its creation in 2011, the CFDI has become essential for electronic invoicing in Mexico. Over time, the CFDI has evolved, adapting to the needs and requirements of the Tax Administration Service (SAT) and users’ convenience. Keep reading us!
What is CFDI 4.0?
CFDI 4.0 is the recent version of CFDI in Mexico, the famous Digital Fiscal Receipt over the Internet (by its acronym in Spanish, Comprobante Fiscal Digital por Internet), which came into effect at the beginning of 2022. This new version was designed to improve and simplify the issuance and receipt of electronic invoices and strengthen the security and integrity of the information contained therein.
This CFDI replaced the previous version CFDI 3.3, and both were working in parallel until March 31, 2023. After that, version 4.0 became mandatory as of April 1, 2023.
Among the most innovative of CFDI 4.0 are the inclusion of new mandatory fields and the creation of new attributes that allow better fiscal control. In addition, new validation rules were established that make it possible to detect and correct problems that have arisen more efficiently.
Another of the improvements introduced is the inclusion of a more secure and efficient cancellation scheme, which allows users to cancel invoices with problems more quickly and easily, as long as specific requirements and procedures are established by the Sat.
Chronology of its evolution
Billing in Mexico has evolved dramatically since the government started digitizing the process to facilitate its control in 2004. In 2005 the system began to be implemented.
· 2005: The obligation to issue invoices electronically through the Digital Fiscal Receipt (CFD) scheme is established.
· 2010: The second version of the CFD is launched, known as CFD 2.0, which includes improvements in the receipt structure and the addition of digital seals to guarantee the document’s authenticity.
· 2012: A new version of the CFD is implemented, version 2.2, which introduces new fields and structures for tax and accounting information and eliminates printed invoices.
· 2014: The CFD changes to CFDI 3.2, and billings from then on are entirely electronic.
· 2017: The SAT announces the activation of CFDI 3.3, which focuses on improving the quality of the information, including the inclusion of new fields and the improvement of the validation system.
· 2022: The most recent version of CFDI, version 4.0, is launched, and it remains in coexistence with version 3.3 until March 2023.
In addition to the previous versions, there are other variants of the CFDI, such as the payroll CFDI, the payment CFDI and the payment receipt CFDI, which are used to record specific company operations and comply with tax obligations in Mexico.
What were the modifications that were made with the arrival of CFDI 4.0?
With the activation of this version, necessary modifications focused on improving control were introduced. Some of the most notable changes are:
· New obligatory fields: New obligatory fields were established that must be added to the invoices, such as the recipient’s tax regime, its company name, its fiscal domicile, and the type of receipt, among others.
· Cancellation system: A safer and more efficient cancellation scheme was established, which allows users to cancel vouchers more quickly and easily. In addition, a new mandatory field is added to indicate the reason for the cancellation.
· Validation rules: Some adjustments were made to the validation rules that make it possible to detect and correct errors in issuing the tax receipt more efficiently, such as the fiscal stamp, the digital seal, the XML formats, and the original certification chain.
At PCP Consultores, we are specialists in everything related to electronic accounting. Contact us by phone or through our email if you need advice regarding CFDI 4.0.
