Learning about Mexico e-Invoicing from an Expert, Part 3

This is Part 3 of this interview with Mexico e-Invoicing expert Jason Jones of Crossgate, a company SAP co-owns and a global e-Invoicing managed service provider.  Your can read Part 1 and Part 2 here.

Kevin:  Jason, can you walk us through the SAP process and how it integrates with Mexico's e-Invoicing processes?

Jason:  Sure.  The process works as follows:

1. The outbound, standard invoice process in SAP is VF01.  
2. The invoice process creates a billing document. 
3. The billing document invokes a function module which generates an IDoc. 
4. The IDoc is transmitted to the real time connector which converts it to an XML document. 
5. Crossgate picks it up and manages the entire Mexico e-Invoicing process and returns it to SAP with the digital signature.
6. Crossgate also provides the archiving of the data for each invoice and digital signature

Kevin:  What data does Crossgate need to add to a standard invoice to make it compliant with Mexico’s requirements?

Learning About Mexico e-Invoicing from an Expert, Part 2

This is Part 2 of an interview I conducted last week with Mexico e-Invoicing expert Jason Jones of Crossgate, a company co-owned by SAP and global provider of e-Invoicing managed services. 

Read Part 1 here.
Read Part 3 here.

Jason:  Companies that receive an electronic invoice in Mexico after January 1, 2011, need to validate it before they pay it.  If not, it could be considered fraudulent. They need to validate the timbre through the Mexico SAT or PAC to ensure it is accurate and digitally signed.

Kevin:  Who needs to be compliant with these new requirements in Mexico?

Jason:  Companies that have annual revenue over 4 million pesos and that issue invoices over 2,000 pesos.

Kevin:  What are some of the biggest challenges that SAP users will face in supporting these requirements?

Jason:  For SAP users the biggest challenge is to seamlessly integrate, in real time, their SAP ERP with Mexico's SAT or authorized PACs. It needs to be perfect.  No data can be lost or go missing.

Learning about Mexico e-Invoicing from an Expert, Part 1

The following is an interview I did last week with Mexico e-Invoicing expert Jason Jones, the VP of Services with Crossgate, a company co-owned by SAP.

Kevin: What are the biggest challenges you are seeing companies face with Mexico e-Invoicing?

Jason: Number one, there is much confusion about what the new rules really mean. Many companies have been using the preprinted versions of folios.  They have learned, over time, about the first set of Mexico SAT requirements and as a result think they understand the new set of requirements.  The problem is that much has changed in the new set of enhancements.  Many companies are confident in their ignorance.  They think they know all the requirements, but what they know is outdated.

Two things in particular have changed.  In the new enhancements that are mandated for January 1, 2011, there is a mandate to use electronic invoices rather than have a paper invoice option, and you have a mandate as to how you must handle invoices in real time.