| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | No invoices by e-mail accepted in Spain? Thread poster: ICTAC
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ICTAC
Canada
Local time: 19:10
Spanish to English
+ ...
A Spanish client who has been late in paying my invoice has now come up with a new idea of further delaying payment: he says "as you certainly know, in Spain invoices must be sent by mail. By Spanish law e-mailed invoices are not acceptable."
Is this true?
| | | | John Cutler 
Spain
Local time: 04:10
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Pure rubbish | Apr 21, 2008 |
The title says it all. I send invoices by email to all my clients here.
Good luck!
| | | | Williamson
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:10
Flemish to English
+ ...
| FedEx, DHL, UPS.... | Apr 21, 2008 |
Send them overnight by FedEx, DHL, UPS or any other Xpresspost. Your customer will be "happy" to receive your invoice so fast and will not be able to say that the invoice gets lost in the mail because the customer has to sign for delivery. If I am not mistaken such shipments are tax-deductible as business-expenses. The "Invoice on Time".
| | | | | Rubbish indeed | Apr 21, 2008 |
I have also translated for several companies located in Spain. None of them had any objections to emailed invoices.
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Margreet Logmans (X)
Netherlands
Local time: 04:10
English to Dutch
+ ...
| Maybe, but.... | Apr 21, 2008 |
I do believe there is some official legislation about this (EU policy), but they should have told you so as soon as they received your e-mailed invoice. By not saying it wasn't valid, they have accepted it.
At least, that's how it's dealt with in the Netherlands, AFAIK. Formally, I need to use an 'electronic' signature, approved by the Tax Office, if I want my invoices to be legally valid. But I've never bothered. And we're in the EU as well as Spain.
And yes, 99% of all my in... See more I do believe there is some official legislation about this (EU policy), but they should have told you so as soon as they received your e-mailed invoice. By not saying it wasn't valid, they have accepted it.
At least, that's how it's dealt with in the Netherlands, AFAIK. Formally, I need to use an 'electronic' signature, approved by the Tax Office, if I want my invoices to be legally valid. But I've never bothered. And we're in the EU as well as Spain.
And yes, 99% of all my invoices are sent by e-mail, to quite a number of EU-countries, including Spain, and so far they have all been paid. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | My clients accept invoices by e-mail | Apr 21, 2008 |
I send my invoices by e-mail and my clients do accept them.
| | | | Alan R King
Local time: 04:10
Basque to English
+ ...
In memoriam | It's bullshit | Apr 21, 2008 |
I live and work as a freelance translator in Spain. I have sent to a variety of Spanish customers (and been paid) well over one hundred invoices in the past three years, ALL BY EMAIL.
Alan
| | | | Andy Watkinson
Spain
Local time: 04:10
Member
Catalan to English
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They'll have to come up with something better than that - I can't remember the last time I physically "mailed" an invoice to a client.
Cheers,
Andy
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ICTAC
Canada
Local time: 19:10
Spanish to English
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TOPIC STARTER | Idoia Echenique (X)
Spain
Local time: 04:10
English to Spanish
I email all my invoices to Spanish clients, both direct clients and translation agencies, and never had a problem.
Idoia
| | | | Ralf Lemster
Germany
Local time: 04:10
English to German
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| Legitimate request | Apr 21, 2008 |
Hi all,
Slightly OT as we don't work with any freelancers based in Spain, nor do we have any Spanish clients.
I must admit that I'm somewhat concerned by some of the reactions - I would not classify a client's legitimate request to submit an invoice in hardcopy as "rubbish" or "BS". In this context, may I remind everyone that this is a public forum that is searchable.
What you should distinguish is that requirement from an excuse to delay payment, of course: my bu... See more Hi all,
Slightly OT as we don't work with any freelancers based in Spain, nor do we have any Spanish clients.
I must admit that I'm somewhat concerned by some of the reactions - I would not classify a client's legitimate request to submit an invoice in hardcopy as "rubbish" or "BS". In this context, may I remind everyone that this is a public forum that is searchable.
What you should distinguish is that requirement from an excuse to delay payment, of course: my business generally requires hardcopy invoices, but executing payment on the basis of a PDF e-mailed in advance is no problem whatsoever.
Best regards,
Ralf ▲ Collapse
| | | | ICTAC
Canada
Local time: 19:10
Spanish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | legitimate request, but... | Apr 21, 2008 |
Ralf Lemster wrote:
Hi all,
Slightly OT as we don't work with any freelancers based in Spain, nor do we have any Spanish clients.
I must admit that I'm somewhat concerned by some of the reactions - I would not classify a client's legitimate request to submit an invoice in hardcopy as "rubbish" or "BS". In this context, may I remind everyone that this is a public forum that is searchable.
What you should distinguish is that requirement from an excuse to delay payment, of course: my business generally requires hardcopy invoices, but executing payment on the basis of a PDF e-mailed in advance is no problem whatsoever.
Best regards,
Ralf
Hi Ralf,
Thank you for your input. As you say, it is certainly ligitimate to request a hardcopy of the invoice. I guess it is just a matter of how and when and the circumstances. If a client never mentions this topic, accepts your invoices without a word and then then finally requires a hardcopy when you discuss his failure to pay, it is probably a different story.
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| Legitimate request vs legal requirement | Apr 21, 2008 |
I think you'll find that the BS and rubbish comments weren't directed at this not being a legitimate request, as such, but rather at it being a legal requirement.
| | | | Ana Cuesta
Spain
Local time: 04:10
English to Spanish
| Not quite that rubbish, I'm afraid | Apr 21, 2008 |
Electronic invoices are legal in Spain since recently but you need a specially registered electronic signature so they are valid, plus the client must be informed and accept such procedure in replacement of the traditional hard copy one. Just e-mailed invoices are 'copies' as opposed to 'originals' and as such not legally valid I believe (disclaimer: I am no lawyer or expert), although some clients may well accept them (my only Spanish client insists on us Spanish translators sending invoices on... See more Electronic invoices are legal in Spain since recently but you need a specially registered electronic signature so they are valid, plus the client must be informed and accept such procedure in replacement of the traditional hard copy one. Just e-mailed invoices are 'copies' as opposed to 'originals' and as such not legally valid I believe (disclaimer: I am no lawyer or expert), although some clients may well accept them (my only Spanish client insists on us Spanish translators sending invoices on paper while they accept e-mailed ones from abroad-based translators, don't ask me on what basis).
For those who can read Spanish, it is all explained here: http://www.aeat.es/wps/portal/Faq?channel=1f5829d8c2423110VgnVCM1000004ef01e0a____&ver=L&site=56d8237c0bc1ff00VgnVCM100000d7005a80____&idioma=es_ES&menu=0&img=0
A different thing is why your client hasn't brought up the issue before and if they are using that as an excuse to delay paying you or not... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Ralf Lemster
Germany
Local time: 04:10
English to German
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| Circumstances | Apr 21, 2008 |
Hi ICTAC,
Thank you for your input. As you say, it is certainly ligitimate to request a hardcopy of the invoice. I guess it is just a matter of how and when and the circumstances. If a client never mentions this topic, accepts your invoices without a word and then then finally requires a hardcopy when you discuss his failure to pay, it is probably a different story.
Very much so - the MO you're describing is pretty obvious.
...and in response to Deborah's comment:
I think you'll find that the BS and rubbish comments weren't directed at this not being a legitimate request, as such, but rather at it being a legal requirement.
Agreed - I just find the choice of words to be somewhat risqué, particularly without being too specific.
Cheers, Ralf
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