Change is coming. In July 2018, the new standard for invoice validation will come into effect. Anyone with an e-commerce store should keep an eye on the document changes and adapt as quickly as possible. NF-e 4.0 is the name of the new electronic goods invoice. It applies to product purchases and sales, with specific rules that differ from the standard previously used (NF-e 3.10). The invoice XML file will now have a new organization, and your ERP needs to be prepared for this.
What are the main changes in NF-e 4.0?
- Adoption of the TLS 1.2 or higher security protocol for data transmission;
- Changes to the fields related to the Poverty Combat Fund (FCP) for better government oversight;
- Payment method indicator field, which, in addition to stating which payment method was used, must also state the number of installments;
- New presence indicator fields (indPres) to identify in-person or off-site operations;
- Shipping information, indicating the freight modality, such as carrier-paid transport by the sender (CIF) or carrier-paid transport by the recipient (FOB);
- Product traceability, which will allow tracking of any product subject to regulations, such as medicines, food, and others.
What is the impact on my e-commerce store?
It depends on your operating model, but if your company uses a logistics provider, they receive the invoice ready from your company. In this process, logistics will also be affected, because in NF-e 4.0 it will be mandatory to indicate the origin (company address), who the carrier is (CNPJ), where the product left from (warehouse address), and where it is going (recipient address).
Another point is the payment method. Now, it is necessary to state whether it is via bank slip, check, credit card, or debit card. Before, it was enough to state whether it was “cash” or “deferred”. Therefore, the payment gateway must communicate with the e-commerce store and the ERP so that this information can be processed and highlighted in the NF-e 4.0. The Check Commerce team does not yet have a definition on how to highlight this information in the case of sales via sub-acquirers or through marketplace payment arrangements, but as soon as we find a solution, we will record it here.
What is the deadline for the change?
Currently, there are two layouts available: 3.1, which will be deactivated in June of this year; and version 4.0, available since November 2017. The date for the deactivation of version 3.10 of the previous invoice layout is 02/08/2018, therefore this is the maximum deadline for migration to NF-e 4.0. From this date on, version 3.10 will no longer be accepted by the government.
However, nothing prevents invoices from already being generated by suppliers against your CNPJ starting in August, adopting the new layout, therefore it is important to stay up to date.
Are the changes for NF-e 4.0 a cause for concern?
No. A large part of the planned changes are technical. Therefore, if you use a reliable ERP to issue invoices, there is nothing to worry about (especially if it is Cloud), but pay attention if your company uses an ERP that requires an update. Now, if your ERP is outdated, take advantage of the opportunity and migrate to more modern technology,
July is practically here. With the mandatory requirement, those who do not adopt NF-e 4.0 will eventually no longer be able to issue or receive the document, because the previous model will be discontinued. And not issuing the invoice is a very serious infraction subject to a fine. Prepare yourself to adapt.
