EDICOM Expert Analysis
NF-e
Brazilian eInvoicing for US companies
Nota Fiscal Eletrônica | NF-e
Electronic invoicing in Brazil follows the format of the “Nota
Fiscal Eletrônica” (NF-e), it is obligatory for nearly all
enterprises in Brazil, and is managed by the Tax Authority
(Fazenda) in collaboration with the relevant state level offices.
"Nota Fiscal Eletronica" is a document that is sent and stored
electronically with the purpose of documenting commercial
transaction between buyers and sellers. It is both an obligation
set by the government as well as an opportunity for businesses
to reap the rewards of electronic invoicing such as quicker
collection times and lower costs associated with document
processing.
Table of Contents.
NFe
2
NFSe
3
Service Invoices
3
Brazilian Tax System
4
SPED Reporting
5
Boleto Bancario
5
Addenda
7
Edicom Expert Analysis: NFe (Nota Fiscal Eletrônica) Brazilian eInvoicing for US Companies – Pg. 1
NFe
EDICOM Expert Analysis
NFe , Nota Fiscal eletrônica, the mandatory eInvoicing format used when billing for goods
in Brazil.
Each invoice to be sent must be authorized by the relevant State Fiscal Agency (SEFAZ).
The connection to this service is accomplished via Web Services. The Manual de
Integraçao defines how each Web Services connection is accomplished with each relevant
message.
Throughout the manual the various steps to sending the Nfe are defined:
The business must be accredited by the SEFAZ in each state that it functions.
It is necessary to acquire in each state two certifications, one for compliance, and one
for production. Each certifícate must be approved by the office of ICP-Brasil
(Infra-estructura de Chaves Públicas Brasileira)
To summarize, the process of generating NFe (Nota Fiscal Electronica) consists in the
business of origin, once accredited to send Nfe, generating the NFe in XML format
according to the specifications of the “Manual de Integracao.”
The NFe must be signed with a certificate by an authorized brazilian enterprise. Via Web
Services it is sent to the SEFAZ, and in an asynchronous manner, the NFe authorization is
received. The NFe contains, among others a "chave de acceso" (access key) that must be
constructed according to the Manual de Integraçao.
Once the NFe is authorized, the business will be able to send the merchandise, but it must
be accompanied by the DANFE (“documento auxiliar de Nfe”) which is a bill of lading with
the NFe data, such as the "chave de acceso.”
There are other documents that can be exchanged with the SEFAZ (always via Web
Services and according to the Manual de Integraçao) such as:
NFe cancellation
Annulment of a series of invoices
NFe consultation request
In the published changes there is also a “Manual de Contingência Eletrônica” (DPEC) that
lists the options available in case NFe authorization is not possible.
Edicom Expert Analysis: NFe (Nota Fiscal Eletrônica) Brazilian eInvoicing for US Companies – Pg. 2
Service Invoices
NFse
EDICOM Expert Analysis
NFSe is Nota Fiscal de Serviços, the mandatory eInvoicing format used when billing for
services in Brazil.
Each invoice to be sent must be authorized by the relevant prefeitura that corresponds
roughly to our idea of a city or metropolitan area. Each prefeitura has its own method of
authorizing the NFSe, the connection to this service is accomplished via Web Services.
The “Manual de Integraçao” defines how each Web Services connection is accomplished
with each relevant message. There are over 100 cities that may require a different type of
invoice format and web service connection.
Some salient points to keep in mind regarding NFSe. In contrast to NFe, taxes are
assessed at the prefeitura level, so all relevant integration and transmission efforts will be
conducted at that level (and at as many prefeituras as necessary). The message flow
involved of NFSe is as follows: Edicom produces, on behalf of its clients, a preliminary
XML document known as an RPS (Recibo Provisório de Serviços) that it then sends to the
appropriate prefeitura via the WS connection. The prefeitura then responds with the
NFSe, the XML Invoice suitable for billing services in Brazil. All NFSe’s must be archived
for a period of five years.
Some operational aspects involved in NFSe include: Although your invoice can have any
number of line items, you may only invoice for one service type per NFSe. It’s important to
note that you can only include one type of service in an NFSe but different services may
have the same code. For example, Code 01.01.01 refers to análise de sistemas. An IT
consulting firm may do any number of consulting tasks. We can imagine a company
providing ERP, EDI, CRM consulting, etc. As long as these services can all be categorized
under Code 01.01.01 only one Invoice will need to be emitted. Finally, in stark contrast with
NFe’s and their corresponding DANFEs services can be delivered first and invoiced later.
Edicom Expert Analysis: NFe (Nota Fiscal Eletrônica) Brazilian eInvoicing for US Companies – Pg. 3
Brazilian Tax System
EDICOM Expert Analysis
When considering a SPED project, Edicom advises that any firm it works with consults its
accounting partner. Although Edicom has an abundance of experience and knowledge
with dealing with all technical aspects of Brazilian tax reporting, both on the level of SPEDs
as well as Notas Fiscales, most tax calculation issues ought be decided by our partner and
their accounting partner.
That said, we include here a brief overview of some of the Brazilian taxes so that you can
investigate how best to implement Notas Fiscales and SPED Reporting.
IRPJ: The IRPJ, or Imposto de Renda sobre Pessoa Jurídica, is Brazil’s corporate tax. It is
progressive and companies that earn in excess of 240,000 reales must pay an additional
surtax of 10%.
IPI: The IPI, or Imposto sobre Productos Industrializados, is a federal tax applicable to
industrial products and companies although not all industrial products or operations are
necessarily subject to it. The IPI is a non-cumulative tax, applied on the final price of
products. This IPI rate is not the same for all products and occasionally some products are
exempted by the IPI as a consumption incentive.
ICMS: The ICMS, or Imposto sobre Circulação de Mercadorias e Serviços, is a
non-cumulative tax applicable to shipped goods, intra and interstate commerce,
communications and electric utilities. This rate is variable among goods and regions.
Exceptions are decided at the state level.
PIS: THE PIS, or Programa de Integração Social, is a federal tax payable by all legal
entities. Revenue generated from this tax is applicable to the payment of insurance,
unemployment allowance and government agency spending.
ISS: The ISS, or Imposto sobre Serviços de qualquer Natureza, is a municipal tax
applicable to services of any kind. The rate varies by municipality although the Federal
Government has set a ceiling at 5%. An important thing to note is that it’s calculation basis
is the final price of the services rendered. For example, in this case 10% of a R$100 invoice
is in fact R$11: 0.10(110) = 11.
COFINS: The COFINS, or Contribuição para o Financiamento da Seguridade Social, is a
federal tax comparable to our payroll taxes in the US. It is payable by all legal entities and
the revenue it produces is allotted to the Brazilian Social Security System.
Edicom Expert Analysis: NFe (Nota Fiscal Eletrônica) Brazilian eInvoicing for US Companies – Pg. 4
SPED Reporting
EDICOM Expert Analysis
SPED, an acronym standing for Sistema Publico de Escrituraçao is Brazil’s form of
financial reporting. As we will see SPED reporting is done on both a monthly and yearly
basis where the monthly SPEDs are composed of Notas Fiscais and the yearly SPEDs
composed of their monthly versions.
SPED Fiscal: The SPED Fiscal (alternatively known as the EFD, Escrituraçao Fiscal
Digital) is the monthly reporting of sales of goods. This document is generally composed
of the NFe’s emitted that month. The format of a SPED fiscal is a .txt as specified by
Brazilian Government. The signature element can be fulfilled in a variety of ways, namely
with an A1 or A3 Certificate or via PVA. As ever Edicom is capable of storing your software
certificate and signing on your behalf.
Escrituraçao Fiscal Digital-Contribuiçoes: The Escrituraçao Fiscal Digital-Contribuiçoes
is the monthly reporting of sales of services. This document is generally composed of the
NFSe’s emitted that month. The format of a EFDC is a .txt as specified by the Brazilian
Government. The signature element can be fulfilled in a variety of ways, namely with an A1
or A3 Certificate or via PVA.
Boleto Bancario
SPED Contabil: The SPED Contabil is the yearly report of a company’s sales that ought
be primarily composed of the monthly reports. There is an alternative method of annual
reporting known as FCONT but companies using accepted Brazilian accounting principles
should be using the SPED Contabil. The digital signature element of SPED Contabil is a
little unique in that it will carry two digital signatures, one belonging to the firm and another
belonging to their accounting partner.
Boleto Bancario is a standard for faciliting payments of NFe’s and NFSe’s in Brazil. One
shouldn’t simply think of it as similar to an EDI message like an X12 820 Payment
Order/Remittance Advice message as it also serves as a claim system in event of
non-payment.
Boleto Messages: There are a series of Boleto Messages involved in the payment chain,
the simplest of which is the Boleto Nao-Registrado. This is the simple inclusion of the
payment information as a barcode at the bottom of a Nota Fiscal. With this barcode a
customer can pay for their contracted services or bought goods by simply scanning the
barcode at their local bank branch.
The Cobrança Registrada is a .txt file shared with your banking institution detailing the
boletos you’ve issued. In the event of non-payment it is with this record that one can
protestar the lack of payment, affecting the credit worthiness of a delinquent customer.
The Cobrança Retorno is a notification that the debts associated with issued Boletos have
been paid.
Edicom Expert Analysis: NFe (Nota Fiscal Eletrônica) Brazilian eInvoicing for US Companies – Pg. 5
Boleto Bancario
EDICOM Expert Analysis
Versions: There are a few Boleto Bancario standards. These are FEBRABAN and CNAB.
There are two possible CNABs, one of 240 field length and one of 400.
Edicom Expert Analysis: NFe (Nota Fiscal Eletrônica) Brazilian eInvoicing for US Companies – Pg. 6
Addenda
EDICOM Expert Analysis
Legal Aspects
Emission of digital invoices (NFe, Nota Fiscal Eletrônica) in Brazil is obligatory according
to current legislation.
A portal is available to taxpayers where all the relevant information is available on the NFe:
http://www.nfe.fazenda.gov.br/.
Each state will have its own portal dedicated to the NFe.
The law that regulates the NFe at the Federal Level is SINIEF 07/05, it institutes the NFE
and the DANFE (Documento Auxiliar da Nota Fiscal Eletrônica).
The law references other legal documents associated with other aspects of the NFe.
Among the documents there is the “Manual de Integração da Nota Fiscal Eletrônica” (NFe
integración manual) which details all of the necessary technical aspects as well as the
"Emissao da Nfe en Comtingencia," which regulates the necessary steps to take in case
the connection to the fiscal authorities (SEFAZ) malfunctions or is unavailable.
The following are some adjustments and modifications to the law published by the
Brazilian Government:
Ajuste SINIEF 07/05
De 05/10/2007, instituiu nacionalmente a Nota Fiscal Eletrônica e o Documento Auxiliar
da Nota Fiscal Eletrônica – DANFE.
Publicado no DOU de 05.10.05.
Republicado no DOU de 07.12.05.
Alterado pelos Ajustes SINIEF 11/05, 02/06, 04/06, 05/07, 08/07, 11/08, 01/09, 08/09,
09/09, 10/09, 12/09, 15/09, 03/10, 08/10, 14/10, 15/10, 16/10, 17/10, 18/10, 19/10,
22/10, 04/11, ../2011/AJ_008_11.htm10/11.
Vide Protocolos ICMS 10/07, 42/09 e 191/10.
Manual de Integração da Nota Fiscal Eletrônica - NF-e
Ato COTEPE/ICMS 72/05, 14/07, 22/08, 33/08, 39/09, 49/09.
Edicom Expert Analysis: NFe (Nota Fiscal Eletrônica) Brazilian eInvoicing for US Companies – Pg. 7
Addenda
EDICOM Expert Analysis
Manual de Contingência Eletrônica (DPEC): Ato COTEPE/ICMS 34/08.
Autorizada a convalidação das operações realizadas pelos contribuintes do Simples
Nacional com NF. modelo 1 ou 1-A, pelo Conv. ICMS 190/10,
Convalidada a utilização de NF. modelo 1 ou 1-A, no período de 01.10.10 a 01.12.10,
para o representante comercial e agente do comércio de jornais, revistas e outras da
CNAE 4618-4/99, pelo Convênio ICMS 199/10.
Vide o Conv. ICMS 24/11, que trata de regime especial nas operações e prestações que
envolvam revistas e periódicos.
Prorrogada a obrigação de preenchimento dos campos cEAN e cEANTrib para
01.01.12, exclusivamente para CONAB, pelo Ajuste SINIEF 06/11.
Vide Ajuste SINIEF 14/11, relativamente à revogação das alterações do Ajuste SINIEF
08/11, não produzindo efeitos que iniciava no dia 01.01.12
In the “Cláusula primeira” of the aforementioned adjustment, we can find the scope of the
NFe’s use:
Fica instituída a Nota Fiscal Eletrônica - NF-e, que poderá ser utilizada pelos contribuintes
do Imposto sobre Produtos Industrializados - IPI ou Imposto sobre Operações Relativas à
Circulação de Mercadorias e sobre a Prestação de Serviços de Transporte Interestadual e
Intermunicipal e de Comunicação - ICMS em substituição:
I - à Nota Fiscal, modelo 1 ou 1-A;
II - à Nota Fiscal de Produtor, modelo 4.
Edicom Expert Analysis: NFe (Nota Fiscal Eletrônica) Brazilian eInvoicing for US Companies – Pg. 8
EDICOM Expert Analysis
About Edicom
Edicom is a global leader in the development of technological platforms for B2B e-commerce solutions like EDI
(Electronic Data Interchange) or Electronic Invoicing.
With a long history in the field of EDI, we currently have thousend of clients worldwide, many of them leaders in their
respective industries such as Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Nike, Toys R’Us, etc.
Over 100 million commercial transactions are generated worldwide through Edicom’s solutions in ASP – SaaS mode,
throughout multiple sectors such as Retail, Healthcare, Logistics and Transportation, Automotive, Tourism, Finance,
etc.
Edicom provides advanced technological solutions that enable users to outsource the administration and maintenance of large B2B communications platforms, achieving seamless operation of all systems.
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Contact
USA
marketing_us@edicomgroup.com
Phone | +1 212 889 1909
MEXICO
ventas@edicomgroup.com
Phone | +52 55 52 12 15 66
BRAZIL
info_brazil@edicomgroup.com
Phone | +55 (11) 3154-5100
Daniel Lynch
SPAIN
marketing@edicomgroup.com
Phone |+34 96 136 65 65
|902 119 228
FRANCE
edicomfr@edicomgroup.com
Phone | +33 (0) 820 360 330
ITALY
marketing@edicomgroup.com
Phone | +39 02 0064 0402
Account Manager
He works on a variety of projects
in Edicom, among them eInvoicing projects in Western Europe
and Latin America as well as EDI
and GDSN implementations both
domestic and international.
ARGENTINA
info_argentina@edicomgroup.com
Phone | +54 (11) 5245 8410
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NEDERLAND | 0900 777 0020
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**Only for calls from the country indicated.
www.edicomgroup.com
Edicom Expert Analysis: NFe (Nota Fiscal Eletrônica) Brazilian eInvoicing for US Companies – Pg. 5