When you issue a receivable invoice, Cortena can generate a ZUGFeRD / EN 16931 hybrid PDF (human-readable PDF with embedded XML). A complete legal profile is required before issue; the UI shows progress, an E-invoice badge, and retry when generation fails.
1. Legal profile readiness
Before Mark as issued, Cortena checks issuer readiness, for example:
- Legal name and address on Settings → Tenant
- VAT ID validated where applicable
- Bank account (IBAN) on the legal profile
Missing fields block issue with a clear message pointing to Settings → Tenant or Receivables branding/legal sections.
See Tenant legal profile.
2. Draft vs issued PDF
| State | PDF behavior |
|---|---|
| Draft | Preview PDF may show a draft watermark. Not for customer delivery. |
| Issued | Cortena runs Creating legal-compliant e-invoice… and stores the hybrid file |
Workflow Send email attaches the issued stored PDF, including ZUGFeRD when generation succeeded.
3. E-invoice badge
On issued receivables with a successful hybrid file:
- PDF viewer shows an E-invoice badge (tooltip: ZUGFeRD · EN 16931).
- Download and email use the same stored artifact.
4. Failed generation and retry
If XML embedding fails:
- Status shows Failed with a short reason.
- Use Retry to run generation again after fixing data (VAT, line totals, product codes).
- Do not send customer email until the issued PDF succeeds or you accept a non-e-invoice fallback per your policy.
Tips and limitations
- Feature availability depends on tenant receivables / e-invoice settings. Contact support if issue never offers hybrid output.
- Inbound ZUGFeRD payables are documented separately. See E-invoices.
- Line amounts and tax must reconcile before EN 16931 validation passes.
Quick reference
| Task | Where |
|---|---|
| Fix blockers | Settings → Tenant legal + bank |
| Issue | Receivable workflow → Mark as issued |
| Confirm hybrid | Issued detail → E-invoice badge |
| Retry | Failed panel → Retry |