Why can't I create an e-invoice?

Before it converts a document, Invoice Inn checks that it has everything a valid e-invoice needs. When something is missing, the Create e-invoice dialog lists each problem with a link to where you fix it: Edit document, Open e-invoicing settings, Open business details or Contact us. Fix them, then open the dialog again.

Fixed on the document

Click Edit document in the dialog, or Edit on the document’s row, and fill in the customer’s details. Saving regenerates the PDF.

Customer name. Every e-invoice needs a Name or Company name.
Customer address. City, Postal Code and Country are required.
Customer email. A valid Email is required, because it is the customer’s electronic address on the e-invoice.
Customer VAT ID. A reverse-charge invoice needs the customer’s VAT ID, starting with its two-letter country code, for example DE123456789 (EL for Greece). The same format applies whenever a VAT ID is on the document.
Due date. An invoice that is not paid yet needs a Due date. See Add a due date to your invoices.

Fixed in your e-invoicing details

Click Open e-invoicing settings. It opens the E-invoicing card on Automations with the first empty field selected. Set up e-invoicing walks through the card.

Your address. Street and number, Postal code and City.
Your contact. Contact name, Phone and Email.
Electronic address. Usually your invoicing email, under Electronic address.
IBAN. An invoice that is not paid yet needs your IBAN, so the customer can pay by bank transfer.

Fixed in Business details

Click Open business details, which opens Customize > Business details.

Business name. Fill in Legal business name.
VAT ID or tax number. Add your VAT number, or your Steuernummer on the E-invoicing card.
VAT ID format. Your VAT number must start with its two-letter country code, for example DE123456789.
VAT ID needed instead of the Steuernummer. A reverse-charge invoice to an EU business, or an export, needs your VAT ID. The Steuernummer is not enough there.
Registration number. When the e-invoice shows no VAT ID, because you only have a Steuernummer or the items are not subject to VAT, it needs your company registration number in Registration number. If you have none, add a VAT ID instead: in Germany the BZSt issues a USt-IdNr for free.

Not supported yet

Some documents cannot be e-invoices today, whatever you change.

Items without VAT for a reason the app cannot tell. A 0% line that is not reverse charge, an export or a gift card is usually a margin scheme sale, a VAT-exempt service or a sale under the small business scheme. The dialog lists the items and offers Contact us. Write to us, and we will look at your case. If the 0% comes from a gap in your Shopify tax setup, Why are taxes missing on my invoices? helps.
Gift cards with other items. Gift cards are not subject to VAT, and an e-invoice cannot mix them with taxed items. Invoice them separately.
Incomplete shipping address. Goods shipped to another EU country need a complete shipping address on the order, which you change in Shopify rather than in Invoice Inn.

When “Create e-invoice” is missing

The action only shows on documents that can become e-invoices. It is missing when:

your plan is below Pro,
Country of establishment is not Germany, or you have neither a VAT ID nor a Steuernummer,
the customer is outside the EU,
or the document is already an e-invoice, shown by the ZUGFeRD badge.

The badges on a document

E-invoice: needs data (yellow). A conversion was tried, often from a bulk conversion, and something is missing. Hover the badge to see the first problem, fix it, then click Retry e-invoice on the row. Editing the document also tries again.
E-invoice failed (red). The e-invoice could not be created and the PDF was left unchanged. Click Retry e-invoice. If it fails again, contact us.