Language requirement for e-invoice file templates
Understand the language requirements for e-invoice file templates, specifying when to use Arabic or English, and how to add multi-language information.
ZATCA accepts e-invoice XML files in either English or Arabic. However, the invoice PDF files you share with your customers must be in Arabic.
The language requirement for e-invoice file templates depends on whether you use Sovos’ PDF template:
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If you use Sovos’ PDF template, the text in e-invoice file templates must be in Arabic. In this case, Sovos can auto-generate the corresponding Arabic PDF files. Additionally, you can include other languages besides Arabic in e-invoice file templates.
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If you opt not to use Sovos’ PDF template, the text information in e-invoice file templates can be in English or Arabic.
Add multi-language information to e-invoice file templates
To add multi-language information to e-invoice file templates, you must add a pipe symbol ( | ) between the information in different languages. See the following snippet as an example:
<cbc:StreetName> استخدام جسر مجمع الملك عبده عبد العزيز للاتصالات | KING ABDU AZIZ TELECOM COMPLEX BRIDGE USE</cbc:StreetName>
<cbc:CitySubdivisionName>النخيل | An Nakhil</cbc:CitySubdivisionName>
<cbc:CityName>الرياض | RIYADH</cbc:CityName>
It is recommended to store the information of different languages in separate fields and use merge fields in e-invoice file templates. Suppose that the City field stores the English city name and the CityNameInArabic__c custom field stores the Arabic city name. The cbc:CityName tag in the template should be as follows:
<cbc:CityName>{{CityNameInArabic__c}} | {{City}}</cbc:CityName>