Accounting software and e-invoicing: what to check before 2028

Most Latvian companies don't issue invoices by hand — they use accounting software. Jumis, Horizon, 1C and others are widely used. Ahead of the 2028 mandate, it's exactly this software that determines how easy or hard the transition will be: either it already generates EN 16931-compliant XML, or the accountant will have to look for another solution.

This article doesn't evaluate the functionality of specific programs — Jumis, Horizon, 1C, or any other system — and doesn't publish unconfirmed claims about their development plans. Software capabilities and rollout timelines change, so exact information should always be checked with the specific vendor.

Checklist: what to ask your software vendor

Before 2028, it's worth clarifying a few practical questions.

1. Can the software generate a structured e-rēķins in XML format, not just a PDF invoice or a printout?
2. Does the XML structure meet the EN 16931 and PEPPOL BIS Billing 3.0 requirements?
3. Does the XML file exported from the software pass validation against the EN 16931 and PEPPOL BIS Billing 3.0 rules?
4. Does the software handle sending and receiving e-invoices, or is a separate solution needed for that?
5. Can the software import incoming structured e-invoices and use their data in accounting records?
6. Will a solution be available for submitting e-invoice data to VID within the required deadline?
7. Does the vendor have a clear rollout schedule for e-invoicing functionality ahead of 1 January 2028?
8. Will the needed functionality be included in the current subscription, or is it a separate module or an extra charge?

How to check without assumptions

Don't rely on a general statement like "the software supports e-invoicing." What matters in practice is checking a specific XML file.

The simplest test:

1. Prepare a real or test invoice in your accounting software.
2. Export it in XML format, if that option is available.
3. Upload the XML file to an e-invoice validator.
4. Check whether the file passes EN 16931 and PEPPOL BIS Billing 3.0 validation.
5. If the validator flags errors, check whether they come from the specific invoice's data or from the XML generation logic itself.

If the software has no way to export a structured XML file at all, that's already an important signal: contact the vendor and find out when that functionality will be available and what the practical rollout process will look like.

Why this isn't just an IT question

Rolling out e-invoicing isn't only about technically producing an XML file. It affects the whole invoice lifecycle: preparing the invoice, sending it, receiving it, checking it, recording it in the books, and submitting the data to VID.

If the process relies on manual work, last-minute error fixes, and passing individual files between employees, it will be hard to consistently meet the deadline for submitting e-rēķins data to VID (see the 2025–2028 deadline overview).

That's why, well before 2028, it's important to check not just whether the software "can do e-invoicing," but whether the company's process as a whole is ready to handle structured e-invoices.

What to do if your software isn't ready yet

If your current software doesn't yet support structured e-invoicing, or validation shows systematic errors, it's worth acting early.

Practical steps:

• contact the software vendor and ask for specific information about EN 16931 and PEPPOL BIS Billing 3.0 support;
• find out whether an add-on module or integration will be available;
• check whether you can use an external e-invoicing tool;
• test XML export with real invoices;
• get your customer, supplier, VAT, and company details in order in the software ahead of time.

The earlier errors are found, the cheaper and calmer they are to fix.

Once an invoice is already prepared in structured XML format, the next step is understanding why it sometimes fails validation. Read more about that in the overview of common EN 16931 validation errors.