France e-invoicing for SMEs: a readiness plan
For a small or mid-size French company, the reform touches sending, receiving, e-reporting and your accounting workflow. Here's a practical readiness plan that avoids a last-minute scramble.
France e-invoicing for SMEs: a readiness plan
For a PME, France's e-invoicing reform is bigger than "change the invoice format". It touches how you send, how you receive, how you report B2C and cross-border sales, and how invoices flow into your accounting. Here's a readiness plan you can work through methodically.
Step 1 — Map your flows
List where your invoices go:
- Domestic B2B → must be e-invoiced via an accredited platform.
- B2C (consumers) → e-reported (daily totals).
- International (B2B/B2C) → e-reported.
- Public sector → Chorus Pro (unchanged).
This map tells you which obligations apply — most SMEs hit all four.
Step 2 — Choose your platform (PA/PDP) early
Pick an accredited platform (see Plateforme agréée), register your company under SIREN scheme 0225, and sign the mandate — it's reviewed and not instant. Doing this early is the single biggest de-risking move.
Step 3 — Get receiving working first
The calendar makes receiving mandatory before issuing. Set up your inbound inbox so supplier invoices arrive as structured data and flow to your accounting — this also removes manual entry immediately.
Step 4 — Prepare issuing
Make sure every outgoing invoice can be produced as Factur-X / CIUS with:
□ SIREN under scheme 0225 / 0002
□ Billing mode (goods / services / mixed)
□ The three mandatory statements (recovery, penalties, discount)
□ Correct VAT breakdown per rate, in EUR
□ Reverse-charge / franchise notes where they applyStep 5 — Wire up e-reporting
Put a routine in place to file B2C daily totals (and international data). If you use cash-basis VAT for services, add the payment report. See France e-reporting explained.
Step 6 — Handle lifecycle statuses
Inside the perimeter you'll send and receive lifecycle statuses (approved, refused, payment collected…). Decide who in the team acts on incoming statuses.
Step 7 — Multi-user and roles
An SME needs more than one person invoicing. Ensure your tool supports multiple users with roles, and that the whole team works from the same client and invoice data.
The readiness checklist
□ Flows mapped (B2B / B2C / international / B2G)
□ Accredited platform chosen, registered (0225), mandate signed
□ Receiving live, invoices flow to accounting
□ Issuing produces Factur-X/CIUS with mandatory content
□ E-reporting routine for B2C + international
□ Lifecycle statuses owned by someone
□ Multi-user access set upWhere Eurobillr fits
Eurobillr covers the SME case in one workspace: send and receive French Factur-X/CIUS through an accredited platform (SIREN 0225), B2C e-reporting, lifecycle statuses (204–212), Chorus Pro for public-sector clients, multi-user access, and received invoices that convert to expenses for VAT. You work the plan above without stitching several tools together.
Start with French e-invoicing requirements.