🇪🇨 Ecuador - E-Invoicing Specifications (Factura Electrónica)
Status: 🟢 Mandatory | Active for all businesses Authority: SRI (Servicio de Rentas Internas) Platform: SRI Electronic Invoice System
1. Context & Overview
Ecuador has mandatory e-invoicing (factura electrónica) through the SRI. The system follows a Clearance Model requiring authorization key (clave de acceso) validation. Progressive implementation began in 2014.
| Date | Scope | Obligation |
|---|---|---|
| 2014+ | Progressive | Initial rollout by sector |
| Ongoing | All businesses | Continuous SRI authorization |
| Current | Full mandatory | All transaction types |
2. Technical Workflow (Authorization Key)
flowchart TD
S["Invoicerr (Supplier)"] -->|1. Generate XML| X[XML Document]
X -->|2. Calculate Clave Acceso| Calc[Algorithm]
Calc -->|3. Generate Clave| CA[Clave de Acceso]
X -->|4. Sign XML| Cert[Digital Certificate]
Cert -->|5. Signed XML| S
S -->|6. Submit to SRI| SRI[SRI Web Services]
SRI -->|7. Validate & Authorize| Auth
Auth -->|8. Return ACK + XML| S
S -->|9. Deliver Invoice| C[Client]
subgraph "Offline Mode"
S -.->|Store Locally| Offline[Offline Storage]
Offline -.->|Sync Later| SRI
end
🧱 Key Components
- Clave de Acceso: 49-digit authorization key
- RUC (Registro Único de Contribuyentes): Tax ID
- Digital Certificate: SRI-approved
- Offline Mode: Contingency for connectivity issues
3. Data Standards & Formats
A. Required Format
- XML Format: SRI schema
- Encoding: UTF-8
- Digital Signature: Required
B. Document Types
| Code | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Factura | Standard invoice |
| 04 | Nota Débito | Debit note |
| 05 | Nota Crédito | Credit note |
| 07 | Guía de Remisión | Transport guide |
| 18 | Comprobante de Retención | Withholding receipt |
C. Critical Data Fields
- RUC: Tax ID (13 digits)
- Clave de Acceso: 49-digit key
- IVA: VAT (12%)
- ICE: Special consumption tax
- Código Establecimiento: Branch code
4. Business Model & Compliance
A. Workflow
- RUC Registration: Obtain Ecuadorian tax ID
- Certificate: Acquire SRI digital certificate
- Clave Calculation: Generate 49-digit key
- XML Generation: Create schema-compliant document
- Signing: Apply electronic signature
- Submission: Send to SRI (online or offline)
- Delivery: Send to buyer
B. Archiving
- Retention: 7 years
- Format: Original XML
5. Implementation Checklist
- RUC Registration: Obtain Ecuadorian tax ID
- Digital Certificate: Acquire SRI certificate
- Clave Algorithm: Implement 49-digit generation
- XML Engine: Build SRI schema generator
- Signature Integration: Implement signing
- SRI API: Connect to web services
- Offline Storage: Build contingency system
6. Resources
- SRI Portal: Sri.gob.ec
- E-Invoicing Section: Factura Electrónica