The following topics describe e-documents and e-document packages according to how they are used by NetSuite and the Electronic Invoicing SuiteApp.
E-Document
An e-document is a NetSuite transaction represented as an XML or JSON document generated according to a specified standard.
E-documents are transmitted to interested external parties, such as customers, vendors, or tax agencies. E-documents can be downloaded or shared through email, or transmitted through a web service or other custom method.
Some countries legally recognize these XML or JSON files as official documents, whereas other countries recognize the printed transactions as the officially accepted documents.
E-Document Package
An e-document package defines a set of formats used for various transactions to ensure clear communication between all stakeholders of a specific business process, such as vendors communicating with customers, and vendors communicating with tax authorities.
For example, the PEPPOL e-document package defines all possible transactions between vendors and government agencies (sales orders, invoices, credit memos, return authorizations, and others).
An e-document package specifies the following:
- the file format and template
- the communication medium for transmitting the e-documents
- the process necessary for ensuring authenticity and privacy of the information
An e-document package is usually defined by a tax authority or an industry governing body.