You can submit your invoices according to two types of format :

• PDF format
• XML format  

How to create your files before submitting your invoices :

The submission of invoices via the portal requires the transmission of files with one of the following extensions :

.pdf                                              .zip

   .xml                                .tar.gz

Creating a simple pdf invoice

From a word processor or spreadsheet, simply select the save as menu and select the "PDF (* .pdf)" type.

Creating a signed PDF invoice

You must use online signature software to electronically sign a PDF accounting document using an electronic certificate. Several solutions exist on the market including some free.

You should know that in Chorus Pro, the signed PDF is mandatory only for companies that have not implemented control to link invoices issued and deliveries or services that are invoiced.

Creating an invoice in PDF/A3 format

PDF file in which it is possible to include a file in XML format which contains the electronic data of the invoice. You can use a tool of the market or develop your own program internally.

Creating an invoice in XML format

Please refer to the External Specifications on the Chorus Pro Community website (https://communaute.chorus-pro.gouv.fr/documentation/external-specifications/?lang=en) to comply with the structuring and naming rules required to send your flows via the portal :

• Mixed XML : an XML invoice containing a PDF attachment (called the main attachment) that constitutes the reference invoice. This format can be used by structures that have already created PDF files and wish to transmit them by flow submission.
• Structured XML : invoice in XML format which constitutes the reference invoice and which makes it possible to send the invoice without using a PDF file attachment by simply providing the information in the tags required for its integration in Chorus Pro.

Creating an invoice in zip format

Select the relevant files and then right-click to display the context menu. Then click on the name of your file compression tool (ex: WinZip, PeaZip, IZARC or 7-Zip). We will illustrate the approach for 7-ZIP (free software) but it is roughly similar regardless of the tool used

Click on  Ajouter à l’archive (Add to the archive)…

Name the archive and select from the drop-down list the format of the zip archive.

Click on "OK". Your file .zip is created.

Creating a file « .tar.gz »

1. Select the files concerned, click on « 7-Zip » then on « Ajouter à l’archive (Add to archive)… ».

        2. Click on « Ajouter à l’archive (Add to archive)… » then name the archive in the« Archive » field.

Select the format of the« tar »archive and click on OK. Your file « .tar » is created.

3. Once your file« .tar » created, make a right-click on the file, click on « 7-Zip » then on « Ajouter à l’archive (Add to the archive)… ».
4. Select the format of the « gzip » archive and click on OK.

Submission process of a single invoice

1. Access the submission area :

Click in the « issued invoices » area.

Select the « Invoices submission »

2. Select the submission format in the drop-down list :

• Unsigned PDF
• Signed PDF (signature PAdES).

3. Select the invoicing framework :

In order to implement the relevant processes for each scenario, Chorus Pro requires you to specifiy the invoicing framework when submitting an invoice.

This allows the type of document transmitted to be identified as well as the depositor.

4. Submit the file :

Click on the « Browse » button and select the PDF file from your workstation.

Chorus Pro launches the recognition processing of the information contained in the PDF file.

5. Pre-filled invoice :

Once the processing is complete, Chorus Pro creates a pre-filled invoice from the data that has been recognized.

Before validating the sending of your invoice, in order to allow a better recognition of the information provided in the invoice :

• check the recognized information and correct it if necessary. If Chorus Pro cannot recognize a piece of information, the field is not populated and you will have to enter it manually,
• complete the invoice by filling in the information that has not been pre-filled.

Please refer to the appendix for details of the character recognition rules. 

6. Check the « invoicing framework » block :

The « invoicing framework  » field contains the choice you made at step 4.

7. Check/Complete the "Identification" block :

If necessary, fill in the invoice number and date.

8. Check/Complete the "recipient" block :

The recipient corresponds to the public structure to which the invoice is addressed:

• If the recipient is a State service: Check the "Yes" box and specify the recipient service through the search.
• If the recipient is not a State service, check the "No" box and indicate its SIRET through the search. A service may be required by some public structures, you can indicate it by clicking on the "Search" button.

(*) Central or deconcentrated services directly dependent on the ministries or the government.

9. Check/Complete the "supplier" section :

Select, if necessary, the invoice issuing structure. The " identifier “ field is automatically completed.

Select, if required, the issuing "Service“.

The bank references field is optional. It is filled in by default if there is only one registered reference on the structure. Otherwise you can select it from the drop-down menu.

Please note that payments can only be made on a RIB declared at the market / contract level.

10. Check/Complete the "references" section :

Fill in the currency, the VAT type (mandatory fields) and the commitment number if required.

Complete / Edit :

• The original invoice Number (in case of an asset)
• The reason for exemption (if exempt)
• The payment mode (pre-filled with "transfer" by default).

11. Complete the "VAT Summary" section (optional) :

if there are several VAT rates, you have to detail rates and amounts in the VAT summary.

Fill in the VAT rate and the base amount per rate. The VAT amount per VAT rate is calculated automatically (in case the VAT Summary section is completed, the VAT rate and the amount are mandatory).

Click on validate to confirm your input.

The added line then appears in the "VAT summary" section as follows:

It is then possible to modify or delete the VAT summary line using the two "Actions" buttons above.

12. Check/Complete the "Total amounts" section :

Click the " Save " button to complete the entry. The invoice is at a "draft" status and it is then possible to modify it later.

13. Submit, if necessary, an attachment :

Click on " Attachments management " if you need to add an attachment to the invoice.

14. Submitting the Invoice :

Once the entry is complete, here are the possible actions are as follows :

      Save : the data is saved and the invoice at a "draft" status can be modified later on.

  Validate and send : The invoice is sent to the recipient and goes to the "deposited" status.

    Delete : the invoice is deleted.

Once the " validate and send " button is selected, the window below appears to confirm the invoice is sent.

Click " confirm and send " which automatically generates the Send summary.

Submission process for a batch of invoices

1. In the “Issued invoices” area : 

Select the « Invoices submission » tab.

2. Select the submission format in the drop-down list :

• PDF/A-3 (Factur-X)
• Mixed XML
• Structured XML

3. Select the submission syntax :

If PDF/A-3 (Factur-X) format :

• IN_DP_E2_CII_FACTURX

If Mixed XML format :

• UBL INVOICE Min ;
• CII Min ;
• PES FACTURE Min ;
• CPP FACTURE Min ;
• CII Min 16B.

If XML structured format :

• UBL INVOICE ;
• CII ;
• PES Facture ;
• XCBL;
• CII 16B.

4. Select the issuing structure in the "Structure" field

5. Upload the file :

Click on the « Browse » button and select the file to import.

Click on the « Continue » button to submit the batch of invoices.

Following submission, the invoices are created in two stages :

1 - After clicking the " Continue " button, Chorus Pro performs a batch format check to verify that:

• The attached file is healthy (it does not contain viruses)
• The file extension is consistent with the file format submitted
• The file size does not exceed the maximum allowed size (30 Mo)

If all checks are positive, the batch is saved in Chorus Pro.

The confirmation window below appears and provides the user with the number assigned to his batch.

2 -  In the second phase, Chorus Pro processes the invoices present in the batch :

• Compliant invoices will be created in Chorus Pro : They will then be viewable in the " My issued invoices" area.
• Any non-compliant invoices will not be created in Chorus Pro: An integration report available in the " Data flow overview" area allows you to check any anomalies detected.
• Defective invoices may be re-submitted once they have been corrected.

(*)The documentation "Follow flows" explains how to set up the "Track feeds" space and use the different functionalities at your disposal: https://communaute.chorus-pro.gouv.fr/documentation/monitoring-flows/?lang=en

The Chorus Pro Portal is available at: https://choruspro.gouv.fr/cpp/utilisateur?execution=e1s1&lang=en_US

The service is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, excluding one-off maintenance operations or an inability to function due to force majeure.

It is accessible on the Internet, from any type of terminal equipped with Windows 8 or above, Mac OS (X 10.3 and higher), Android or Linux operating systems.

Chorus Pro is compatible with Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and Safari browsers. The minimum versions required for using Chorus Pro are:

Rules to be respected

Character recognition requires compliance with certain rules so that the information specified on invoices can be read correctly by Chorus Pro:

General principles :

Manual writing is not recognized. 

The information is scanned by a robot and there is no interpretation of the information provided.

The tool recovers all readable data but does not make any calculation (e.g.: If there are several VAT rates, a VAT TOTAL is required).

In order to avoid scanning all pages, regardless of the number of pages of the document submitted, a maximum of 3 pages will be scanned in the following order: first the first page, then the last page, and finally, if all the information to be recognized have not already been gathered, the penultimate page.

The pdf document must contain only the invoice : Do not add a purchase order or a delivery note following the invoice in the PDF file (these can be attachments).

Depending on the fields to be filled in, the tool performs a search based on keywords indicated on the invoice (ex: date, invoice, VAT...). so the keywords are therefore essential.

Data :

Separate the information and associate each data with a keyword. 

The data must be aligned with the keyword that defines it.

Do not add unnecessary letters (e.g.: Purchase Order N°= PO XXXX; The system will include the letters in the order number).

The first data that seems to meet the criteria is the one chosen by the tool. Therefore, avoid :

- Repeating the same data several times on the invoice.

- Filling in different data for the same « keyword ».

Data is intended for a computer system: respect the expected standard formats for the date, the amounts, the invoice and commitment numbers.

Characters :

In order for the data to be scanned, it must be isolated and legible :

- Words must not touch the boxes nor must letters be stuck together (e.g. : the currency must not be part of amounts),

- Avoid spaces in the codes and numbers you transmit.

Use colors and effects in moderation :

- Avoid color (red, pale colors…),

- Avoid bold or highlighted text,

- Avoid overprinting,

- Favour black writing on a white background.

2. Fields read by Chorus Pro

As a reminder, you can obtain the list of mandatory data for an invoice on the following website: https://www.service-public.fr/professionnels-entreprises/vosdroits/F31808

3. Advice and remarks :

If you want to change the recognition criteria, you will need to send a request to which you must attach an example of the invoice you want to submit.