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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about docs101 — invoicing, billing, features, and technical support.

Getting Started​

How do I get started with docs101?

Getting started is simple and free:

  1. Visit docs101.com and click Sign Up
  2. Create an account with your email address
  3. Complete your company profile (name, address, tax ID)
  4. Start creating invoices immediately with the Free plan (up to 3 invoices per month)

No credit card is required for the Free plan. Upgrade to the Professional plan anytime for up to 100 invoices per month.

Is there a free plan?

Yes! docs101 offers a Free plan that stays free forever — no catches, no hidden fees, no time limits. It's designed specifically for freelancers who need a reliable solution to write their own invoices. With up to 3 invoices per month, it covers everything a typical freelancer needs. You can create and manage unlimited customers.

The Free plan includes:

  • Up to 3 invoices per month
  • Unlimited customers
  • Unlimited invoice validations
  • Basic integrations (Clockify)
  • Community support

Your usage is always visible on the Dashboard and the Subscription page, including a progress bar and the date when your limit resets.

You're never locked in either: the Export feature lets you export all your data at any time and switch to another provider whenever you want. Compare all plans to see what paid plans offer.

Which countries are supported?

Our goal is to make docs101 the invoicing platform for all of Europe. Today, docs101 generates invoices in ZUGFeRD/Factur-X format (EN 16931-compliant) — and we are actively working on integrating additional national e-invoicing systems to cover every EU country.

Here is where things stand right now:

Fully compliant — docs101 meets all domestic B2B e-invoicing requirements:

  • Germany: ZUGFeRD is an accepted format for the mandatory B2B e-invoicing obligation (phased in 2025–2028)
  • France: Factur-X is an accepted format for the mandatory B2B e-invoicing obligation (phased in 2026–2027)

Works without restrictions — these countries have no B2B e-invoicing mandate, so PDF invoices are fully legal. docs101 exceeds the legal minimum by generating EN 16931-compliant invoices:

  • Cyprus, Malta, Austria, Netherlands, Ireland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Sweden, Finland, Denmark

On our roadmap — these countries have mandatory e-invoicing or tax reporting systems that docs101 does not yet integrate with. We are working on expanding support:

  • Italy (SDI), Romania (e-Factura), Poland (KSeF), Belgium, Croatia, Latvia, Spain
  • Greece (myDATA reporting), Hungary (real-time reporting to NAV)

B2G (invoices to government) is not supported. B2G requires dedicated e-invoicing channels (e.g., Peppol) across the entire EU.

Cross-border B2B invoices work everywhere — national e-invoicing mandates end at the country's border, so PDF is legal for intra-community transactions.

For the full details, see the Country Availability & E-Invoicing Requirements guide.

Invoicing​

Can I send invoices in different languages?

Yes! docs101 supports multi-language invoices. The invoice language is determined by the language you set for each customer under Customer → General → Language. All invoice fields (terms, labels, etc.) are automatically generated in the customer's language.

Currently supported languages include English and German.

What invoice formats does docs101 support?

docs101 generates PDF invoices with optional ZUGFeRD/Factur-X compliance:

  • PDF: Standard invoice format for all invoices
  • ZUGFeRD/Factur-X: EU-compliant electronic invoice format with embedded XML data, validated against the EN 16931 standard

All generated invoices can be validated using the built-in PDF Validation Tool. Learn more about ZUGFeRD compliance.

How do I add a discount to my invoice?

docs101 supports line-item discounts:

  1. Add your invoice line items
  2. In the positions table, click the discount icon (tag icon) next to the position
  3. Choose a percentage or fixed amount discount and save
  4. The line total and invoice total update automatically

Discounts appear on the printed/PDF invoice for transparency. See the full guide on Discounts & Exemptions.

Can I customize the invoice layout?

Yes! docs101 offers flexible invoice customization through templates:

  1. Go to Templates in the main navigation
  2. Select an existing template or create a new one
  3. Customize the header, footer, CSS styling, and layout
  4. Use template variables to control which data appears where
  5. Save your template and apply it to new invoices

See the Template Customization Guide for details.

What are early-payment discounts (Skonto)?

Early-payment discounts (Skonto) let you offer customers a reduced invoice amount if they pay before the regular due date. You can configure up to three discount tiers on any "Days after invoice" payment term — for example, 3% off if paid within 7 days, 2% within 14 days, or 1% within 21 days. docs101 automatically calculates the concrete discount amounts and deadlines for each invoice.

See the full guide: Payment Terms > Early-Payment Discounts.

Compliance​

Is docs101 ZUGFeRD compliant?

Yes! docs101 fully supports ZUGFeRD/Factur-X electronic invoicing:

  • Invoices include embedded XML data conforming to the ZUGFeRD standard
  • Generated invoices are validated against the EN 16931 standard using KOSiT validation
  • PDF/A compliance is checked automatically

You can also use the free PDF Validation Tool to verify any ZUGFeRD/Factur-X PDF — no account required.

Learn more about ZUGFeRD and how it works.

Do I need ZUGFeRD for my invoices?

It depends on where your business is based and who you invoice:

  • Germany: Since January 2025, all businesses must be able to receive e-invoices. From January 2027, businesses with over EUR 800,000 annual turnover must issue e-invoices. From January 2028, the obligation applies to all businesses. ZUGFeRD and XRechnung are both accepted formats.
  • France: From September 2026, all companies must be able to receive e-invoices; large and medium enterprises must start issuing them. By September 2027, this extends to all businesses including micro-enterprises. Factur-X is an accepted format.
  • Many other EU countries (Cyprus, Malta, Austria, Netherlands, Ireland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Scandinavia): No B2B e-invoicing mandate exists. A PDF is legally sufficient — but ZUGFeRD gives your customers the benefit of automated processing.
  • Countries with national mandates (Italy, Romania, Poland, Belgium, Croatia, Latvia, Spain): These require their own national e-invoicing systems (e.g., SDI, KSeF, e-Factura). ZUGFeRD alone is not sufficient there.
  • Cross-border B2B: National e-invoicing mandates end at the border. For intra-community invoices, PDF is legal regardless of the recipient's country.

The EU's ViDA (VAT in the Digital Age) initiative will make EN 16931-compliant e-invoicing (the standard behind ZUGFeRD) mandatory for cross-border B2B across all member states, expected around 2030.

Bottom line: docs101 generates ZUGFeRD/Factur-X invoices automatically on every invoice. You are compliant in Germany and France, you exceed requirements in countries without mandates, and you are already using the format that ViDA will require EU-wide.

See the Country Availability guide for the full breakdown.

How does the VAT ID validation work?

docs101 validates EU VAT IDs through the VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) service:

  1. When you enter a customer's VAT ID, docs101 checks the format
  2. The system validates the VAT ID against the EU VIES database
  3. If valid, the VAT ID is confirmed and stored with the customer record
  4. For cross-border B2B transactions with a valid VAT ID, reverse charge rules can apply

Learn more about VAT ID Validation and VIES.

What is reverse charge and when do I use it?

Reverse Charge is an EU VAT mechanism:

  • What it is: The buyer (not the seller) accounts for the VAT
  • When it applies: B2B transactions between businesses in different EU member states
  • How docs101 handles it: When a customer has a valid EU VAT ID from another country, reverse charge can be applied to the invoice
  • On the invoice: A reverse charge notice appears instead of VAT being charged

Example: You're a freelancer in Germany invoicing a company in France. Their valid French VAT ID qualifies the transaction for reverse charge, so you invoice without VAT.

Learn more about Reverse Charge.

Technical​

How is my data stored and secured?

docs101 takes security seriously:

  • Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
  • Authentication: Single sign-on via Keycloak with secure session management
  • Sensitive Data: API keys and credentials are stored encrypted
  • Infrastructure: Hosted in EU data centers
  • GDPR: Fully GDPR compliant

See Account Security for more details.

Can I export my data?

Yes. docs101 provides a Package Export feature:

  1. Go to Exports in the main navigation
  2. Select a date range
  3. The system generates a ZIP file containing:
    • All invoice PDFs from the selected period
    • A general ledger CSV file (accounting data)
    • A customer/vendor list CSV file

This export is designed for handing off to your accountant. See Accounting Export for details.

Which browsers are supported?

docs101 works on all modern browsers:

  • Chrome (latest 2 versions)
  • Firefox (latest 2 versions)
  • Safari (latest 2 versions)
  • Edge (latest 2 versions)

For the best experience, keep your browser updated.

Billing​

How do I upgrade my plan?

Upgrading is quick:

  1. Go to Administration and open the Subscription section
  2. Click Upgrade
  3. Choose your billing cycle: Monthly or Yearly
  4. You're redirected to Stripe's secure checkout
  5. Enter your payment details and confirm

Your new plan is active immediately. Learn more about plans and pricing.

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?

Yes, you can cancel anytime:

  1. Go to Account > Subscription
  2. Click Cancel Subscription
  3. Confirm the cancellation
  4. Your account reverts to the Free plan after your billing period ends
  5. You keep full access until then

Learn more about Subscription & Billing.

What payment methods are accepted?

docs101 uses Stripe for secure payment processing. All common payment methods such as credit card are typically available. The exact options may vary depending on your location.

VAT & Tax Treatments​

Can I use multiple different VAT exemption reasons on a single invoice?

No. The system supports exactly one exemption reason per VAT category code per invoice. All exempt positions on one invoice share the same exemption reason and are grouped into a single breakdown row. This scenario — mixing genuinely different exempt reasons on a single invoice — is extremely rare in practice.

Why can't I select a tax treatment when the "Kleinunternehmer" toggle is active?

The Kleinunternehmerregelung (§ 19 UStG) is a seller-level attribute, not a per-position choice. When the small business exemption is enabled on your company, all positions on all invoices are automatically assigned the "Small business" treatment (0% VAT, category E). The dropdown is locked because mixing small business positions with regular VAT positions on the same invoice is not permitted. To use a different tax treatment, turn off the company-level toggle first.

Can I combine "Not subject to VAT" with other tax treatments on the same invoice?

Yes. "Not subject to VAT" (VAT code O) can be freely combined with any other tax treatment on the same invoice. For example, a software license for a Swiss customer (Out of Scope) and a domestic book delivery (7% VAT) can appear on the same invoice. The breakdown will show separate rows for each. Note: this is not the case for the "Small business" treatment — see above.

My invoice has only one tax rate. Will the VAT Breakdown still appear?

Yes. The breakdown is always generated, even with a single tax rate. It will show one row (e.g., "Net (19% VAT)") with the cumulated amounts. This keeps the display consistent for single-rate and multi-rate invoices.

Still Have Questions?​

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