API
A-Cube’s Stripe e-invoicing app: a practical guide from installation to Payment Links
One of the most widely used platforms in the world for processing payments with cards, digital wallets, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) and cryptocurrencies, Stripe was chosen by companies such as Amazon, Shopify, Uber and Slack, as well as numerous e-commerce businesses and organisations. In Italy, Stripe does not allow the direct sending of e-invoices automatically and in sync with transactions, except through the use of third-party apps. The Stripe e-invoicing App developed by us at A-Cube is designed precisely for this purpose.
A-Cube App for Stripe: what it is, how it works and how to install it
Since 2022, Stripe has made it possible to develop apps that allow custom flows to be integrated into the work dashboard and simplify different types of operations, such as automated e-invoicing. For this reason, at A-Cube we developed the Stripe E-invoicing App, which can be used by any e-commerce business or company that has chosen Stripe as its payment gateway.
The A-Cube solution allows you to send and manage e-invoices directly from the Stripe dashboard with a single click, in an integrated and compliant way. More specifically, the system automatically converts the data generated by Stripe for each transaction into standard XML format, and can send it directly to the Interchange System. All this happens in real time, so as not to create slowdowns or queues in the transmission of documents.
Download, install and configure the Stripe e-invoicing App
The A-Cube Stripe e-invoicing App is natively integrated with Stripe and available in its Marketplace. After installing it, you need to:
sign up for the A-Cube service with a valid e-mail address;
complete the form with personal and billing details, which will be used to complete the sender information on outgoing e-invoices;
accept and sign the Terms and Conditions form using your smartphone and the OTP received;
start using the App.
The free plan allows the sending of up to 10 documents per month; beyond this threshold sending is blocked. Here are the other monthly plans.
Up to 50 documents for € 19.90 (cost above the threshold of € 0.45);
up to 100 documents for € 29.90 (cost above the threshold of € 0.35);
up to 200 documents for € 39.90 (cost above the threshold of € 0.25).
Those who issue more than 200 invoices per month can request a custom quote.
Before using the service, it is necessary to configure the type of products that will be sold with Stripe and your tax status; in the latter case, you can choose between:
RF01 for ordinary companies
RF19 for the simplified tax regime.
To confirm this information, which can also be changed later, click “Save”.
How to change the settings of the A-Cube Stripe e-invoicing App
The settings page is available by clicking the three dots at the top right of the screen. You can set general preferences, e-invoicing preferences and those concerning the electronic receipt.
From the general preferences you can:
set the interface language between English, Italian and Polish;
choose not to send invoices if the total amount is equal to zero;
set the default tax rate to apply if the product does not have one configured.
In the section dedicated to e-invoicing settings, you can decide whether to send invoices automatically or manually:
when the customer completes payment successfully;
before payment; in this case the invoice is sent to the customer with status “open” or “finalised” on Stripe, available only if Stripe Billing is used.
In addition, you have the option to:
choose the invoice number format and enable or disable automatic incrementing of the numbering;
allow the sending of B2C invoices;
automatically apply stamp duty on the invoice when necessary based on the amount.
It is also possible to set the electronic receipt settings and delegate A-Cube to send receipts on your behalf to the Italian Revenue Agency. Simply click the “Read and follow the guide” button and start the assignment process. Once completed, you need to enable the electronic receipt; if you prefer to submit it manually, just disable the option.
How to fill in the customer metadata fields in the A-Cube Stripe App
In some cases, it is necessary to specify particular information relating to the Italian invoicing process that is not automatically recognised by Stripe. An example may be the tax code or recipient code. These can be communicated using metadata. Below are the fields that can be set in this way.
Recipient code: allows sending to the correct recipients in the Interchange System. What happens if the recipient code is not found? In the case of an Italian customer, the system uses the value “0000000” by default; for customers of other nationalities, the default value is “XXXXXXX”.
Tax code, to identify the parties involved in the B2C invoicing process. If the field is not available, the system activates a safety mechanism that prevents invoice processing, avoiding errors. In this way, the highest standards of compliance and accuracy in B2C e-invoicing are maintained.
Split payment, which allows invoices subject to split payment to be indicated.
Invoices and receipts, checkout and payments
From the sidebar of the A-Cube Stripe App, you can view two tabs in the invoice list. These are:
IN PROGRESS, which contains documents: new and not yet sent to the authority, blocked before sending due to missing information, sent and not yet confirmed by the Revenue Agency, or rejected (therefore requiring corrections);
COMPLETED, which contains documents that require no action and are accepted or ignored.
Creating a new invoice in the A-Cube Stripe App is simple: just click the “Create invoice” button, select the customer and then the products. Once the invoice has been created, you can use the A-Cube E-invoicing app to check its details and send it from there.
Next, you can check the status of the document. Those accepted and delivered display a green icon with a double tick and the button to download the PDF. Those who do not wish to manage the invoice or a payment with the A-Cube E-invoicing app can force it to be skipped by moving it to the Completed list with status “SKIPPED”.
It is also possible to:
generate credit notes via the dedicated button; these can be managed by the A-Cube E-invoicing app whether the integration uses Stripe Invoice or Stripe Payments;
issue B2C invoices to individual consumers (see the dedicated guide)
receive invoices from suppliers.
The A-Cube Stripe E-invoicing app can also be used without Stripe Billing products. In the absence of detailed information about the items sold that is generally provided by Stripe when using Stripe Invoicing (part of Stripe Billing), the corresponding metadata can optionally be provided during the creation of the payment session. For the breakdown of metadata fields, please refer to the technical guide.
Remember that the VAT rate is not applied by the A-Cube App but must be entered manually using the metadata linked to Payment Intents. Those who use Stripe for invoices can do so through its interface.
And what if an invoice contains an error? In this case, a rejection notice from the Revenue Agency is displayed and the invoice can be corrected via the dedicated button.
What are Stripe Payment Links and how do they work?
The Stripe Payment Links allow you to create customisable and shareable checkout pages without needing code. These can be linked to A-Cube's Stripe App.
How does it work? When a Payment Link is present, A-Cube automatically requests billing details from the customer after payment has been completed in order to issue the document. This step can be set as optional for the end customer. If data is missing, and if electronic receipts have previously been enabled, an electronic receipt can be issued as an alternative to the invoice.
It is possible to connect the Payment Link to A-Cube:
via a restricted API key and through some guided steps; the Payment Links after configuration will be connected simply with a button;
via manual configuration, which however must be repeated for each Payment Link you want to set up with A-Cube.
For both procedures, please refer to the dedicated technical guide.
Through the relevant settings, you can customise some details regarding Payment Links such as:
the landing page after completion of the operation, which can be generic or explicitly indicated;
the customer’s ability not to provide the details and receive a receipt instead of the invoice;
the option to disconnect the payment option from A-Cube.
Contact us now
Whether you use Stripe for e-commerce payments or for a business, you can configure the A-Cube Stripe e-invoicing App in a few minutes and start generating and sending invoices that comply with the law straight away. With the added security of using a solution that is ready to use and updated in line with the latest regulatory requirements.
Have any other questions about configuration or use? Would you like technical support or advice on integrating the solution into your workflow? Email or contact us at stripe-support@a-cube.io. Our team is here to help you get off to a good start… or to move at the pace that suits you best.
