A portal ZIP bundle is an archive containing invoices and related files, such as PDF copies, receipts or signatures. ZIP itself is a general container format, specified by PKWARE in APPNOTE.TXT, that stores and compresses files together. Nothing in ZIP says which file is the invoice. Klarbon does not open ZIP bundles in the browser yet.
What is in a ZIP file?
| Part | Holds |
|---|---|
| Local file headers | one per file: name, sizes, compression method, checksum |
| File data | the compressed or stored content of each file |
| Central directory | the list of all files and where they start |
| End of central directory record | where the directory starts; every ZIP file must have exactly one |
The specification, version 6.3.10 of November 2022, describes a format for aggregating, compressing and encrypting files in one container, with no rules for what goes in it (APPNOTE.TXT). Office files such as the Excel workbook are ZIP archives too, with their own fixed structure.
What can a portal bundle contain?
| File | Typical role |
|---|---|
| Invoice XML | the e-invoice, such as UBL or a national format |
| a readable copy, not always the legal original | |
| Receipt or response XML | the portal's message about the invoice |
| Signature file | the portal's or issuer's seal over the content |
Keep the archive as you received it. If you unpack it and later need the receipt or signature, the original bundle is your evidence.
What does Klarbon do with ZIP bundles?
Klarbon does not open uploaded ZIP files in the browser today. Opening a bundle, listing its files safely and showing the invoice inside is planned. Until then, unzip the archive on your device and open a supported invoice XML or a PDF with embedded invoice XML in open an e-invoice, free and in your browser. With email-in, Klarbon reads e-invoices inside a ZIP attachment, one level deep; see read e-invoices by email.
Related
Frequently asked questions
Why do invoices arrive in a ZIP file?
Portals and accounting software bundle several files into one download, such as the invoice XML, a human-readable PDF and the portal's receipt or signature. ZIP keeps related files together and can compress them; it does not guarantee a smaller file.
Which file in the ZIP is the invoice?
Follow the portal's documentation. The invoice may be XML or a PDF carrying invoice XML; a receipt, response or signature file may be a separate record rather than the invoice.
Can Klarbon open a ZIP file of invoices?
Not in the browser yet. Unzip it first, then open the supported invoice XML or a PDF with embedded invoice XML in Klarbon. Opening ZIP bundles directly is planned. Email-in already reads e-invoices inside a ZIP attachment, one level deep.
Is it safe to open a ZIP file from an invoice email?
Only if you expect it from that sender. An archive can contain harmful attachments. Never run a program found inside an invoice archive.
Sources
- PKWARE, APPNOTE.TXT, .ZIP File Format Specification 6.3.10 pkware.cachefly.net