With the implementation of the Verifactu system, the legal framework for documenting each sale at the point of sale changes significantly. Many businesses still use terms like “ticket” or “receipt” informally, but it’s essential to understand which documents have legal and fiscal validity, and how they will be treated under the new regulation.
In this article, we clarify the differences between a ticket, receipt, and invoice (in its various forms), and explain how Comply handles everything automatically to ensure your business remains compliant.
Shopify continues to add a receipt number to all printed invoices, but this is for internal reference only and has no fiscal or legal purpose.
What Was a Ticket Before Verifactu?
Traditionally, a “ticket” was a non-fiscal document with limited legal value:
Issued for sales to individuals without identifying the customer
Not eligible for VAT deduction
Not considered a legal invoice
It was common in physical stores for low-value purchases, but did not meet the requirements for traceability or fiscal recordkeeping.
What Changes Under Verifactu?
Under the Verifactu Regulation, issuing a simple, non-fiscal ticket is no longer allowed. Every sale—regardless of amount—must now be recorded as a verifiable invoice that meets the following criteria:
Automatic generation of a fiscal record
Sequential numbering
Digital signature or hash
Inclusion of a verifiable QR code
Immutable storage
Real-time submission to the Spanish Tax Agency (AEAT)
In other words, every "ticket" now becomes a simplified invoice (FS) under Verifactu—by law.
So What’s the Difference Between a Ticket, Receipt, and Invoice?
Document Type | Still Allowed Under Verifactu? | Legally Valid? | Issued by Comply? |
Ticket / Receipt (non-fiscal) | No | No | No |
Simplified Invoice (FS) | Yes | Yes | Automatically |
Full Invoice (FC) | Yes | Yes | When customer is identified |
Corrective Invoice (RS or RC) | Yes | Yes | When a recorded sale is modified |
What Does Comply Generate in Each Case?
In Comply, depending on how the sale is processed in Shopify POS or in the Shopify Admin, the appropriate document is generated automatically:
Scenario | Document Generated by Comply |
Sale without identified customer | Simplified Invoice (FS) |
Sale with identified customer (e.g. NIF, business name) | Full Invoice (FC) |
Return or exchange of a simplified invoice | Simplified Rectified Invoice (RS) |
Return or exchange of a full invoice | Full Rectified Invoice (RC) |
Comply takes care of everything: sequential numbering, digital hashing, traceability, and QR code generation—ensuring that every invoice complies with Verifactu, with zero manual effort from your team.