How do I view a SAF-T file online, without ERP?
Tools
• SAFT-T • UBL • PEPPOL • XML • E-INVOICE • TAX •
The Standard Audit File for Tax (SAF-T) is the international benchmark for digital tax reporting. While it was designed to give Tax Authorities a transparent view of a company’s financial health, the raw XML format is notoriously difficult for humans to read.
If you are dealing with a monthly Invoicing file or a comprehensive Accounting export, you can easily view your SAF-T XML file with a free online SAF-T explorer.
What is SAF-T?
SAF-T is a standardized XML file that contains a company’s tax-relevant documentation for a specific period. It was developed by the OECD to allow tax inspectors and auditors to easily export data from any ERP or accounting software into a universal, readable format.
In jurisdictions like Portugal (SAF-T PT), Norway (SAF-T NO), and Poland (JPK), this file is the primary method for communicating with the Tax Authority.
Understanding the Two Pillars of SAF-T
It is crucial for accountants to distinguish between the two types of files often requested by authorities:
- SAF-T for Invoicing: A simplified, mandatory monthly file. It reports your sales documents, receipts, and shipping notes. Tax authorities use this to monitor monthly revenue and VAT obligations.
- SAF-T for Accounting (General Ledger): A much larger, comprehensive file exported for annual audits or specific inspections. It contains the entire General Ledger, the Chart of Accounts, Customer/Supplier master files, and product catalogs.
What’s Hiding Inside the XML?
A standard SAF-T file is a “snapshot” of a business, containing:
- Corporate Identity: Tax IDs, registration details, and head office addresses.
- Master Files: Complete lists of every customer and supplier in your database, even those with no recent activity.
- Product/Service Catalogs: Descriptions and tax categorizations for every item sold.
- Transaction Logs: Every invoice, credit note, and journal entry, including canceled or voided documents.
Why do I need to view and check SAF-T?
Reporting a SAF-T file is easy; verifying it is hard. Most ERPs “black box” the export process, leaving accountants hoping the data is correct. The error is costly, since you are uploading something you are not sure about to the Tax Office! Ideally, any SAF-T file needs a human review before giving it out to authorities.
Our free SAF-T tool empowers you to:
- Instantly Verify Data: Don’t wait for a penalty notice. Select your XML to see exactly what the Tax Authority will see.
- Navigate Large Files: We use a high-performance streaming parser that opens 100MB+ files in seconds, no software installation required.
- Perform Forensic Checks: Forensics panel automatically identifies the schema version, country-specific tags, and company header details.
- Export to Excel: Convert complex XML file into a clean CSV format for deeper analysis, reconciliation, and reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who must report via SAF-T? Most taxpayers involved in commercial, industrial, or agricultural activities are required to generate these files. If you use certified billing software, SAF-T generation is almost certainly a legal requirement for your business.
What are the deadlines? Deadlines vary by country. Failure to meet deadlines often results in automatic penalties.
Why use a browser-based viewer? Traditional accounting software often lacks a user-friendly way to “peek” inside the XML before submission. Our viewer is private by design: your financial data never leaves your computer. All processing happens locally in your browser, providing a secure, EU-compliant way to audit financial files anonymously.
Privacy First
All of these tools are designed with privacy in mind. Processing happens entirely on the user’s computer using JavaScript, with no uploads, no server-side storage and no tracking. For accountants, auditors and consultants handling sensitive financial data, this local-only approach is not just convenient but increasingly necessary.
Unlike many online converters:
- Documents never leave your computer
- No servers, no uploads
- No analytics or tracking
- Designed for handling sensitive financial and GDPR data
- Aligned with strict EU privacy expectations
- Completely free and always will be
This makes the tools suitable for auditors, accountants, consultants, and security-conscious organizations.
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