Definition
CFDI XML is the digital tax voucher in structured format: the legal basis of stamping with the SAT. The PDF is only a printed representation. In freight, the XML carries voucher type, amounts, taxes, UUID, and, when applicable, the Carta Porte complement.
If your file only has a pretty PDF, you do not have an auditable voucher.
The XML is the object; WhatsApp PDF traffic is noise.
What CFDI XML means in practice
It is the file the PAC certifies and to which the UUID is assigned. In freight it is usually the freight invoice (income) or a transfer.
When a complement applies, CP nodes live in that same XML: Carta Porte XML.
Why it matters (shipper / 3PL / carrier)
1.Shipper / AP
Without XML there is no SAT validation or defensible amount/withholding match.
2.3PL / intermediary
Archive carrier XML and your own fee XML separately, both tied to the trip.
3.Carrier
Deliver XML at billing. PDF-only resends stretch disputes.
What to read in the XML before paying
Process: pre-pay validation.
| Field / node | AP question | Sibling |
|---|---|---|
| UUID | Active? | CFDI UUID |
| TipoDeComprobante | Income/transfer? | Income / Transfer |
| Totals / taxes | Vs rate card? | Freight invoice |
| CP complement | Nodes vs trip? | Carta Porte XML |
CFDI XML checklist in AP
XML
Valid file
UUID
SAT folio
Type
Income/transfer
Amount
Vs rate
CP
If due
Common mistakes
1.Filing PDF only
You lose nodes, withholdings, and SAT/audit defense.
2.Trusting the PDF total
Breakdown and complements live in the XML.
3.XML in a folder, trip in another system
Without a trip-id tie, pre-pay does not scale.
OCL and the trip file
OCL can stamp invoices and Carta Porte. Agents ingest the file, validate UUID/type/amounts/CP, and tie it to the trip with POD and GPS before pay.
Sources and further reading
- Siblings: UUID · PAC · Carta Porte XML.
- Hub: Mexico freight tax.
- Process: pre-pay validation.
- Audit: CFDI+CP+GPS+POD.
Key takeaways5 points
- XML = voucher; PDF = representation.
- PDF-only audit is insufficient for AP and SAT.
- Store XML + UUID with the trip id.
- From XML you read income/transfer, withholdings, and CP nodes.
- OCL can stamp invoices and Carta Porte; it also parses XML pre-pay.
Still paying on PDF without XML?
Frequently asked questions
The digital tax voucher in structured format: the legal basis of stamping. The PDF is only a printed representation.
Because SAT validation, voucher type, taxes, and complement are audited in the XML.
The issuer; the PAC certifies it at stamping. The buyer receives and verifies it.
Yes. OCL can stamp invoices and Carta Porte; it also verifies XML pre-pay.
In the stamped XML. See CFDI UUID.
The complement is part of the same CFDI XML when applicable. See Carta Porte XML.