Switching e-Invoice Integrator in Turkey: How It Works
A planned switch causes no interruption in invoicing. Per GİB guides: first the new account, then close the old one. At year end: the e-Arşiv report.
Is it possible to change integrator?
Yes, at any time. The application guide for e-Fatura from GİB (the Turkish Revenue Administration) says taxpayers can change the method they use "at any time, provided they meet the conditions of the relevant method". The change is not tied to month-end or year-end; you choose the date according to your contract and your plan. Your status as an e-Fatura, e-Arşiv, e-İrsaliye and e-Defter taxpayer does not change; only the institution that creates these documents on your behalf and sends them to GİB changes.
Check that the new integrator is on GİB's official list: GİB list of private integrators (özel entegratör). You can also see the list with city and contact details on our private integrator list page. ELPO Bilişim has been on this list since 2015.
Who carries out the switch?
Not you: the new private integrator applies. According to GİB's private integration guide, the integrator notifies the Presidency electronically of the taxpayer it will serve, and the Presidency opens the account. The account opening document carries the financial seal (mali mühür) of both the integrator and you. The financial seal belongs to you; you do not need to get a new one for the switch.
Once your account is opened, a new mailbox label (alias) appears in GİB's list of registered users. The integrators of the companies that send you invoices update this list at least once an hour; invoices then start arriving at the new label.
Switching steps: the right order
- Read your current contract. The notice period for termination, remaining credits (kontör) and how documents will be handed over when the contract ends are written there.
- Sign a contract with the new integrator. The price is fixed by document volume, the document types you use and your ERP connection.
- Approve the account opening document with your financial seal. The new integrator reports your account to GİB; your new label appears in the list of registered users.
- Set up the connection with your ERP or accounting program and test it. The outgoing and incoming invoice flow, e-Arşiv and, if used, e-İrsaliye are tried end to end.
- Get all your documents from the old integrator. The UBL-TR XML and image files of outgoing and incoming documents; confirm delivery in writing.
- Close the last day of e-Arşiv. The e-Arşiv report is daily and must be sent by the end of the following day at the latest. The report for the last day on which you issued documents through the old integrator is sent by the old integrator.
- Close the old account last. According to the guide, when a taxpayer's private integrator account is closed, the taxpayer's GİB Portal account is reopened. If the old account is closed before the new one is opened, you fall back to the Portal for a while; this is why the order matters.
Switch-day plan
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 30 days before the switch | Check the termination period of the old contract and send the notice; choose the new integrator. |
| 1–2 weeks before | New contract and account opening document with financial seal; ERP connection and test invoices. |
| The day before the switch | Export of all documents from the old integrator and written confirmation of delivery. |
| Switch day | Invoices are issued through the new integrator; check the new label in the list of registered users. |
| The day after the switch | Confirm that the old integrator has sent the e-Arşiv report for the last day; then close the old account. |
Changing integrator at year end
Because most contracts are annual, changes cluster in December and January. If you will switch at year end, watch three rules:
- The document number restarts in the new year. The e-document number consists of a 3-character unit code, a 4-digit year and a 9-digit sequence; when the year changes, the sequence starts from 1. Switching to the new integrator on 1 January starts the new year's series cleanly.
- December work can also be invoiced in January. According to GİB's announcement of 31.12.2020, invoices for deliveries and services in the last days of December can be issued in January, provided the 7-day issuing period is respected; the year code is taken from the document date.
- Do not squeeze it into 31 December. Year-end closing, tax returns and the last-day e-Arşiv report fall on the same days. Finish the tests in the first half of December.
Will there be an interruption?
Not if it is planned properly. According to the GİB guide, the e-Fatura application can be used by receiving service from more than one private integrator; a separate label is defined at each integrator. This way the old account keeps working while the new account is opened and tested. The risk of interruption usually comes from two places: closing the old account before the new one, and putting the ERP connection live without testing.
What happens to your invoices at the old integrator?
The responsibility for keeping them is yours. According to VUK 509 (Tax Procedure Law General Communiqué No. 509), taking a storage service from an integrator or a third party does not remove the taxpayer's duty to keep and present documents, and storage is done in Türkiye. Before the switch, get the XML and image files of all outgoing and incoming documents from the old integrator and confirm delivery in writing. It is normal for the old provider to close archive access when the contract ends; getting the data first is the most critical step.
Switching checklist
- The termination period and remaining credits of the old contract are known.
- The new integrator is on the GİB list.
- The account opening document is approved with the financial seal and the new label is visible in the list.
- The ERP connection was tried with a test invoice.
- The XML and image files of old documents were received.
- The last day's e-Arşiv report was sent by the old integrator.
- The old account was closed last.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an integrator change take?
Opening the account is done by the new integrator notifying GİB. The ERP connection and tests decide the real duration; if the connection is ready, it can be completed in a few days.
Can I change integrator in the middle of a month?
Yes. GİB does not tie the change to a date. For e-Arşiv, it is enough to make clear which integrator will send the report for the day.
Do credits at the old integrator transfer to the new one?
No, credits are specific to the provider. Refund or use of the remaining credits depends on the terms of your old contract; you can choose the switch date according to the remaining credits.
Will my document numbers change?
The document number consists of unit code, year and sequence. At the new integrator you set your unit code and sequence together; in the new year the sequence starts from 1.
Can I use two integrators at the same time?
Yes. The GİB guide says service can be received from more than one private integrator; a separate label is defined at each. During the transition this gives a seamless handover.
Do I need to renew my financial seal?
No. The financial seal belongs to you; at the new integrator you approve the account opening document with the same seal.
Sources
- GİB e-Fatura Application Guide — switching between methods
- GİB e-Fatura Private Integration Guide v1.14 — account opening, more than one integrator, label
- GİB e-Arşiv Technical Guide v1.17 — daily report deadline
- GİB announcement of 31.12.2020 — document number and year code
Next step
At ELPO there is no fixed monthly fee and no setup fee; credits are valid for two years and storage is included in the price. All packages are on the e-Fatura prices page. For selection criteria see the private integrator guide, and for scope the e-Fatura program page. Share your document volume and your switch date and we will draw up the plan together: quote form.