XML receipts (CFDI) in submission policies

This article applies to Ramp Administrators. Employees looking for how to submit receipts should see Submitting receipts, memos, and accounting for your Ramp transactions.

Overview

XML receipts are structured, machine-readable receipt documents used for tax compliance in certain markets. In Mexico, businesses are required to collect CFDI (Comprobante Fiscal Digital por Internet) receipts — XML-formatted tax documents issued through Mexico's SAT (Servicio de Administracion Tributaria) — to claim tax deductions on employee expenses.

If your business operates in Mexico or has Mexican entities, you can add an XML receipt requirement to your submission policies. This ensures employees attach XML receipt documentation (such as CFDI) when submitting expenses, alongside or instead of standard image or PDF receipts.

This feature must be enabled for your business. Contact your Account Manager or Ramp Support to request access.

How XML receipts differ from standard receipts

XML receipts and standard receipts are independent requirements in Ramp's submission policy system. When your policy requires both, employees must upload each type separately:

If your policy requires only an XML receipt (without requiring a standard receipt), employees need to upload only the XML file. If your policy requires both, employees must upload both a standard receipt and an XML receipt for the transaction to be compliant.

For Admins: requiring XML receipts in a submission policy

You add an XML receipt requirement through the submission policy workflow builder, the same place you configure other submission requirements like receipts, memos, and accounting fields.

  1. Navigate to Policy > Expense requirements .
  2. Select an existing submission policy to edit, or click Add submission policy to create a new one.
  3. In the workflow builder, click Add and select Required fields (or Optional fields ).
  4. From the field selector, choose XML receipt .
  5. Optionally, add conditions to control when the XML receipt requirement applies — for example, requiring XML receipts only when the Business Entity is a Mexican entity, when the transaction currency is MXN, or only for transactions above a certain Amount .
  6. Click Save to apply the policy.

Note: The XML receipt option only appears in the field selector if this feature has been enabled for your business. If you do not see it, contact your Account Manager.

You can use all of the same conditions available for other submission policy fields, including Business Entity, Amount, Employee Role, and others. For the full list of available conditions, see Setting conditions in the Submission policies article.

Example: requiring XML receipts for a mexican entity

To require XML receipts for all card transactions from a Mexican entity:

  1. In the workflow builder, add a Set conditions step and select Business Entity .
  2. Choose the Mexican entity from the list.
  3. Under the condition, add Required fields and select XML receipt .
  4. Optionally, also require a standard Receipt if you need both document types.
  5. Click Save .

For Employees: uploading XML receipts

When a submission policy requires an XML receipt, you will see a dedicated XML Receipt field on the transaction or reimbursement. This field is separate from the standard receipt upload area.

On desktop

  1. Open the transaction or reimbursement that requires an XML receipt.
  2. Find the XML Receipt field, which displays Upload an XML receipt .
  3. Click to upload your XML file. Only .xml files are accepted in this field.
  4. Once uploaded, the field updates to XML receipt attached .

If the policy also requires a standard receipt, upload that separately in the standard Receipt field.

From the missing items feed

If you have outstanding XML receipt requirements, they appear in your missing items feed. The XML receipt field shows Upload an XML receipt (required). Upload your XML file directly from the feed to resolve the requirement.

Ramp also sends notifications (via email, Slack, or SMS) when XML receipts are missing from your transactions. The notification will include a prompt such as: "Please upload your XML receipt (e.g., CFDI or NF-e) for this transaction."

Frequently asked questions

Can an XML receipt fulfill a standard receipt requirement?

No. When XML receipt policy enforcement is active, XML receipts and standard receipts are tracked as separate requirements. An XML file uploaded to the XML receipt field does not count toward a standard receipt requirement, and a standard image or PDF receipt does not count toward an XML receipt requirement.

What file format does the XML receipt field accept?

The XML receipt field accepts .xml files only. The file must be a valid XML document. For Mexican CFDI compliance, this is the XML file issued by the vendor through Mexico's SAT system.

Does Ramp parse or validate the contents of the XML receipt?

Ramp can parse structured data from XML receipts when configured for your business. Supported XML formats include Mexico's CFDI and Brazil's NF-e. When parsing is configured, Ramp extracts key fields — such as the fiscal UUID, amounts, dates, and vendor information — from the XML document. This extracted data can then be used in advanced accounting rules to automate coding or validation. If parsing is not configured, the XML file is still accepted and stored but its contents are not extracted. Ask your Account Manager to set up XML receipt parsing for your business.

How do XML receipts appear on transactions?

XML receipts display with a document icon thumbnail rather than an image preview. They appear in a separate XML Receipt section on the transaction detail page, distinct from standard receipt previews.

What happens if I remove an XML receipt from a transaction?

If you remove the XML receipt and the policy requires one, the XML receipt requirement becomes unfulfilled. The transaction will show as missing an XML receipt in the missing items feed until a new XML file is uploaded.

Can I require XML receipts for reimbursements?

Yes, for out-of-pocket reimbursements. XML receipt requirements apply to both card transactions and out-of-pocket reimbursements. The reimbursement form includes a dedicated XML receipt upload field when the applicable submission policy requires one. XML receipt requirements are not available for per diem or mileage reimbursements.

Does Ramp detect duplicate XML receipts?

When enabled, Ramp checks for duplicate XML receipts using the file's content. If the same XML file has already been attached to another transaction, Ramp flags it as a potential duplicate.