Project Overview

The client required a robust, secure, and fully compliant Dolibarr ERP module to send and receive invoices to Romania’s official e-Factura platform (ANAF). The module had to convert Dolibarr invoices into the official e-Factura XML format, securely communicate with the e-Factura API, maintain transaction logs and statuses, and allow users to manage incoming vendor invoices inside Dolibarr.

Key Technical Requirements

• Compatibility with Dolibarr ERP v21.0.x and above.
• Built in PHP 8.x, following Dolibarr module development best practices.
• Send invoices to ANAF via the official e-Factura API and receive incoming invoices.
• Generate and parse compliant XML as per current ANAF e-Factura schema/specifications.
• Clear status tracking (Sent, Accepted, Rejected) and detailed logging of API calls.
• Secure credential storage and SSL/TLS secured API calls with retry/timeouts.
• User-friendly Dolibarr UI tab for e-Factura operations and downloadable CSV/PDF reports.
• Comprehensive user and developer documentation plus an installation/configuration guide.

Challenges & Considerations

• Compliance sensitivity: e-Factura XML must strictly match ANAF schema; small differences cause rejections.
• Reliability: API network issues and partial failures required robust timeout/retry and idempotency handling.
• Data mapping: Mapping Dolibarr invoice fields (taxes, discounts, multi-line items) to e-Factura XML structure accurately.
• Security: Secure handling of API credentials inside Dolibarr configuration and ensuring secure transport.
• User experience: Exposing statuses, errors and actionable steps in a clear, non-technical UI for accounting users.

Our Solution

CnEL India delivered a modular, maintainable, and fully documented Dolibarr extension that meets the client’s business and technical needs. The solution contains the following components:

1. e-Factura Engine (Core)

• XML generator that converts Dolibarr invoices to ANAF-compliant XML using a configurable mapping layer.
• XML parser to convert incoming e-Factura XML into Dolibarr vendor invoices with field validation and mapping logs.

2. API Integration Layer

• Secure storage for API credentials within Dolibarr configuration (encrypted at rest where possible).
• HTTPS (SSL/TLS) based communication, strict certificate verification, and configurable timeouts and retry policies.
• Request/response logging with correlation IDs to support debugging and audit trails.

3. UI & Workflow

• Dedicated e-Factura tab in Dolibarr showing lists of outgoing and incoming invoices, statuses, and action buttons (Resend, Validate, Accept, Reject).
• Clear error messages and suggested fixes for common validation failures (e.g., missing VAT code, mismatched totals).

4. Logging & Reporting

• Detailed logs of API calls and XML payloads with timestamps, status codes and error descriptions.
• Exportable reports in CSV and PDF covering transaction history, rejections, and acceptance confirmations.

5. Documentation & Handover

• End-user manual: installation steps, configuration of credentials, UI guide and common troubleshooting.
• Developer documentation: architecture overview, API endpoints used, XML mapping rules, and extension points for customization.

Implementation Approach & Best Practices

1. Discovery & Specification: We validated ANAF e-Factura schema versions and gathered sample payloads and Dolibarr invoice variations.
2. Design: Created XML mapping templates and sequence diagrams for send/receive flows.
3. Iterative Development: Feature-by-feature delivery with unit tests for XML generation/parsing and integration tests against a sandbox/mock e-Factura endpoint.
4. Security First: Credential encryption, secure transport, and least-privilege application configuration.
5. Robust Error Handling: Descriptive errors, retry with exponential backoff and duplicate detection to ensure idempotency.
6. Documentation & Training: Delivered comprehensive guides and a short walkthrough session for client users (recorded screencast available on request).

Why CnEL India Is the Right Team

• Deep Dolibarr Experience: Proven track record building Dolibarr modules and customizations following core standards — resulting in maintainable, upgrade-safe extensions.
• PHP 8 & Modern Practices: Development with PHP 8.x, strict typing where applicable, and modular design for future enhancements.
• Integration Expertise: Strong experience with API integrations — secure credential handling, robust error/retry logic and full logging for audits.
• Compliance Focus: Familiarity with strict XML schema enforcement and validation-first workflows to reduce rejections when integrating with government systems.
• QA & Documentation Driven: Automated and manual tests, sandbox validation, and full documentation to ensure smooth handover and low support overhead.
• Clear Communication: Weekly progress updates, milestone demos, and an assigned project manager to ensure transparency and timely delivery.

Deliverables

• Fully functional Dolibarr module package (installable zip) compatible with Dolibarr v21.0.x+.
• Source code repository with clear, commented code and commit history.
• Installation & configuration guide (step-by-step).
• End-user manual and developer API documentation.
• Test reports and sample XML payloads used during validation.
• One month post-delivery support window for bug fixes and minor adjustments (optional extended support available).

Project Timeline & Communication

We propose an iterative delivery model with weekly updates and milestone demos:

• Week 1: Requirements validation, ANAF schema confirmation, sample mapping.
• Week 2–4: Core XML generation, send flow, and basic UI for outgoing invoices.
• Week 5–6: Receive flow, XML parsing, vendor invoice creation and UI actions (accept/reject).
• Week 7: Logging, reports, security hardening and integration tests.
• Week 8: Documentation, user acceptance testing, and handover.

Throughout the engagement we provide weekly status reports and a dedicated Slack/Teams channel for realtime communication.

Client Testimonial

“CnEL India delivered exactly what we needed — a secure, reliable Dolibarr extension that integrated seamlessly with the Romanian e-Factura system. Their team translated complex ANAF requirements into a user-friendly module, handled edge cases proactively, and provided excellent documentation. The weekly demos kept us confident in progress and the final handover was smooth. Highly recommended for any organization needing enterprise-grade ERP integrations.”

Technical Summary (At-a-Glance)