Understanding SAT (CFDI) Validation for Mexican Invoices
Last updated: July 23, 2026
Applies to: Customers processing invoices from vendors based in Mexico
Overview
Mexican tax law requires every invoice (known as a CFDI — Comprobante Fiscal Digital por Internet) to be digitally registered and certified with SAT (Servicio de Administración Tributaria), Mexico's federal tax authority. OpenEnvoy automatically verifies every Mexican invoice against SAT's official verification service before it is matched and approved for payment.
Key rule: A Mexican invoice is cleared for matching and payment only after SAT confirms it is registered and active (Vigente) and has not been cancelled.
What OpenEnvoy checks
Four fields are captured from each Mexican invoice and verified against SAT's records.
Field | What it is | Format example |
|---|---|---|
RFC Emisor | The vendor's (issuer's) federal taxpayer registry number. |
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RFC Receptor | The buyer's (bill-to entity's) federal taxpayer registry number. |
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Total amount | The total amount due on the invoice, in Mexican pesos. |
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Folio Fiscal (UUID) | The invoice's unique government-issued identifier, printed on the invoice . |
|
How the validation works
The invoice is received and the four fields above are captured.
OpenEnvoy verifies these values in real time against SAT's official CFDI verification service — the same source of truth behind the Validar factura tool on the SAT website.
If SAT confirms the invoice is registered and active, the invoice proceeds to matching as normal.
If validation fails, or any of the four fields cannot be found, the job is placed in Pending status and is held from matching and payment until the issue is resolved.
This check applies only to invoices from vendors based in Mexico. Invoices from vendors in other countries are not subject to SAT validation.
Why an invoice may fail SAT validation
Scenario | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
A field doesn't match SAT's records | One of the four fields (RFC, amount, or Folio Fiscal) differs from what is registered with SAT — often a small discrepancy on the invoice document. | Compare the invoice against its CFDI XML . If they match and the issue persists, contact support. |
Invoice not found with SAT | The Folio Fiscal is not registered with SAT. This can happen if the invoice was never stamped (certified) by the government. | Ask the vendor to confirm the invoice was properly stamped, or verify it yourself on the SAT website (see below). |
Invoice cancelled | The invoice was registered but has since been cancelled by the issuer with SAT. | Request a new, valid invoice from the vendor. |
Required fields missing | One or more of the four fields could not be captured — usually because the CFDI XML was not submitted with the invoice. | Re-submit the invoice with its CFDI XML attached, or upload the XML to the existing job. |
How to verify an invoice yourself
You can independently confirm an invoice's status using the SAT website:
Go to sat.gob.mx and search for Validar factura.
Enter the Folio Fiscal (UUID) from the invoice or its CFDI XML.
Enter the RFC Emisor (vendor) and RFC Receptor (your entity).
Review the result. A valid invoice shows the status Vigente (active).
Note: If the SAT website shows the invoice as valid but the job remains in Pending in OpenEnvoy, contact our support team with the job ID. We will review the captured field values and correct them where needed.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Do I need to do anything for invoices from non-Mexican vendors? A: No. SAT validation applies only to Mexican vendors. Invoices from vendors outside Mexico follow your standard workflow.
Q: The invoice looks correct to me — why is it still Pending? A: Small differences between the printed invoice and SAT's records (for example, a single character in the Folio Fiscal) can cause a mismatch. Verify the invoice on the SAT website using the values from the invoice. If it shows as valid there, contact support with the job ID.
Q: Can a validated invoice later become invalid? A: Yes. Vendors can cancel invoices with SAT after issuing them. If an invoice is cancelled, request a new, valid invoice from the vendor.
Q: Does SAT validation delay my payments? A: No. Validation happens automatically in real time when the invoice is processed. Only invoices that fail validation are held, which protects you from paying invalid or cancelled invoices.
Need help?
If an invoice remains in Pending after following the steps above, contact support@openenvoy.com with the job ID and, where possible, the CFDI XML file. Our team will investigate and respond promptly.