The electronic invoice is not a simple PDF: it is an XML file enclosed in a signed .p7m envelope. Open as it is, the XML is full of code and almost unreadable. In this guide we see how to view and print a .p7m electronic invoice in a clear format.
The problem: The invoice XML is unreadable
When you extract an invoice from the .p7m file you get an XML file like `IT01234567890_00001.xml`. Opening it with an editor you see tags and numbers, not a tidy invoice with amounts, VAT and total. It takes an extra step to read it like a normal document.
How to view the electronic invoice legibly
With P7M Viewer the process is immediate:
1. Open the Open .p7m tool.
2. Upload the .p7m (or .xml.p7m) invoice file.
3. The invoice is extracted and shown: you can view and download it.
So you immediately check the main data — supplier, customer, taxable amount, VAT and total — without having to interpret the XML by hand.
How to print or save the invoice in PDF
Once the invoice has been opened, to print it or save it as a PDF:
- use the browser's Print function (Ctrl+P on PC, the Share menu on mobile);
- choose as printer "Save as PDF";
- get a neat PDF to file or send to your accountant.
This way you turn a .p7m invoice into a normal readable and printable PDF.
Open and print invoices in bulk
If you manage many invoices — typical of companies and accounting firms — you can open them all at once with the multiple open tool and download them into a single ZIP archive, instead of opening them one by one.
Do it from your phone
With the free P7M Viewer app for Android, open the .p7m invoice and share or save it as a PDF directly from your phone, convenient when you receive invoices via email.
Frequently asked questions
Can I turn the .p7m invoice into PDF? Yes: open the file with P7M Viewer and use "Print → Save as PDF".
Is it free? Opening and viewing a single invoice is free.
Do I lose data by printing in PDF? No, the PDF reports the content of the invoice in readable form.
In summary
To view and print a .p7m electronic invoice, extract the invoice with P7M Viewer, then use your browser's "Save as PDF": in a few seconds you have a clear, printable and archiveable document.
