Amount mismatch between the invoice and its QR code
This is the case that is hardest to spot with the naked eye, and at the same time the most serious finding an invoice check can produce: the code says 1,150 SAR while the invoice text says 1,200 SAR. The invoice looks professional, the code scans fine, and yet one of the two numbers is wrong.
ZATCA Checker
The code says 1,150 and the invoice says 1,200: why this happens, how to detect it, and what to do when it appears. A full explanation of the most important e-invoice check.
Check your invoice nowHow does this happen?
The usual cause is that the code is generated at one moment and the invoice text is edited afterwards without regenerating it — or the other way round. In manual systems and edited invoice templates this happens often: an amount is corrected or a line item added, and the code stays as it was.
- Editing the amount after the code was generated, without regenerating it.
- Calculating tax on the wrong base, then correcting the total by hand.
- Using more than one invoicing system with different calculation logic.
- Copying a code from an earlier invoice by mistake.
Why reading the code alone is not enough
Because the code carries no reference to the invoice text. Any program can read the code and report "fields present", but it cannot know whether the amount inside it matches the line printed above unless it reads both and compares them. That is exactly the second step this tool performs.
| In the code | On the invoice | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1,150.00 | 1,150.00 | Match |
| 1,150.00 | 1,200.00 | Mismatch — reissue needed |
| 150.00 tax | 150.00 tax | Match |
| 150.00 tax | 200.00 tax | Mismatch, and VAT maths fails |
The VAT calculation is a separate check
Alongside comparing totals, the tool verifies that the VAT amount equals 15% of the pre-VAT total, within a tight technical tolerance. If it does not, you get the result as a warning showing both the expected and the found value — not as a final judgement.
The tool does not accuse anyone. On the seller name in particular it either finds a match or says "unconfirmed" — because automated text reading can be wrong, and an accusation should never rest on a probability.
What to do when a mismatch appears
- Ask the seller to reissue the invoice with a regenerated code.
- Keep the printed report the tool generates — it shows both values side by side.
- Do not rely on a mismatched invoice for a tax claim until it is corrected.
- Talk to your accountant if the same seller keeps producing mismatches.
Frequently asked questions
Does a mismatch mean the invoice is forged?
No. It means there is an inconsistency between what is encoded and what is printed. In most cases the cause is a system error, not deliberate fraud.
Why does the seller name show "unconfirmed"?
Because the tool could not confirm the same name appears in the invoice text. That may be because the text could not be read automatically, not because the name differs. The tool never infers a mismatch from missing evidence.
Can I hand the report to my accountant?
Yes. The tool generates a printable report showing the fields, results and comparison, carrying the line "This is not an official approval document from ZATCA".