VAT numbers verification (VIES)¶
VAT Information Exchange System - abbreviated VIES - is a tool provided by the European Commission that allows you to check the validity of VAT numbers of companies registered in the European Union.
Odoo provides a feature to Verify VAT Numbers when you save a contact. This helps you make sure that your contacts provided you with a valid VAT number without leaving Odoo interface.
Configuration¶
To enable this feature, go to
, enable the Verify VAT Numbers feature, and click on Save.![Enable "Verify VAT Numbers" in Odoo Accounting](../../../../_images/vat-validation-configuration.png)
VAT Number validation¶
Whenever you create or modify a contact, make sure to fill out the Country and VAT fields.
![Fill out the contact form with the country and VAT number before clicking on *Save*](../../../../_images/vat-validation-contact-form.png)
When you click on Save, Odoo runs a VIES VAT number check, and displays an error message if the VAT number is invalid.
![Odoo displays an error message instead of saving when the VAT number is invalid](../../../../_images/vat-validation-error.png)
Important
This tool checks the VAT number’s validity but does not check the other fields’ validity.