Invoice FAQ

Issuing companies, content, and tax rates for Alibaba Cloud invoices

• Products sold on the official Alibaba Cloud website are provided by different company entities. The issuing company, invoice content, and tax rate vary by product. The actual invoice content is based on the information displayed on the invoicing page.

• The official Alibaba Cloud website (www.aliyun.com) offers various cloud services. To simplify payments, Alibaba Cloud uses an account from Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd. to collect payments for its affiliated companies. If the invoicing entity is different from the payment recipient, you can download the proof documents for the affiliated companies. These documents can assist with financial tasks, such as reimbursement.

The invoice amount issued by Alibaba Cloud is tax-inclusive. The following example shows how the tax is calculated:

• Scenario: A user has an invoice amount of CNY 6,150 (tax included) and the tax rate is 6% (0.06).

• Tax calculation:

  • Price without tax = Price with tax / (1 + Tax rate) = 6,150 / (1 + 0.06) = 6,150 / 1.06 = 5,801.89 (rounded to two decimal places)

  • Tax amount = Price without tax × Tax rate = 5,801.89 × 0.06 = 348.11 (rounded to two decimal places)

• Result: For an invoice amount of CNY 6,150, the tax amount is approximately CNY 348.11.

What to do if the invoicing entity and receiving entity are inconsistent?

If the invoicing entity and the receiving entity are inconsistent, you can download the proof documents for affiliated companies for first-party and third-party Alibaba Cloud products. These documents can assist with financial tasks, such as reimbursement.

• Inconsistent invoicing and receiving entities for first-party Alibaba Cloud products

  The official Alibaba Cloud website (www.aliyun.com) offers various cloud services. To simplify payments, Alibaba Cloud uses an exclusive account from Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd. to collect payments on behalf of its affiliated companies and provides proof documents for these affiliations.

  No.	Affiliated company name	Download proof document for affiliated company
  1	Alibaba Cloud Computing (Beijing) Co., Ltd.	Download PDF
  2	Hangzhou Alibaba Cloud Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.	Download PDF
  3	Alibaba Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.	Download PDF
  4	Alibaba East China Co., Ltd.	Download PDF
  5	Zhiyu Internet Technology Co., Ltd.	Download PDF Download PDF Download PDF
  6	Alibaba Cloud Intelligent Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd.	Download PDF
  7	Tongyi Yunqi (Hangzhou) Information Technology Co., Ltd.	Download PDF
  8	Bainian Yunqi (Shanghai) Network Technology Co., Ltd.	Download PDF

• Inconsistent invoicing and receiving entities for third-party products or services from Alibaba Cloud Marketplace

  For products or services purchased from third-party service providers on Alibaba Cloud Marketplace (https://market.aliyun.com), the service provider issues the invoice. If you have questions about the invoicing entity, receiving entity, or other related matters, you can submit a ticket to obtain an explanation letter.

  No.	Alibaba Cloud Marketplace service provider name	Download explanation letter
  1	China United Network Communications Co., Ltd. Hangzhou Branch Note You can directly download and use the explanation letter for the China Unicom Express Connect invoice.	Download PDF

Why is the invoicing entity inconsistent with the payment recipient (Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd.)? How do I download the affiliated company proof document?

Why it happens:

Different Alibaba Cloud products are provided by different affiliated companies, each of which issues its own invoices. For example, Tongyi Yunqi (Hangzhou) Information Technology Co., Ltd. issues invoices for Model Studio, Alibaba Cloud Computing (Beijing) Co., Ltd. issues invoices for cloud communication products, and Zhiyu Internet Technology Co., Ltd. issues invoices for domain names and trademarks. Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd. acts only as the exclusive payment recipient and does not issue all invoices itself. This is a normal and compliant arrangement.

Your invoice header is not affected:

The buyer name on your invoice (your invoice header) always matches the identity verification entity of your Alibaba Cloud account. It is not changed or affected by the different invoicing entity.

Getting the proof document:

For instructions, see What to do if the invoicing entity and receiving entity are inconsistent? to download the affiliated company proof document or the invoice attribution statement for Alibaba Cloud first-party or third-party products. These documents already include the necessary explanation and official seal. No additional stamping is required, and they can be used directly for financial reimbursement.

What is the invoicing entity for the large language model Model Studio?

The invoicing entity for Model Studio is Tongyi Yunqi (Hangzhou) Information Technology Co., Ltd.

Can electronic invoices be used for reimbursement?

Effective May 31, 2024, Alibaba Cloud has fully adopted digital electronic invoicing to comply with the policy from the State Taxation Administration. All invoices are now issued as digital electronic invoices, which include electronic plain invoices and electronic value-added tax (VAT) special invoices. We no longer support requests for previous tax-controlled invoices, such as electronic general VAT invoices and paper special VAT invoices.

The legal validity, basic use, and regulations for electronic invoices are the same as for traditional VAT plain invoices supervised by tax authorities. You can use them for rights protection or reimbursement. Receiving enterprises can use them as official accounting vouchers.

How to determine if digital electronic invoices are supported?

When you request an invoice on the Request Invoice page, you can check the Invoice Type drop-down list on the Confirm Invoice Information page. If the options "Digital Electronic Special Invoice (Electronic)" and "Digital Electronic Plain Invoice (Electronic)" are available, the entity supports electronic invoicing.

For more information about electronic invoices, see Notice on the full adoption of digital electronic invoicing by Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd.

How do I get an invoice for a prepayment?

According to the Administrative Measures of the People's Republic of China for Invoices and its implementation rules, Alibaba Cloud can issue invoices only for consumed orders. Your prepaid balance has not been consumed and does not correspond to any Alibaba Cloud product or service. Therefore, you cannot request an invoice for it. For more information about invoicing operations, see Request an invoice.

How do I get an invoice for pay-as-you-go products?

After you activate a pay-as-you-go product, a post-payment bill is generated based on your actual resource consumption. A monthly bill for the previous month is generated after the third day of the following month. You can then request an invoice on the Invoice Management page. For more information about invoicing operations, see Request an invoice.

Are there time or amount limits for invoice requests?

There is no time limit for requesting an invoice. However, you cannot request an invoice after your account is unregistered. There is no amount limit for invoice requests within the range of your actual consumption. For specific operations, see Request an invoice.

How can general taxpayers request electronic invoices?

Electronic invoices are not restricted by taxpayer status. Electronic general VAT invoices have the same legal validity as paper general VAT invoices. For more information about invoicing operations, see Request an invoice.

Methods to verify invoice authenticity

• You can verify the invoice at your local State Taxation Administration office. The authenticity of an invoice can be confirmed through tax deduction certification. You can also call the local 12366 hotline to confirm the invoice's authenticity.

• Visit the Zhejiang Provincial Office of the State Taxation Administration website and click I want to query > Public Services > Invoice Query. Alternatively, visit the National VAT Invoice Verification Platform to check.

How do I verify an Alibaba Cloud digital electronic invoice at the electronic tax bureau? What should I do if the invoice information is inconsistent with the tax system?

1. Verification platform: Alibaba Cloud has adopted the national unified digital electronic invoice system. Local tax platforms or older verification platforms may not support querying these invoices. Use the State Taxation Administration's National VAT Invoice Verification Platform for verification.

2. Information discrepancy: Non-mandatory fields such as the buyer's address may be displayed differently between the Alibaba Cloud console and the tax system. This is normal. As long as the core elements are consistent — invoice code, invoice number, amount, and seller information — the invoice is valid and can be used for reimbursement and tax deduction.

3. Sync delay: Newly issued invoices may take some time to sync to the tax system. Wait at least one hour before attempting to verify a newly issued invoice.

4. Deduction status: Alibaba Cloud cannot view the deduction status on the user's side.

Electronic invoice sample

Alibaba Cloud sells many products on its official website. The issuing company, content, and tax rate vary by product. The following examples are previews of invoice information and are for reference only. The content on the final invoice prevails.

Can the expense type (invoice content/tax item) be modified?

No. The expense type of an invoice (the invoice content, such as "Information technology services*Software service fee" or "Information technology services*Technical service fee") is automatically matched by the system based on the products or services that you purchased. It cannot be manually changed to another type (such as "Service fee" or "Support fee") before or after invoicing. For special cases, contact your account manager.

If you want specific cloud service information (such as product names or instance IDs) to appear on your invoice, you can add supplementary notes in the remarks field when requesting an invoice. For more information, see Request an invoice.

Can the invoice show specific product details, renewal cycles, or custom content? How do I get a stamped expense statement for reimbursement?

1. Invoice item names are fixed. The item name on the invoice (such as "Software service fee") is automatically generated by the system based on the product. It cannot be changed to a specific product name (such as "SSL certificate" or "DTP"), custom content (such as "value-added services for information systems"), or the business occurrence date.

2. Adding supplementary details via Remarks. When applying for an invoice, you can manually enter supplementary information in the Remarks field (recommended: no more than 25 Chinese characters). Supported entries include instance IDs, order numbers, token details, and renewal cycles.

3. Getting a stamped expense statement. If you need a reimbursement voucher with Alibaba Cloud's financial seal, go to Bill Management > Monthly Bill Overview and export the bill in PDF format. This document includes detailed expense information and the official financial seal and can be used together with the invoice for reimbursement.

What are the differences in default invoicing rules between personal and enterprise accounts?

Why has the tax rate for SMS Service invoices changed from 6% to 9%? What are the tax rates and invoice content for various products?

1. Tax rate adjustment: In accordance with the State Taxation Administration's VAT policy, starting January 1, 2026, the applicable VAT rate for SMS Service products (Short Message Service) has been adjusted from 6% to 9%. Alibaba Cloud has updated its systems accordingly.

2. Check the full tax rate table: Different products have different invoicing entities, invoice content, and tax rates. For example, ECS and domain names are billed at 6%, SMS Service at 9%, hardware at 13%, and Model Studio at 6%. For the complete list, see the Issuing companies, content, and tax rates for Alibaba Cloud invoices table in this document.

3. Plain invoices and special invoices carry the same tax rate. The rate is determined by the nature of the product, not the invoice type.

When reissuing an invoice for a historical bill, is the date on the invoice the application date or the consumption date? Can I get an annual invoice?

1. Invoice date rule: The invoice date is the actual date on which the invoice request was successfully submitted and issued. It does not display the month or year of the historical consumption period.

2. Showing the billing period: If you need to reflect the billing period, you can:

   • Fill in the Remarks field with "Expenses for [YYYY Month]" (no more than 25 Chinese characters).

   • Use Invoice by Monthly Bill to select the corresponding month, which associates the invoice with a specific billing period.

3. Annual invoicing: Annual invoicing is not directly supported. However, you can select multiple consecutive monthly bills and issue a combined invoice to cover the full year.

Can an electronic VAT plain invoice with a personal header be used for unit reimbursement?

Alibaba Cloud can issue an electronic VAT plain invoice with a personal header. However, whether your organization's finance department will accept it for reimbursement depends on the organization's internal reimbursement policy. We recommend consulting your organization's finance team in advance to confirm whether such an invoice is accepted before submitting the request.

Does the invoice header need to be consistent with the identity verification entity, the payer, or the domain registrant?

1. Identity verification consistency: The invoice header must be consistent with the Alibaba Cloud account's identity verification entity. Invoices cannot be directly issued under a domain registrant entity, ICP filing entity, or contract signatory entity. To change the invoice header, you must first change the account's identity verification information.

2. Payment method is irrelevant: The payer's company name does not need to match the invoice header. The signing status of a third-party payment agreement also has no effect on invoicing. The invoice header is determined solely by the account's identity verification information.

3. Bracket format: Brackets in the invoice header (full-width vs. half-width) must exactly match the identity verification information. A mismatch may cause the tax system to fail to recognize the header. To correct the bracket format, you must first update your identity verification information.

What is a red-letter invoice? How does it differ from a regular invoice?

A red-letter invoice (also called a red-letter or negative-amount invoice) is used to offset a previously issued positive-amount invoice. The amount on a red-letter invoice is negative. It cannot be used alone as a reimbursement voucher and must be used together with the original invoice it offsets.

How can a personal account issue an invoice with an enterprise header?

The invoice header defaults to the information from your account's identity verification. If you have a personal account and need to issue an invoice with an enterprise header, you have two options. The recommended option is to change your account to an enterprise identity verification, which does not require a special approval process. The other option is to submit an application for manual review. To avoid compliance risks, this option requires sufficient documentation and a strict approval process. For more information, see Issue an invoice with an enterprise header from a personal account.

A personal account cannot issue invoices with two different enterprise headers at the same time. Only one header can be active at a time.

How can a student or teacher with a personal account issue an invoice with a university header?

If you are a student with a personal account and need to issue an invoice with a university header, go to the Invoices > Invoice Information (Title) tab in the console. In the upper-right corner, click Request Corporate Invoice Title, select Individual requesting Corporate Title, and then select the Student identity. Select Application Type and Fill in Information as prompted. After the application is approved, you can use the university header to issue invoices. For detailed operations and limitations, see Manage invoice headers.

The enterprise invoice header requested by my personal account has expired. How do I reapply?

An enterprise invoice header for a personal account is valid for a maximum of 365 days (or 90 days for enterprise special invoices) after approval. After the header expires, you must reapply. You can do this in one of two ways:

• Method 1: Resubmit the enterprise header application. On the Invoice Information page, resubmit the application materials for the enterprise header by following the original process. The review period is 3 to 5 business days.

• Method 2: Change to enterprise identity verification. Change your account's identity verification from personal to enterprise. After the change, you can use the enterprise header for invoicing. For instructions on how to make this change, see Change individual verification to enterprise verification.

How do I request an invoice with a third-party header?

The invoice header defaults to the entity associated with your account's identity verification. To issue an invoice with a different header, see Manage invoice headers.

Can another Alibaba Cloud account issue an invoice on my behalf?

This depends on the account type:

• For personal accounts, invoices must be requested by the original purchasing account. Cross-account invoicing is not supported.

• Multiple accounts with the same enterprise identity verification can enable the enterprise multi-account management service to establish a financial relationship between a root account and its RAM users. The root account can then issue invoices for the RAM users. The invoice header will be one of the valid headers under the root account.

• Accounts with different enterprise identity verifications are not allowed to issue invoices on behalf of each other.

• In distribution and third-party payment scenarios, the invoice must be issued by the distribution partner.

How can an enterprise account apply for multiple invoice headers?

The invoice header for an enterprise account defaults to the entity used for identity verification. To issue invoices with other enterprise headers (multi-header), you must meet the following conditions:

• The account is associated with an account manager.

• The account manager reviews and signs the multi-entity agreement.

To apply, contact your account manager or submit a ticket. Provide your contact information and the target invoice header information. The business team will then assess whether to support adding the invoice header.

How do I request an electronic special invoice?

When you request an invoice, select Digital Electronic Special Invoice (Electronic) for the Invoice Type to issue an electronic special invoice. Digital electronic special invoices are issued faster than paper VAT special invoices and eliminate mailing time, which ensures security. For detailed instructions, see Request an invoice.

How long does it typically take to issue an electronic invoice after a request is submitted?

After you submit a request, you can view the electronic invoice on the Download and Return Invoices page.

• Electronic invoices are generally sent to your email address within one business day.

• Invoices for third-party products from Alibaba Cloud Marketplace are typically issued within seven business days. For more information, contact the Alibaba Cloud Marketplace service provider.

Can a single order or monthly bill be split into multiple invoices with specified amounts?

Yes. You can use the Invoice by Amount method to split the amount of a single order or bill into multiple invoices. For more information, see Request an invoice.

The Request Invoice button is grayed out. What should I do?

You can try refreshing the page, switching to a different browser, or using an incognito browser window. Then, try to request the invoice again on the Invoice Management page. For more information, see Request an invoice.

Why is the monthly bill amount for invoicing different from the bill amount in my consumption records?

The monthly bill in your consumption records is based on the billing time. The monthly bill amount displayed for invoicing is based on the consumption amount before midnight on the last day of each month. Therefore, the two amounts may differ. Any difference will be reflected in the next month's bill.

Why were six invoices issued for three invoicing entities?

• If the selected consumption orders belong to different invoicing entities with different tax rates, they will be split into multiple invoices.

• If any of the following information differs—invoice header name, header tax ID, bank name, bank account, registered address, or registered phone number—the invoices will also be split.

Can I get an invoice for a purchased domain name?

If you have successfully purchased a domain name, you can check the domain transaction type on the My Purchased Domains page and request an invoice based on the table below.

If invoicing is supported, you can follow these steps:

1. On the My Orders page, click Enterprise Service Product Orders, find the Domain Names order number you purchased, and copy the order number.

2. On the Request Invoice page, select Invoice by Order Details, search by the order number, select your purchased order, and confirm the invoice amount and information to issue the invoice. For more information, see Request an invoice.

Two Alibaba Cloud accounts each requested an invoice. How can they be combined into one?

Invoices from different Alibaba Cloud accounts cannot be combined into a single invoice. For more information about invoicing operations, see Request an invoice.

How do I grant a RAM user permission only to request invoices?

Currently, RAM does not support separate permissions for invoicing.

How are invoices delivered?

You can receive issued invoices by email or by downloading them manually.

• On the Invoice Information (Header) page, you can enter a Default Invoice Receiving Email. After the invoice is successfully issued, it is automatically sent to the email address that you set.

• Alternatively, after the invoice is issued, you can download the electronic invoice with the Issued status on the Download and Return Invoices page.

Which company issues the invoice for the "Wanjing Yike" service, and what is its relationship with Alibaba Cloud?

Invoices for the "Wanjing Yike" service are issued by Zhejiang Queniu Network Technology Co., Ltd.

Zhejiang Queniu Network Technology Co., Ltd. is an affiliated company of Alibaba Cloud that specializes in providing invoicing services for generative AI products such as "Wanjing". If you need a proof document to confirm its relationship with Alibaba Cloud, you can click to download it.

What are the differences between invoicing by order details, by monthly bill, and by amount?

Alibaba Cloud offers several invoicing methods for different scenarios:

For more information about invoicing operations, see Request an invoice.

How to issue an invoice for a third-party payment order?

Invoices for third-party payment orders are issued by the actual paying account (the payer). The account for which the payment was made cannot issue an invoice for that order.

• The invoice header is consistent with the valid header information under the payer's account.

• If the account for which the payment was made needs an invoice with its own header, the payer must first change their identity verification to the entity of the receiving account or sign a third-party payment agreement. The agreement must be signed or stamped by both parties (signed by individuals, stamped by enterprises).

To sign a third-party payment agreement, you can submit a ticket to obtain the agreement template.

Do the invoice header and the payment account need to be consistent?

The invoice header is determined by the identity verification information of the Alibaba Cloud account and is independent of the payment method or payment account. For example, if a personal bank card is used to pay for an enterprise-verified Alibaba Cloud account, the invoice header is still the entity of that account's identity verification.

In third-party payment scenarios, the invoice is issued based on the identity information of the account that owns the resources. For specific rules, see How to issue an invoice for a third-party payment order?.

How do I issue an invoice when my account is unregistered, my identity verification has changed, or I have multiple accounts?

Unregistered accounts:

Invoices cannot be issued from an unregistered account. Complete all invoicing before unregistering your account.

After an identity verification change:

After changing your identity verification, you must update the invoice header information. Invoices that were previously due under the old entity must be issued under the old entity before the change, or re-issued under the new entity after the change. Note that identity verification can only be changed once within any 30-day period. If you need to invoice under multiple entities, change one at a time or use separate accounts.

Multiple accounts:

Invoices cannot be issued across accounts or transferred between accounts, even if the accounts share the same mobile phone number. Each account must apply for its own invoices separately. Enterprise MA administrators can configure automatic invoicing for multiple accounts, but consumption from different accounts cannot be combined into a single invoice.

Payment method is irrelevant:

Paying with a personal Alipay account does not affect your ability to issue an enterprise invoice. The invoice header depends only on the account's identity verification information.

How do I handle special scenarios such as unpaid orders, discrepancies between contract and invoice amounts, or unused top-ups?

Unpaid orders:

Invoices cannot be issued for unpaid orders. Complete the payment first, then request an invoice. If you need a payment request voucher before invoicing, you can apply for a contract or print a business statement.

Contract vs. invoice amount discrepancy:

Contracts typically cover only prepaid orders, while invoices include post-payment bills. This difference in scope causes the amounts to differ. For post-payment bills, you must apply for a separate contract based on the bill.

Unused top-ups:

Top-up funds that have not been consumed cannot be invoiced. Wait until the funds have been used for actual consumption, then request an invoice. Special cases approved through commercial channels (such as early invoicing) do not follow the standard process.

Refunded orders:

Only a net-difference invoice can be issued for a refunded order. Full-amount invoices are not supported.

How do I get the electronic invoice file after submitting a request via the API? What does the ApplyInvoice API return?

1. What ApplyInvoice returns: The ApplyInvoice API only submits the invoicing request and returns an acceptance status (such as "Application successful"). It does not directly return the invoice file.

2. Getting the invoice file: After the invoice is successfully issued, it is sent to your registered email address or can be downloaded manually from the console. To retrieve it programmatically, use the QueryInvoiceInfo or a similar query API to poll the invoice status and obtain the download link once the invoice is ready.

Does applying for an enterprise header on a personal account affect the account's identity verification status?

1. No effect on identity verification: After you submit and receive approval through the "Personal applies for enterprise header" process, the approval only grants the ability to issue invoices with the corresponding enterprise header. The account's identity verification remains as personal verification and is not changed to enterprise verification.

2. Independence: This operation does not replace, affect, or link to any existing enterprise-verified account under the same company. The two accounts remain completely independent.

3. No legal representative facial scan required: This process does not require legal representative facial recognition. You only need to upload relationship proof materials.

How to issue an invoice after my company's business license name has changed?

If your company's business license name has changed, you must first update your account's identity verification information. Then, before you issue an invoice, you must update the header to the latest identity information. You can do this on the Invoice Information (Title) page. For more information, see Manage invoice headers.

How do I change an electronic plain invoice to an electronic special invoice?

You cannot change the type of an issued invoice. You must return the invoice and then request a new one.

The email address for my electronic invoice is incorrect. What should I do?

If you have already issued the invoice, you can download it again from the Download and Return Invoices page. For more information, see 4. View and download invoices.

To change your email address, see Manage invoice headers.

The invoice header is inconsistent with the identity verification entity. How do I issue an invoice?

You can modify the invoice header to match the identity verification entity. For more information, see Manage invoice headers.

Why is the invoice header different from the company name on the exclusive account certificate?

The information on the exclusive account certificate is synchronized with the account identity verification information. Modifying the invoice header, contract, or other documents does not change the company name on the exclusive account certificate.

Can one Alibaba Cloud account have multiple invoice headers?

1. Default rule: One account can have only one valid invoice header at a time. By default, it matches the account's identity verification entity. When a new enterprise header is approved and takes effect, the previous header automatically becomes invalid.

2. Switching consequences: If you switch back to a personal header, the enterprise header becomes invalid and its record disappears. You must resubmit the application materials to use the enterprise header again.

3. Special cases: If you need to maintain multiple headers simultaneously or issue invoices for different companies, contact the Alibaba Cloud business team to assess whether special handling is supported.

What should I do if updating or adding an invoice header fails or returns an error?

Check the following common causes:

1. Pending invoices exist: If an error is displayed, there may be issued invoices that have not yet been processed. Return those invoices to release the invoiceable amount, then update the header.

2. Identity information mismatch: A failure to add a new header is often caused by a mismatch between the header and the identity verification information. First change your identity verification, or click Update to latest identity information on the Invoice Information page.

3. Mobile device limitations: On mobile devices, buttons may appear grayed out, be unresponsive, or display incompletely. Use Chrome or Edge on a desktop computer instead.

4. Field length limit: The registered address and phone number combined cannot exceed 100 bytes. Shorten the content as needed.

5. Irreversible operations: Updates or deletions of headers cannot be undone. You must resubmit the application or re-sync the identity information.

What should I do if I find an error in the invoice information and need to reissue it?

How do I find the invoice number?

When you return an accounted-for electronic special invoice, you need to note the original blue-letter invoice number. You can find this number on the Download and Return Invoices page by clicking Details in the Actions column and viewing the Invoice Number on the Invoice Record Details page.

When can I request a new electronic invoice after a return?

After you submit a request to return an electronic invoice, the tax authority processes a red-letter credit note for it. You can monitor the invoice status on the Download and Return Invoices page. After the red-letter credit note is complete, you can submit a new invoice request. For more information about invoicing operations, see Request an invoice.

How do I reissue an invoice after a refund?

After the refund is successful, you can submit a new invoice request on the Request Invoice page. For more information about invoicing operations, see Request an invoice.

How do I return an electronic invoice? Do I need to mail a physical rejection certificate?

No. When you submit an online request to return an invoice, you must state the reason for the return. You do not need to mail a physical rejection certificate.

When issuing a red-letter invoice for a digital electronic special invoice, what is the difference in handling for accounted and unaccounted invoices?

The process for returning a digital electronic special invoice (issuing a red-letter credit note) differs depending on whether the invoice has been accounted for or deducted:

• Not accounted for or not deducted: You can simply request to return the invoice on the Download and Return Invoices page. No extra steps are needed.

• Accounted for or deducted: You must first issue a red-letter confirmation form from the electronic tax bureau. After that, you can request to return the invoice on the Download and Return Invoices page, and enter the 20-digit red-letter confirmation number and the reason for the return. Alibaba Cloud processes the return within 3 business days.

Where can I find and download my issued invoices? How do I confirm whether an order has been invoiced?

1. Query entry: Issued invoices are not listed in the pending queue on the Request Invoice page. To find them, go to the Download and Return Invoices page and search by invoice number, order number, or issue date.

2. No re-invoicing for the same order: Once an order has been invoiced, you cannot submit another invoice request for it. If you cannot locate an order in the pending list, verify whether it has already been invoiced on the Download and Return Invoices page.

3. Associated query: Click Details in the Actions column on the Download and Return Invoices page to view the associated order details for any invoice. To find the Alibaba Cloud account linked to a specific invoice, use the "Query account by invoice number" feature.

4. No expiration: Electronic invoices do not expire. There is also no time limit for requesting invoices for uninvoiced orders or bills.

What should I do if I can't download an invoice, didn't receive it by email, or encounter console errors?

Download failures:

• Clear your browser cache, switch to Chrome, or use an incognito window.

• Check whether browser cookie and local storage permissions are enabled.

Alternative ways to get the invoice:

• Use the Alibaba Cloud mobile app to send the invoice to a custom email address, then download it from there.

• Check the spam or subscriptions folder of your receiving email address.

Page errors and console issues:

• Refresh the page, switch to a different network, or try on a desktop computer.

• If the error message shows "Invalid parameter," the invoice header may still be under review. Wait for the review to complete before retrying.

Bulk download limitation:

Bulk export of issued invoice records is currently not supported. You must download each invoice individually from the Download and Return Invoices page.

How do I get the red-letter invoice confirmation form number?

The red-letter invoice confirmation form number must be applied for by your organization's finance personnel. They must log in to the electronic tax bureau and go to the Invoice Use > Red-Letter Information Confirmation Form module to submit the application. The 20-digit number is automatically generated after the tax authority approves the application.

Alibaba Cloud cannot obtain this number on your behalf.

Can an issued invoice be split, merged, or have its invoicing entity changed?

1. Splitting or merging: You must first return the original invoice in full, then re-select the desired combination of orders or bill details and submit a new invoice request.

2. Changing the invoicing entity: The invoicing entity is determined by the product's service provider (for example, domain name invoices may be issued by Zhiyu Internet Technology Co., Ltd.). It cannot be arbitrarily changed to Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd. Download the affiliated company proof document to assist with accounting and reimbursement.

3. Changing from personal to enterprise or school header: You must first complete the header change approval process (for student status, upload an academic verification screenshot from the Xuexin.com platform). After the approval is granted, return the original invoice and reissue it under the new header.

How do I add the seller's bank information or payment reference when reissuing an invoice?

Digital electronic special invoices no longer require the seller's bank information to be displayed on the invoice face. If you need this information included, enter it in the Remarks field when reissuing the invoice after the original is returned.

For reference, the standard bank information for Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd. is:

• Bank: China Merchants Bank, Hangzhou High-tech Branch

• Account number: 571905493610702

Why can't I select the "Not Deducted" option, or why does the page show "Deducted" when I haven't actually deducted the invoice?

The system automatically detects the invoice's tax status. If the system determines that the invoice has been deducted, it locks the deduction status by default and does not allow manual modification.

In this case, you must follow the "Accounted for/Deducted" process: have your finance team submit a Red-Letter Invoice Information Confirmation Form at the electronic tax bureau. After the form is issued, you can proceed with the invoice return on the Download and Return Invoices page.

Can Alibaba Cloud unilaterally void an issued invoice?

No. According to national tax regulations, once an invoice has been issued and delivered, Alibaba Cloud cannot unilaterally void it or directly issue a red-letter credit note.

• If the invoice has been accounted for or deducted: The buyer must first submit a Red-Letter Invoice Information Confirmation Form at the electronic tax bureau. After the form is processed, you can apply for the invoice return on the console.

• If the invoice has not been accounted for and has not been deducted: You can directly apply for a return on the Download and Return Invoices page in the console.

What is an invoice shortfall?

An invoice shortfall occurs when a refund is issued for an invoiced order or bill due to an opt-out or downgrade, causing the actual consumption amount to be less than the original invoiced amount. For example:

• A user pays CNY 1,200 for an order and receives a full electronic special invoice for CNY 1,200.

• The user later opts out and receives a refund of CNY 200, making the actual consumption amount CNY 1,000.

• Now, the actual consumption amount (CNY 1,000) is less than the issued invoice amount (CNY 1,200), resulting in an invoice shortfall of CNY 200.

How do I reissue an invoice when there is an invoice shortfall?

If the system prompts "Cannot submit due to invoice shortfall," it may be because your account has processed a refund, downgrade, or a similar operation that created a shortfall.

• If you requested an invoice before the refund or downgrade, you can either return the invoice and request a new one, or apply the shortfall against a new consumption amount before requesting another invoice.

• If you did not request an invoice before the refund or downgrade, you can go to the Request Invoice page, select a consumed order to offset the shortfall amount, and then request an invoice.

For more information, see Handle invoice shortfalls.

When there is an invoice shortfall, can I skip the offset and directly issue a full invoice for the current order?

No, you cannot skip the offset. To comply with tax regulations, the system automatically associates all invoicing records under the same entity and offsets any existing shortfalls first. To issue a full invoice, you must first clear the shortfall by either:

• Consuming a new amount to offset the shortfall, or

• Returning the original invoice and reissuing it.

If you forcibly select all entities for invoicing while a shortfall exists, the invoiceable amount may be exceeded, causing the invoice to revert to a returned status.

If you do not need the invoice for reimbursement, you may choose not to request one. However, you must still resolve the shortfall to lift the restrictions on functions such as cash withdrawal.

I bought a product with a prepaid card and received a refund. Why is there an invoice shortfall?

When you buy a product with a prepaid card and then receive a refund, the money is returned to your account balance. This creates an invoice shortfall. You can use your balance for new consumption to offset the shortfall.

Why is the invoiceable amount zero, negative, or inconsistent with my payment or top-up amount?

There are several common reasons:

1. Top-ups and prepayments cannot be invoiced. Invoices can only be issued for actual consumption—paid orders or billed pay-as-you-go statements. Account balance, credit limits, and unused top-up funds cannot be invoiced.

2. Pay-as-you-go billing timing. Monthly pay-as-you-go bills (including ECS, OSS, Model Studio API, and bills in "accumulating" status) are generated only after the 3rd of the following month. Before that date, your invoiceable amount does not include current-month consumption.

3. Invoice shortfall offset. If a refund from a historical order has created an invoice shortfall, new consumption amounts will automatically offset the shortfall first. This reduces your invoiceable amount or makes it negative. You must resolve the shortfall before you can invoice the new consumption.

4. Amount discrepancy. Invoice amounts are based on actual consumption, not payment transaction records. Discrepancies may occur due to refunds, downgrades, multiple combined orders, or cross-month bills. To investigate, go to the Download and Return Invoices page and review your historical invoice records and associated order details.

What should I do if an invoice shortfall causes a refund to not return to the original payment method or prevents cash withdrawal?

When the refund amount exceeds the invoiceable amount, the system will credit the funds to your Alibaba Cloud account balance rather than returning them to the original payment method.

You have two options:

1. Resolve the shortfall: Return the original invoice or issue a red-letter credit note to restore your withdrawable amount. After the shortfall is cleared, request a cash withdrawal.

2. Withdraw to a specified bank account: If you cannot resolve the shortfall immediately, go to Expenses and Costs > Fund Management > Cash Withdrawal in the console. Select "Beyond the time limit for original-path refund" or another applicable scenario, and submit the required information to withdraw the balance to a designated bank account.

Does requesting an invoice affect my account balance or cash withdrawal?

Invoices are issued based on actual consumption amounts. The invoicing operation itself does not consume your account balance and does not affect the amount available for cash withdrawal.

The system shows my paper invoice has been sent, but I have not received it. What should I do?

On the Download and Return Invoices page, click the Details button in the Actions column for the corresponding invoice to view its details. Use the tracking number from the invoice details to check the shipping information on the EMS official website. If the tracking information shows that the package has been signed for but you have not received it, contact the courier company directly for more information.

How do I return or replace a paper invoice?

You need to verify if the invoicing entities have the same address. If they have the same address, you can mail them together. If they have different addresses, you must mail them separately.

Example:

• If you are returning invoices for "Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd." and "Zhiyu Internet Technology Co., Ltd.," both of which are issued from Hangzhou, you can mail them in one package to the Hangzhou address to complete the return.

• If you are returning invoices for "Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd." and "Alibaba Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.," one is issued from Hangzhou and the other from Beijing. You cannot mail them in one package. You must mail them separately to their respective addresses to complete the return.

Return address for paper invoices

If the invoicing entity is Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd., Alibaba Cloud Computing (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Bainian Yunqi (Shanghai) Network Technology Co., Ltd., Zhiyu Internet Technology Co., Ltd., Alibaba East China Co., Ltd., or Alibaba Cloud Intelligent Technology (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., please mail to:

• Address: C3 Small Post Office, Zone C, No. 969 Wenyixi Road, Yuhang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province [Do not send cash on delivery]

• Contact: Hangzhou Invoice Team

• Phone: 0571-85022088

If the invoicing entity is Umeng Tongxin (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd., Alibaba Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., or Alibaba (Beijing) Software Services Co., Ltd., please mail to:

• Address: A-Zone Small Post Office, Alibaba Chaoyang Science and Technology Park, No. 20 Guangshan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing [Do not send cash on delivery]

• Recipient: Dong Chaoyue

• Phone: 0571-85022088

My paper invoice is lost. What should I do?

If your paper invoice is lost, find the corresponding invoice on the Download and Return Invoices page, check the shipping status, and determine the specific situation of your lost invoice.

Which company issues invoices for Model Studio products?

The invoicing entity for Model Studio (including generative AI products like Qwen) is Tongyi Yunqi (Hangzhou) Information Technology Co., Ltd., not Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd. Alibaba Cloud Computing Co., Ltd. acts only as the payment collector.

Therefore, it is normal to see "Tongyi Yunqi (Hangzhou) Information Technology Co., Ltd." as the issuing company on the invoicing page. If you need related proof documents for financial reimbursement, see What to do if the invoicing entity and receiving entity are inconsistent?.

After transferring domain name ownership, which account is used to issue invoices for historical orders?

Transferring domain name ownership does not change the ownership of historical orders. The invoicing rules are as follows:

• Purchase or renewal orders before the transfer: Invoices can be requested only from the original purchasing account, regardless of the current domain owner.

• New renewal orders after the transfer: Invoices are requested from the new owner's account.

For a domain name purchased by an individual, you cannot issue an invoice with the domain's verified enterprise header by default. To do this, you must contact your account manager to add a multi-header.

After changing a personal account to an enterprise account, can historical orders be invoiced under the new entity?

Yes. After an account's identity verification is changed from personal to enterprise, all historical paid orders can be invoiced under the new enterprise entity. Contracts also apply to the new entity's information. To change your identity verification, see Change individual verification to enterprise verification.

Can the issue date of an already issued invoice be changed?

You cannot change it directly. The issue date of an invoice is the actual time it was issued by the system. Re-downloading it does not change the date. If you need an invoice with a new date, you must first return the original invoice and then request a new one. For specific instructions, see What should I do if I find an error in the invoice information and need to reissue it?.

Who issues invoices for third-party products on Alibaba Cloud Marketplace?

The invoicing entity for Alibaba Cloud Marketplace products depends on the service provider:

• Products provided by Alibaba Cloud affiliated companies: Invoices are issued by Alibaba Cloud, following the same process as for Alibaba Cloud's self-operated products.

• Products provided by third-party service providers: The invoice is issued by the third-party service provider. The invoicing entity is the service provider's company, and you must contact them for invoicing matters.

You can check the service provider information on the Alibaba Cloud Marketplace product page to determine the invoicing entity. For third-party products, if you have submitted a request and it has been in the "Applying" state for a long time, you can obtain the third-party service provider's information from the original purchase page and contact them to inquire.

How do I get an explanation letter for an Alibaba Cloud Marketplace invoice?

If you need an explanation letter with an official seal for an Alibaba Cloud Marketplace product where the invoicing and receiving entities are inconsistent, you can submit a ticket to apply.

After changing my identity verification, how do I update the invoice header?

After you change your identity verification, the invoice header is not updated automatically. Go to the Invoice Information page and click Update to latest identity information next to the current header. The system automatically syncs the new identity information as the invoice header, and the old header becomes invalid.

Why is there no invoiceable amount shown on the invoicing page for pay-as-you-go products?

Pay-as-you-go products are billed monthly. An invoiceable bill is generated only after the third day of the following month. If you used a pay-as-you-go product this month, please request the invoice after the third day of next month.

When you are invoicing, select the Invoice by monthly bill method. If you use Invoice by order details, you may not see the bill details for pay-as-you-go products. For the differences between the three invoicing methods, see What are the differences between invoicing by order details, by monthly bill, and by amount?.

After my company name changes, how do I update the invoice header?

The invoice header is consistent with the account's identity verification information. After your company name changes, you must follow these steps in order:

1. First, complete the company name change for your account's identity verification. For instructions, see Change the enterprise entity or update the enterprise name.

2. After the identity verification is changed, go to the Invoice Information page and click Update to latest identity information to sync the new header.

Why can't I directly add or modify the header on the Invoice Information page?

The invoice header is automatically generated by the system based on the account's identity verification information and cannot be manually added or freely modified. To change the invoice header, you must first change your account's identity verification information. After the change is complete, go to the Invoice Information page and click Update to latest identity information.

To use a header that is inconsistent with your identity verification for special reasons, such as a multi-header, you can submit a ticket to inquire.

How can an employee use a personal account to request an invoice with an enterprise header?

Go to the Invoice Information page, click Apply for Enterprise Header, select Personal Application, and in the identity information section, choose Employed. You must upload materials that effectively prove your employment relationship with the enterprise, fill in the invoicing information, and submit the application for review. The review takes 3 to 5 business days.

Materials that can serve as proof of employment include the following:

• Certificate of employment issued by the enterprise

• Social security payment records

• Personal income tax payment records

• Housing provident fund payment records

• Labor contract

The approval of non-standard proof materials, such as a screenshot of your personal DingTalk page, is subject to the specialist's review.

An account can only have one active header at a time. If you have pending invoices with a personal header, issue them first before applying for an enterprise header.

What should I do if the invoice download or export page is blank?

A blank invoice download or export page is usually a browser compatibility issue. You can try the following methods:

• Switch to a different browser (Chrome is recommended).

• Clear your current browser's cache and refresh the page.

How do I get an invoice for third-party products from Alibaba Cloud Marketplace? How do I follow up on or check the progress?

1. How to apply: Submit your invoice request on the Expenses and Costs console. The corresponding third-party service provider then issues the invoice (Alibaba Cloud does not issue it directly). To check the invoicing progress, contact the service provider.

2. Invoicing timeline: Invoices for third-party products from Alibaba Cloud Marketplace are issued by the service provider, not directly by Alibaba Cloud. This typically takes up to 7 business days.

3. Following up: Log on to Alibaba Cloud Marketplace and go to My Services to find the corresponding order. Click Contact Us to contact the service provider directly for status updates or to expedite the process. Alibaba Cloud cannot follow up with the service provider on your behalf.

4. Minimum invoiceable amount: If the service provider has set a minimum invoiceable amount threshold, you must accumulate consumption above that threshold or negotiate a special case with the service provider.

How do government institutions, trade unions, and other special entities issue invoices?

1. No Unified Social Credit Code: Public institutions can use the "Certificate Number" or "Organization Code" from their Certificate of Legal Person of a Public Institution as a substitute for the Unified Social Credit Code. Note this in the Remarks field when applying, and upload the certificate and other supporting materials.

2. Trade unions: If a trade union has independent legal entity status (for example, a Social Organization Legal Person Registration Certificate), it can attempt to complete enterprise identity verification using that certificate. If enterprise verification is not possible, apply through the "Personal applies for enterprise header" process by submitting the appropriate proof materials.