How do I handle invoices in a foreign currency?
By Tim White · How-to · Last updated
Capture the currency and amount exactly as printed, including European number formats where the comma and period swap roles. Then apply one consistent rule for the exchange rate you book at. Keep the original amount next to the converted one so the record ties back to the document and to the bank.
1. Read the number format correctly
On a German or French invoice, 1.142,40 means one thousand one hundred forty-two and 40 cents. Read it US-style and you're off by a factor of a thousand, or you get an error. Dates swap too: 03/04/2026 is 3 April in most of Europe. InvoiceJet reads European number and date formats and records the currency on each invoice.
2. Confirm which currency
A $ sign could be US, Canadian, Australian or several other dollars. Look for a currency code (USD, CAD, AUD) elsewhere on the invoice, often near the total or in the payment details. If nothing settles it, ask the vendor.
3. Pick an exchange-rate rule
Use the rate on the invoice date, or let your accounting software apply its rate. Either is fine if you're consistent. InvoiceJet records the printed amount and currency. It doesn't convert.
4. Expect a difference at payment
Your bank settles at its own rate on the day you pay, plus any fee. The amount that leaves your account will rarely match the booked figure to the cent. Record the difference as a realized exchange gain or loss, and ask your accountant how they want it coded.
Common questions
Does InvoiceJet convert currencies?
No. It captures the amount and currency as printed. You apply the exchange rate.
Sources
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