Invoice Management SOP for AliExpress Sellers: Folder Structures, Naming Conventions, and Team Workflows

If you sell through AliExpress, clean invoices are your proof of cost, your audit safety net, and your tax lifeline. The right standard operating procedure removes guesswork and saves hours every month. Below is a practical SOP used by multi store dropshippers and their virtual assistants, aligned with VAT and bookkeeping best practices, and designed to work seamlessly with AliBilling for one click AliExpress invoice downloads.

Why a written SOP matters

Digital invoices carry the same legal weight as paper. The European Commission clarifies that electronic invoices are equivalent to paper invoices and that businesses are generally free to store invoices where and how they like, even in another EU country, provided required fields are present according to the EU VAT invoicing rules. In the UK, HMRC states you must keep VAT records for at least 6 years, including invoices and the VAT account, and you should be able to produce them on request as described in VAT Notice 700/21. In the United States, the IRS explains you must keep records as long as needed to substantiate returns, and employment tax records for at least four years as set out in the IRS guidance on recordkeeping. These rules make a reliable invoice system more than an admin preference. It is compliance.

Folder structure blueprint that scales

Use a repeatable, year based backbone, then segment by store and supplier to keep retrieval fast and audit trails obvious.

• Root: Finance > Invoices > 2025
• By store: 2025 > ST01 Store Name, 2025 > ST02 Store Name
• By supplier: within each store, add folders for key AliExpress suppliers or leave at month level if you use many suppliers
• By month: 2025 > ST01 > 2025 01, 2025 02, 2025 03, etc.
• Special subfolders: Credit Notes, Disputes, Customs, and Replacements

This layout makes it easy to reconcile with your accounting months and to batch move invoices into your bookkeeping software. If you are building a new storefront, consider launching on a platform with robust order export and reporting such as Shopify to keep store codes and order IDs consistent across tools.

Naming conventions that survive audits

Ambiguous dates and inconsistent punctuation are what break sorting and search. The ISO notes that ISO 8601 uses YYYY MM DD to eliminate ambiguity and make dates machine sortable, which is why your invoice names should follow that pattern, as outlined in the ISO 8601 overview. Government records experts also advise using hyphens or underscores and the international date notation for resilient file names, per the U.S. National Archives guidance on file naming best practices.

Recommended pattern:

ST012025-01-14AE-Order-8137742Supplier-SunTechInvoice-AB123.pdf

Field design:

• ST01: short store code
• 2025-01-14: order or invoice date in ISO 8601
• AE-Order-8137742: AliExpress order number
• Supplier-SunTech: supplier name or code
• Invoice-AB123: the invoice number given by your tool or supplier

Variations for credit notes or returns:

ST012025-02-03CreditNoteAE-Order-8150099Supplier-SunTech_CN-44.pdf

Tip: use leading zeros on sequential numbers inside the filename to keep lists in correct order. Avoid spaces and special characters in line with the National Archives advice referenced above.

VA workflow for one click AliExpress invoices

Your virtual assistants should be able to complete invoice capture with minimal decisions. The steps below assume you use AliBilling’s Chrome extension inside AliExpress My Orders to generate printer friendly PDFs with custom fields.

1. Log in to the correct store account in AliExpress, confirm the date range, then open My Orders.
2. Use AliBilling’s Download button next to each order to generate the PDF. If you need to adjust the company name, VAT or tax IDs, or supplier details, configure the template as shown in the how to guide.
3. Verify VAT fields and currency in the preview. The EU requires specific invoice elements such as sequential numbering, supplier and customer identification, VAT rate and amount in line with the EU VAT invoicing content list.
4. Save the file using the agreed naming convention, and move it to the month folder for the store.
5. Log each saved invoice in your invoice register sheet with columns: Store, Order ID, Supplier, Invoice No, Date, Amount, VAT, File Path, Status. Keep this register as your audit index.
6. If an order has a partial refund or dispute, request or generate a credit note and file it in the Credit Notes folder using the same pattern.
7. At week end, reconcile invoice totals to payouts and to your accounting platform. If questions arise, consult AliBilling FAQs or reach support via contact.

Multi store and team governance

• Store codes: assign short unique codes, publish them in a team glossary, and require their use in every filename and sheet entry.
• Access control: give VAs write access only to their store folders and a read only view to the central Finance index. Rotate credentials when team members change.
• Numbering consistency: ensure every invoice number remains unique at the store level. A shared index prevents duplicates and supports cross checks.
• Audit readiness: because digital invoices are valid evidence within the EU according to the European Commission’s invoicing guidance, keep the index aligned with your accounting entries to prove completeness.

Month end checklist and document retention

• Completeness: sort each store’s month folder by name to confirm expected counts match your invoice register.
• VAT review: verify tax amounts where applicable. If operating in the UK, make sure your digital records support the VAT account as described by HMRC.
• Backups: export the invoice register as CSV and mirror the invoice folders to a second cloud location.
• Retention: keep VAT records for at least 6 years in the UK per HMRC guidance. In the US, keep records as long as they are needed to support tax returns, and keep employment tax records at least four years as the IRS explains.
• Compliance sweep: if you sell across borders, review your obligations using guides like Tax obligations 101 for dropshippers and set policies to operate dropshipping the legal way.

Getting started with AliBilling

AliBilling puts a download button next to each AliExpress order and generates unlimited printer friendly invoices with custom company and tax fields. If you need a quick start, use the walkthrough here: how to download AliExpress invoices. Pricing is intentionally simple and low, with flexible plans shown on the pricing page. If you handle sensitive client data, review the privacy policy and terms, and keep your team briefed. For help at any stage, reach out through contact us.

With a clear folder map, consistent file names, and a repeatable VA workflow powered by one click invoice generation, you will spend less time hunting for documents and more time scaling your stores.