# Clean a customer VAT list before filing

**Use case:** 

Run a messy invoicing list through in one pass: spacing, dashes and lower case are normalised, numbers whose country prefix or checksum cannot be right are rejected before they cost a VIES call, and the rest are validated. Typical use: preparing an EC Sales List or a recapitulative statement.

## Input

```json
{
  "vatNumbers": [
    "DE 811 907 980",
    "ie6388047v",
    "FR-40303265045",
    "DE123456789",
    "XX123456789",
    "IT00159560366"
  ],
  "checkServiceStatusFirst": true,
  "skipFormatInvalid": true,
  "skipChecksumInvalid": false,
  "concurrency": 2
}
```

## Output

```json
{
  "submitted": {
    "label": "Submitted"
  },
  "validCount": {
    "label": "Valid"
  },
  "invalidCount": {
    "label": "Invalid"
  },
  "formatRejectedCount": {
    "label": "Format rejected"
  },
  "unavailableCount": {
    "label": "Unavailable"
  },
  "errorCount": {
    "label": "Errors"
  },
  "matchAttemptedCount": {
    "label": "Match attempted"
  },
  "viesCallCount": {
    "label": "VIES calls"
  },
  "serviceStatusChecked": {
    "label": "Status checked"
  },
  "unavailableCountries": {
    "label": "Countries down"
  },
  "elapsedSeconds": {
    "label": "Seconds"
  }
}
```

## About this Actor

This example demonstrates how to use [EU VAT Number Validator — VIES, Bulk, With Company Name](https://apify.com/dalbian/eu-vat-number-validator-vies.md) with a specific input configuration. Visit the [Actor detail page](https://apify.com/dalbian/eu-vat-number-validator-vies.md) to learn more, explore other use cases, and run it yourself.


## How to integrate an Actor?

This Task's input is already configured above. Use it as-is rather than inventing a new one.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For full API examples (JavaScript, Python, CLI, MCP, OpenAPI), see this Task's Actor page: https://apify.com/dalbian/eu-vat-number-validator-vies.md

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).