UAE customers expect invoices in English, but many B2B and government customers also expect Arabic. Zoho's template engine supports bilingual layouts, but only with the right setup. Here is the configuration that works.
What you'll learn
→ Template architecture → Translating field labels → Customer-specific defaults → VAT compliance detailsTemplate architecture
Zoho Books templates are HTML + CSS with placeholder tags for data. Bilingual layouts use a two-column structure: English on one side, Arabic on the other, with shared data fields and the same line items appearing in both languages.
Settings → Templates → Invoice → Create New. Select 'Bilingual' from the layout options. If your version of Zoho does not show this, edit the HTML directly, copy the default English template, duplicate sections in Arabic, set 'direction: rtl' on Arabic blocks.
Translating field labels
The standard fields you need in Arabic: Invoice number, Date, Due date, Bill to, Description, Quantity, Unit price, VAT, Total. Zoho lets you override field labels per template. Settings → Templates → Edit → Field Labels → Arabic.
Standard translations: فاتورة (Invoice), التاريخ (Date), تاريخ الاستحقاق (Due date), الكمية (Quantity), السعر (Price), ضريبة القيمة المضافة (VAT), الإجمالي (Total). Zoho stores the translation; you do not retype it on every invoice.
Customer-specific defaults
Each customer record can have a default template. Government and large local enterprises typically prefer the bilingual template; international customers often prefer English-only. Set the default once per customer; Zoho applies it to every invoice.
Test with your top 10 customers before rolling out to all. Print the invoice on paper or check the PDF on screen at full size. Arabic alignment, currency formatting, and TRN display are common areas where the layout breaks subtly.
VAT compliance details
FTA requires every tax invoice to show: 'Tax Invoice' (or 'فاتورة ضريبية' in Arabic), the supplier's TRN, the buyer's TRN if registered, the date of issue, the date of supply if different, line-item descriptions, the VAT amount, and the total in AED.
Bilingual templates must show this information in at least one language clearly. The FTA accepts either English or Arabic, but legibility and accuracy matter more than the choice. Print a test invoice and have a finance director (or your accountant) sign off before going live.
This guide is general information, not professional advice. For situations that involve specific facts, talk to your accountant, or hire one of ours from the marketplace.