E-invoicing to large buyers

E-invoicing to BMW: submission routes and mandatory details

The BMW Group runs its own eInvoicing programme with an implementation guide for each format. This page shows the three submission routes, the approved formats and the four details without which an invoice cannot be assigned.

Check the requirements Create an e-invoice

On this page

Overview Invoice formats Mandatory details Delivery channels Create an invoice FAQ PDF guide

Invoicing BMW: the essentials

Sending documents over the standard solutions is free of charge for BMW partners. It requires access to the B2B partner portal.

Invoice format

VDA 4938 and 4983, ZUGFeRD from version 2.1, XRechnung in UBL 2.1 and Peppol BIS 3. Older ZUGFeRD versions are no longer approved for new connections.

Delivery route

Manual entry in the eDocument Portal through eCAP, EDI after formal onboarding, or e-mail for EN 16931 invoices once the sender address is enabled.

Key references

Eight-digit BMW supplier number, the supplier tax number, the company code of the invoiced BMW entity and the BMW VAT ID.

Particular rules

Every value has to sit in the right segment of the format in question. Over SMTP only one file per e-mail is allowed.

Which invoice formats does BMW accept?

BMW publishes a separate implementation guide for each format. Four of them matter for suppliers in Germany.

Accepted

ZUGFeRD from version 2.1 as PDF/A-3 with XML, profiles Comfort or Extended
XRechnung in UBL 2.1
Peppol BIS 3 based on UBL 2.1, the BMW Peppol IDs are listed in the Peppol Directory
VDA 4938 and VDA 4983 as the industry standard of the automotive sector

Not accepted

ZUGFeRD versions below 2.1 for new connections, they do not carry the requirements of EN 16931
E-mail delivery before the sender address has been enabled
More than one file per e-mail when transmitting over SMTP

VDA 4938 and VDA 4983 are formats of the recipient. Invoice Portal does not support them. Suppliers who use that route connect through the integration provider of BMW.

What has to be on the invoice?

BMW names four details that belong on every invoice. What matters is not only the value but the segment it sits in.

General invoice details

Invoice number, invoice date and document type
Seller and buyer with the full address
Invoice lines, tax rates and totals

Additional requirements from BMW

Supplier number, the eight-digit BMW supplier number
Supplier tax number
Company code of the invoice recipient, the code of the BMW entity being invoiced, A1 for BMW AG for instance
BMW VAT identification number

Blue: general invoice details Orange: additionally required by BMW

Invoice Portal / e-invoiceSample view

Customer

Name (BT-44)BMW AG

Address80788 Munich, DE

Document

Number (BT-1)INV-2026-002217

Issue date (BT-2)2026-11-10

Supplier number12345678

Company codeA1

Tax identifiers

BMW VAT IDDE000000000

Supplier tax numbermandatory

Simplified sample view. The colouring shows typical categories of data, not the legal status of each individual field.

How can e-invoices reach BMW?

BMW distinguishes three routes. For suppliers with a small invoice volume, entry in the portal is the quickest way in.

eCAP in the eDocument Portal

Manual entry through a form, with attachments. Usable as soon as portal access has been granted.

EDI

Structured transmission in VDA, ZUGFeRD, XRechnung or Peppol BIS 3. Requires formal onboarding through the integration provider of BMW.

E-mail for EN 16931

For suppliers who simply want to mail EN 16931 invoices. Requires the sender addresses to be enabled first.

Supplierinvoice data

ValidationEN 16931

Peppol or e-mailonce enabled

BMWeDocument Portal

For the e-mail route the recipient address is only disclosed once the sender address has been enabled. It is not the address you sent the request to.

Access, onboarding and company codes

Without portal access and without the right company code, an invoice cannot be assigned.

Access to the B2B partner portal

Admission hangs on the eight-digit supplier number. Where a master administrator already exists, you are registered as a regular user and the master admin approves the request.

EDI onboarding

Fill in the survey in the eDocument Portal under My Onboarding, only for company codes where business actually takes place. The integration provider gets in touch within one or two working days.

Company code

Every invoiced BMW entity has its own code, A1 for BMW AG for instance. A wrong company code prevents the assignment.

Outgoing documents

BMW also sends credit notes, debit notes, corrections and payment advices electronically, in the same formats.

Creating an invoice for BMW with Invoice Portal

BMW is among the recipients that accept Peppol BIS 3 and XRechnung. That makes the route over the Peppol network, or by e-mail, one that Invoice Portal can cover end to end.

Step 1

Capture the invoice data

Create the invoice or import the export from your ERP, with the supplier number and company code in the customer master record.

Step 2

Produce XRechnung or Peppol BIS

Create the file in the required format and validate it against EN 16931.

Step 3

Deliver over Peppol or e-mail

As a certified access point over the Peppol network, or by e-mail to the address that has been enabled.

VDA 4938 and 4983, and transmission over AS2 and OFTP2, are not supported by Invoice Portal. Anyone who has to use that route connects through the integration provider of BMW.

Frequent questions about invoicing BMW

Can I send the invoice over Peppol?

Yes. BMW names Peppol BIS 3 as an approved format and the Peppol IDs of the BMW entities are listed in the Peppol Directory. There is more on the page what is Peppol.

Which ZUGFeRD version do I need?

At least version 2.1, in the Comfort or Extended profile. Older versions are no longer approved for new connections.

What is the company code?

The code of the BMW entity being invoiced, A1 for BMW AG for instance. It is one of the four mandatory details and has to match the invoice.

Do I need portal access?

Yes. Sending invoices electronically requires access to the BMW B2B partner portal. Admission hangs on the eight-digit supplier number.

Can I put several invoices in one e-mail?

No. When transmitting over SMTP, only a single file may be sent per e-mail.

From checking to sending

Create e-invoices and send them with confidence

With Invoice Portal you create, validate and send structured e-invoices over the delivery channels we support.

Certified Peppol access point
Creation, conversion and validation of structured e-invoices
Integration over the API and the other interfaces we support

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Prefer to write? info@invoice-portal.de · +49 561 56014568

BMW e-invoicing: get the full guide

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