Peppol and sending of electronic invoices

What is behind Peppol?

Peppol is a network that can be used to transmit electronic documents from suppliers to public authorities. In the future, every European company should be able to exchange messages with every public sector customer, for example invoices or other business documents. How Peppol works, how you can become a Peppol user and what updates and innovations it includes will be shared in our blog posts.

How does Peppol work?

Peppol is short for Pan-European Public Procurement OnLine. The system, which once emerged from an EU project, enables the reliable and secure exchange of documents between business partners based on a common standard. The best way to explain how Peppol works is to use a model with four corners: The invoicing party (1) sends its invoice indirectly to the invoice recipient (4), using a service provider with a so-called access point (2) as a kind of “intermediate station.” This service provider checks and sends the documents via Peppol to the invoice recipient’s access point (3), which in turn sends it to the invoice recipient (4). This sounds like a detour at first, but it is not. On the contrary, sending via Peppol has many advantages: The processes are automated, the data is encrypted, and you are connected to all partners registered in the Peppol network – across borders.

Why do I have to send invoices via Peppol?

Since November 27, 2020, public purchasers from federal agencies must be able to receive and send electronic invoices. Suppliers and service providers can submit their electronic invoices to the federal administration via two invoice receipt platforms: Either via the Central Invoice Receipt Portal of the ITZBund or the OZG (Onlinezugangsgesetz) of the German Federal Printing Office. Peppol has proven to be an efficient tool in this regard: Around 40% of all invoices submitted to these two invoice receipt platforms were sent via Peppol.

What are the innovations at Peppol?

Since November 27, 2020, public purchasers from federal agencies must be able to receive and send electronic invoices. Suppliers and service providers can submit their electronic invoices to the federal administration via two invoice receipt platforms: Either via the Central Invoice Receipt Portal of the ITZBund or the OZG (Onlinezugangsgesetz) of the German Federal Printing Office. Peppol has proven to be an efficient tool in this regard: Around 40% of all invoices submitted to these two invoice receipt platforms were sent via Peppol.

The advantages of electronic invoicing are obvious: the invoicing process is automated. This not only saves time, but also minimises errors. Costs for printing and mailing are eliminated. Although it is currently only mandatory for federal authorities, the topic of e-invoicing will sooner or later also come to the attention of federal states and municipalities.

Who is involved in Peppol?

Peppol has more than 430 members from different countries worldwide. Besides many European countries, users come from Australia, Singapore or the USA. All information about members and access points and more about Peppol can be found at www.peppol.eu.

Webware offers Invoice solutions and Peppol Access Point

Are you looking for an e-invoicing solution? Our Invoice Portal offers you the possibility to create an electronic invoice and has a Peppol Access Point, which makes it possible to receive or send electronic invoices encrypted via Peppol. We fulfil all legal requirements and send the invoices for you – directly from your mailbox and via your company’s own server.
Do you have any questions about our services? Please feel free to contact us.