1) Why you should read this now

PDF invoices are fine for people, not for software. Large customers (and increasingly the government) want e‑invoices: structured, machine‑readable invoices that land automatically in their system. That means fewer errors, fewer disputes and… you often get paid faster. And yes—you’ll quickly hear: “Can you send via Peppol?”

Short version: if you sell to governments or bigger companies—or you want tight automation—this is relevant today.

2) What is e‑invoicing (in human terms)?

• E‑invoice = data, not a PDF. It’s a file in UBL 2.1 under the European standard EN 16931 (in NL: NLCIUS).

• Peppol = the network where organisations send e‑invoices securely. You’ll have:

  • a Peppol ID (your address on the network, often linked to your KVK), and

  • an Access Point (service provider that connects you to the Peppol network). Important: emailing a PDF ≠ e‑invoicing.

3) When is Peppol a “must‑have”?

• Government: many (semi‑)public bodies require e‑invoices via Peppol.

• Enterprise customers: procurement wants less manual work and fewer errors.

• Scaling/automation: you want sales → invoice → payment with no copy‑paste work.

• International: e‑invoicing is rising across the EU; being prepared is smart.

4) Get compliant fast in 5 steps

1. Check your customer
   Are they asking for “Peppol” or “e‑invoice (UBL)”? If yes: continue to step 2.

2. Choose your route

   • Via your accounting package: many (Exact, Moneybird, e‑Boekhouden, Twinfield) can send/receive UBL and sometimes send directly via Peppol.

   • Via an Access Point: connect your existing tools through a Peppol provider (API/portal).

   • Via your ERP/EDI partner: logical if you already use EDI.

3. Get your Peppol ID
   Your chosen provider applies for this and verifies your details (KVK, VAT ID, IBAN).

4. Send a test e‑invoice
   Send 1–2 test invoices (UBL 2.1, EN 16931/NLCIUS) and have the customer confirm the mapping.

5. Switch on automation

   • Standard payment terms, VAT codes, IBAN, addresses.

   • Automatically send e‑invoice + optional PDF.

   • Automatically book incoming e‑invoices (saves even more time).

5) Short compliance checklist (NL)

• Invoice date, unique invoice number, KVK, VAT ID (yours & customer’s where relevant).

• IBAN, payment terms (e.g., 14 days), currency.

• Per line: description, quantity, price, VAT rate (0/9/21%), totals.

• UBL must comply with EN 16931 (NL: NLCIUS).

• Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 is commonly requested for exchange.

6) Practical example

Situation: you deliver monthly to a municipality and two retail chains.
Approach: you activate Peppol via your accounting package or an Access Point (e.g., Storecove/Pagero), set standard payment terms and VAT codes, and have 2 test invoices checked.
Result: invoices land directly in the customer’s procurement workflow; fewer questions, fewer rejections, and faster payment on average.

7) FAQs (super short)

• Do I always have to use Peppol? No. But with government/enterprise it’s often required or strongly preferred.

• Can I send both e‑invoice and PDF? Yes; often handy: UBL for systems, PDF for people.

• What if my customer doesn’t use Peppol yet? Send UBL by email or invite them via your AP/portal; you’re ready for the future either way.

8) Summary

• E‑invoice = data invoice (UBL), not a PDF.

• Peppol = secure network + address book (Peppol ID) via an Access Point.

• Needed as soon as you work with government/large customers or want automation.

• 5 steps and you’re live: choose route → Peppol ID → test → automate.

• Pick a vendor that fits your stack and volume.

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