E-invoicing is the structured, machine-readable exchange of invoice data between buyer and seller systems, replacing PDF or paper.
E-invoicing (electronic invoicing) means sending and receiving invoice data in a structured, machine-readable format rather than as a PDF or printed document. A structured e-invoice carries each field — seller name, buyer VAT number, line items, tax amounts, due date — in a defined schema that a buyer's accounting system can read, validate, and process automatically without manual data entry.
Most countries distinguish e-invoicing from simply emailing a PDF. A PDF is a digital image of an invoice; an e-invoice is data. Common structured formats include UBL 2.1 (XML used across Europe and Asia-Pacific), CII (UN/CEFACT Cross Industry Invoice, the basis of XRechnung in Germany and Factur-X in France), and Peppol BIS 3.0 (a UBL profile used on the Peppol network for cross-border delivery).
Governments across the EU are mandating e-invoicing for B2B transactions on a rolling timeline. Germany's mandate begins in phases from 2025–2028; France's from 2026–2027; Poland requires KSeF for large businesses now and all businesses by 2026; Italy's FatturaPA system has been mandatory since 2019. These mandates are about structured data formats, not just digital delivery.
Invotify Pro exports e-invoices in UBL 2.1, CII (covering XRechnung and Factur-X), and Peppol BIS 3.0. Country-proprietary platforms (KSeF, FatturaPA, FacturaE) require a local submission step that Invotify does not handle natively — you export the standards-based XML and use the relevant portal or access point. See our e-invoicing guides for country-specific details.
No. A PDF is a visual representation of an invoice; it requires a human (or OCR) to read. An e-invoice is structured data — XML conforming to a standard schema — that a buyer's system can parse and process automatically. Many e-invoicing mandates explicitly exclude PDF-only delivery.
Invotify Pro exports UBL 2.1, CII (aligned with XRechnung and Factur-X), and Peppol BIS 3.0. Country-proprietary formats such as Italy's FatturaPA or Poland's KSeF require submission through the local government portal; Invotify provides the standards-based XML that you can then deliver via the required channel.
Mandates vary by country and business size. Germany: receive-ready from January 2025, sending phases from 2027–2028. France: phased from 2026. Poland: large businesses now, all businesses from 2026. Italy: mandatory since 2019. Always verify the current timeline with your local tax authority — deadlines change.
Not necessarily. Peppol is a delivery network, not a format. Invotify generates Peppol BIS 3.0 XML which you can deliver through any registered Peppol access point. Some countries mandate Peppol delivery; others accept the structured XML file directly or via their own platform.
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