An e-invoice is a structured data file (XML) that software can read, validate and process directly. Not a PDF and not retyping. Every organisation also gets its own e-invoicing address on Peppol. That makes invoicing demonstrably safer than loose PDFs by email and gives you direct control over status and processing.
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An e-invoice follows five steps: create it in your accounting software or ERP, submit it to eConnect, automatic validation of format and company data, sending via Peppol and status tracking in the platform. If the recipient is not reachable via Peppol, an automatic fallback follows by email with PDF. You do not have to choose a channel per invoice.
Every invoice is automatically checked against core data such as IBAN, VAT number and KVK. That lowers the fraud risk and lets finance teams process faster, with less manual work.
An image of an invoice. It must be scanned, recognised and checked manually before the data is in the accounts.
Structured data that is read straight into the financial system. Automatic validation of format, amounts and company data.
A PDF with an embedded XML file. Combines human readability with machine-readable data. Suitable as a transition format.
A PDF is a picture of an invoice. Nice to look at, but a computer cannot use it without scanning or retyping. An e-invoice is a structured data file (XML) that software can read, validate and process directly. No manual entry, no interpretation, no errors from mistyped data.
On every send we first check whether the recipient is actively registered on Peppol.
If the recipient is reachable, the invoice is delivered securely and in a structured form via the Peppol network.
If Peppol is not available, we automatically send email with PDF and XML. The recipient receives the invoice via a portal.
The platform follows the PeppolFirst principle and automatically chooses the right delivery channel per recipient. You do not have to choose a channel per invoice.
E-invoicing lowers processing costs, speeds up payment and makes your invoice process safer and more sustainable. On the benefits page you can read, per pain point, which concrete benefit e-invoicing delivers, with figures from practice.
View the benefits of e‑invoicing
Suppliers receive automatic feedback throughout the full invoice lifecycle via status messages: received, in progress, approved, rejected or paid. That prevents unnecessary follow-up emails and shortens response time when something is off.
The most used XML format on Peppol. Based on Universal Business Language, conforming to EN 16931.
Cross-Industry Invoice: the alternative EN 16931 format, especially in Germany and France.
The Dutch country profile. Required when invoicing the Dutch government.
XRechnung, FatturaPA, Factur-X and dozens of other profiles per country and sector.
In Europe, the EN 16931 standard is the basis for e-invoicing. eConnect supports all common syntaxes and country profiles and converts automatically, so you always deliver the right format to the recipient.
All document formats
Set it up once in your accounting package and your invoices go automatically via Peppol. Exact Online, Twinfield, AFAS, SAP, Business Central and dozens of others.
For software vendors and developers: a fully documented REST API with OAuth2, webhooks and Swagger UI.
No software? Start free via the invoice portal. Create an account, verify your organisation via iDEAL and send your first e-invoice within a quarter of an hour.
E-invoicing works best when it is part of your existing work process. eConnect offers connections with more than 100 accounting, ERP and finance packages.
Want to see first exactly how Peppol, sending and compliance work in practice? Use the documentation as the next step and then choose your starting route.
No matching customer stories.
Per-document pricing including CTC reporting and e-reporting. No extra costs per status message or compliance report, so you budget predictably as you grow.
eConnect operates its own SMP and Peppol Access Point. No dependency on intermediaries for registration, routing or migration of your Peppol identifiers.
One platform with a central audit trail across all entities and countries. Local compliance (XRechnung, FatturaPA) is handled automatically, with reporting at group level.
Organisations with multiple entities, countries or high volumes need more than a standard e-invoicing connection. eConnect offers a platform that grows with the complexity of your organisation.
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A PDF is a visual representation of an invoice: readable for people, but not for software. To get the data from a PDF invoice into your accounts, the PDF must be scanned, recognised (OCR) and checked. An e-invoice is a structured XML file that financial software can read and process directly. There is no manual entry, no interpretation and no risk of mistyped data. Processing costs of an e-invoice are therefore many times lower than those of a PDF invoice. An e-invoice via Peppol is also legally as valid as a paper or PDF invoice.
Yes. The fastest way to start is via the free invoice portal from eConnect. You create an account online, verify your organisation via iDEAL and can send your first e-invoice via Peppol within a quarter of an hour. There are no implementation costs. Want to scale later to automatic sending from your accounting software? Then you set up the connection once and invoices go automatically via Peppol. The move from manual to automated is possible at any time.
Then eConnect provides an automatic fallback. The PeppolFirst principle always chooses the safest route: Peppol if the recipient is registered, another structured channel if that is not the case, and email with PDF as the last option. You do not have to choose a channel per invoice. The recipient gets the invoice in the format available to them, without you having to do anything for that.
eConnect has connections with more than 100 accounting, ERP and finance packages. Think of Exact Online, Twinfield, AFAS, SAP Business One, Microsoft Business Central, SnelStart, Unit4, Visma and dozens of others. The connection is one-off: set it up and invoices go automatically via Peppol. For packages without a native connection there are alternatives: Autopilot (OAuth connection with cloud ERP), Email Receiver or the PSB REST API. The full overview is in the connections documentation.
Yes. eConnect processes both incoming and outgoing invoices. E-invoices via Peppol are processed directly in your financial software. PDF invoices are analysed, validated and converted to structured data via the Intelligent Document Recogniser (IDR). The booking robot then proposes a booking based on historical patterns. The whole process is available from the same platform, so sending and processing sit under one roof.
Yes, via the PSB (Procurement Service Bus). Self-billing is a variant where the buyer issues the invoice on behalf of the supplier. This is common in the staffing sector (the hirer invoices on behalf of the agency), in construction and at large purchasing organisations.
eConnect supports both the NLCIUS variant (InvoiceTypeCode 389, no extra SMP registration needed) and the formal BIS Self-Billing 3.0 variant (separate CustomizationID, explicit SMP registration required). The PSB recognises the document type automatically and routes the invoice to the right party.
The eConnect platform (platform.econnect.eu) does not support self-billing. This is not planned. For self-billing via API or a connection, the PSB is the designated route. A prior bilateral agreement between buyer and supplier is legally required.
For Belgian platform customers who still want to receive self-billing, a workaround exists via the PSB (splitting identifiers between platform and PSB). This falls outside the standard platform contract. Contact sales for the options. More detail is in the documentation on self-billing.
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