Sending or receiving e-invoices via Peppol means choosing from many providers with little comparable information. Choosing an e-invoicing solution starts with one question: which solution fits the way your organisation already invoices? This page explains the types of solutions available and the criteria that make the difference. It ends with a checklist of questions to ask every provider, so you can compare offers on substance rather than sales talk.
What types of e-invoicing solutions are there?
Accounting software with built-in Peppol
Portal solution
EDI provider
ERP integration or API
Choosing an e-invoicing solution: what to look for
For more background on formats and channels, see Getting Started with eInvoicing.
Invoice volume
Ten invoices a month call for a different solution than ten thousand. At low volumes, a portal or built-in feature is enough; at high volumes, automation and pricing per message matter more. For the financial side, see What does e-invoicing via Peppol cost.
Countries you invoice in
Peppol is international, but countries sometimes add their own requirements on top of the Peppol standard. If you invoice in several countries, check that the provider supports and maintains those rules.
Existing software and architecture
The best solution fits what you already have. List the accounting, ERP or EDI systems you use and check whether the provider has a proven connector for them. Custom integrations take time and require maintenance.
Sending and/or receiving
Some solutions are strong at sending but offer limited processing of incoming e-invoices, or the other way round. If you want purchase invoices to flow in automatically, ask specifically about receiving.
Required support level
A rejected or undelivered invoice directly affects your cash flow. Check whether support is available in your language, how quickly issues are picked up, and whether failed messages are monitored.
Switching and exit
Your Peppol ID and its registration belong to your organisation, not the provider. Ask upfront how switching works, what happens to your archive, and which notice periods apply.
The checklist: questions for every provider
What does this mean for you as a business? Put the following questions to every provider you consider. Providers who answer them clearly and in writing can be compared fairly.
Checklist
- Is your organisation a certified Peppol Serviceprovider, or do you work through another party?
- Does your solution support both sending and receiving e-invoices via Peppol?
- Which connector do you offer for our accounting or ERP system, and how many customers already use it?
- Which document types do you support besides invoices, such as credit notes, orders and status messages?
- Do you support the country-specific requirements of every country we invoice in?
- How do you register us in the Peppol address book (SMP), and under which Peppol ID?
- Do you validate invoices against the Peppol validation rules before sending, and how are we informed if an invoice is rejected?
- How are we notified if an invoice is not delivered, and what is the next step?
- How are incoming e-invoices processed into our administration?
- How long and in what format do you archive sent and received invoices, and can we export them?
- What support level do you offer: availability, language, response times and a dedicated contact?
- How is your pricing structured: fixed fees, per-message fees, and integration or implementation costs?
- How does switching to another provider work, and will you cooperate in transferring our Peppol ID?
- Where is our invoice data stored and processed, and how is security arranged?
For public sector organisations
Under Directive 2014/55/EU, public sector organisations in the EU must be able to receive e-invoices, and many use Peppol as their receiving channel. When choosing, focus on the receiving side, the connection to your financial system and the requirements of your procurement policy. Also agree upfront under which identifier you are registered in the Peppol address book, such as the OIN in the Netherlands.
For integrators
Integrators building Peppol into their clients’ systems mainly look at the technical side: the quality of the API and its documentation, a test environment, webhooks for status messages, multi-client support within one account and the ability to manage SMP registrations through the API. Also ask how the provider implements and announces changes to Peppol specifications.
In closing
Choosing an e-invoicing solution becomes easier once you have mapped your own situation: volume, countries, systems and whether you need to send, receive or both. The checklist on this page lets you ask every provider the same questions. The comparison tool on peppol.nu then shows which solutions fit best. For more on choosing an accesspoint, read the blog Peppol Access Point: Choose the Right One.
