A customer or supplier wants to send you e-invoices via Peppol. What do you need to arrange? On this page, you can read whether you must be able to receive, what receiving via Peppol involves, which routes are available and how to process incoming e-invoices properly.
Do you need to be able to receive e-invoices?
That depends on the country. In Germany, every business has had to be able to receive e-invoices since 1 January 2025; an email inbox is sufficient. In Belgium, e-invoicing between businesses has applied since 1 January 2026, in principle via Peppol. In France, businesses have had to receive e-invoices through a plateforme agréée (approved platform) since 1 September 2026. In the Netherlands and Luxembourg, the obligation to receive applies to public sector bodies; see E-invoicing for public sector bodies.
Even without an obligation, receiving pays off: no retyping, fewer errors, faster processing. You can read what applies per country and per situation in Mandatory e-invoicing.
What receiving via Peppol involves
Receiving via Peppol means that a supplier sends a structured e-invoice to your Peppol ID. The e-invoice travels over the Peppol network to your designated service provider, which then delivers the invoice to you: in your software, in a web portal or through a connection with your own system.
As soon as you are registered, every participant on the Peppol network can reach you, regardless of which service provider they use and in which country it is established. This applies only to the document types for which you are registered, however: so register for both invoices and credit notes, because in Peppol these are separate document types. In the Netherlands, you also register for the Dutch variant (NLCIUS).
Registering your Peppol ID
To be able to receive e-invoices, you need a Peppol ID. This is your address on the network. You usually arrange the registration through your service provider, and the Peppol ID is based on an identification number your organisation already has, such as a trade register number or a VAT number.
Would you like to know exactly how a Peppol ID is structured and how registration works? Then read the page on the Peppol ID.
The routes for receiving e-invoices
The same routes as in Getting started with Peppol, here from the receiving side.
Built into your software
E-invoices arrive directly in your accounting or invoicing software and are immediately available in your accounts.
A service provider's web portal
You view and download e-invoices in the portal. Processing them in your accounts is manual work.
Separate service with a connection or import
E-invoices arrive in your software automatically, provided the connection also supports purchase invoices.
Through your accountant or bookkeeping firm
Agree on who sees and processes incoming invoices, and under which Peppol ID you can be reached.
EDI service provider or purchase-to-pay platform
Incoming e-invoices enter your existing purchasing process.
ERP connection
Automatic processing and matching with purchase orders. Requires the most set-up.
What happens to the invoice next
After receipt, the e-invoice goes through the same process as any purchase invoice. Depending on your route, this happens automatically or manually: the invoice is checked, matched with a purchase order where necessary, and forwarded for approval and payment.
Because an e-invoice contains structured data, this process is much easier than with a PDF invoice. Amounts, VAT, invoice number and supplier details are in fixed fields and do not need to be retyped or scanned. This saves time and prevents input errors.
Give your suppliers your purchase order number or buyer reference: that field is mandatory on a Peppol invoice and makes automatic matching possible. Also ask your provider whether you can send a status back to the supplier, such as accepted, rejected or paid. Peppol has a separate message for this, the Invoice Response.
Keeping the original file
The readable view on your screen is a rendering of the structured file you received via Peppol. Keep that original file for the statutory retention period in your country. In Germany, for example, the structured part is authoritative and must be kept unchanged.
So check with your service provider or software vendor: whether they archive received e-invoices for you, including the original file; for how long they do so; and whether you can export the original files yourself, for example if you later switch providers.
What this means for businesses
- Check your current software: Can it receive e-invoices via Peppol, and also process them?
- Choose your route and provider: See the routes above; compare providers in the comparison tool.
- Get registered: For both invoices and credit notes, under the correct Peppol ID.
- Inform your suppliers: Pass on your Peppol ID and your reference (order number or buyer reference).
- Arrange archiving: Keep the original file for the statutory period.
You will find the complete step-by-step plan in Getting started with Peppol.
What this means for software vendors
Businesses expect their software to be able to receive e-invoices via Peppol. For your product roadmap, this means that receiving via Peppol is a basic feature, not an add-on. At least as important is the user experience: display received invoices clearly, keep the processing workflow straightforward and make sure the original file is properly archived and can be exported. For the technical side, see Integrating Peppol into your software.
In conclusion
Are you just getting started? Then also read Getting started with Peppol. Would you like to know what costs are involved? Then take a look at What does e-invoicing via Peppol cost?
You set up receiving via Peppol for all your suppliers at once: after registration, you can be reached by everyone on the network, for the document types for which you are registered. Which provider best suits your accounts depends on your software, your volumes and the degree of automation you want. View and compare the options on Peppol.now.
