Peppol is the new standard for electronic invoicing in Belgium. It is based on regulations adopted by all European countries.
Peppol works like a centralised directory. It is also a closed, secure network that acts as an intermediary for transmitting commercial documents such as invoices. It is a framework established by Europe to generalise electronic invoicing. Since 2023, certain public procurement contracts must already go through this network.
The UBL electronic invoice
✖️ Electronic invoicing does not mean sending invoices by email.
An electronic invoice uses a specific format that allows software to read and process invoice information. Each PDF invoice is combined with a computer file in XML format. This XML file is structured according to a standard format, UBL (Universal Business Language). This format has existed since 2008; it is the Peppol exchange network that will become mandatory from 2026.
The main data of an invoice are thus tagged. In this way, your software is able to recognise certain information with certainty: date, amount, VAT details, company number (CBE),...
⚡ Thanks to electronic invoicing, the invoice will arrive in your application with reliable data. Data entry will then be largely automated.
However, certain information will still need to be defined, such as the business use percentage or the accounting category.
Peppol Access Point
The Peppol network operates on the basis of an access point (you will also see the term Access Point or AP). The access point is the secure intermediary responsible for transferring invoices. There is one for the sender and one for the receiver:
The journey of your invoice
Here is the journey your invoice takes:
The sender sends their invoice to their access point (in your case, BILLY has developed an access point via a subcontractor called Digiteal)
The access point queries the network to check whether the receiver is registered
If so, the invoice is transmitted to the receiver's access point
The receiver's access point delivers and notifies the invoice in the receiver's tool
In summary
⬆️ When sending: you cannot send your invoice directly to your client. The invoice must go through your secure access point. It is the access point that handles sending your invoice, provided your client is registered with an access point.
⬇️ When receiving: you must register with an access point. This way, your supplier's access point is aware and knows where to send the invoice.
Peppol central directory
To navigate this "large directory", each company has a unique Peppol ID (discover the Peppol Directory). This allows access points to identify you with certainty. We can compare it to a phone number used to call someone.
👉🏻 What does a Peppol ID look like? It is quite simple. The ID consists of two parts:
First, a 4-digit code to indicate the type of number. For example, the code 0208 applies exclusively to Belgian companies.
Then, your company number
BILLY's Peppol ID, for example, is 0208:0543450814.
Do you have any questions about Peppol? Contact us via the live chat 😇
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