What is XRechnung?
XRechnung is a standard for electronic invoicing that enables sending invoices in the form of an XML file containing all required invoice details.
It is maintained by the Coordination Office for IT Standards (KoSIT) in Germany to implement Directive 2014/55/EU.
From January 1st, 2025, XRechnung will become a mandatory format for e-invoicing in Germany. Companies will no longer be allowed to send paper or PDF invoices, with transitional regulations extending until 2028.
For more information on B2B e-invoicing in Germany and regional implementations, refer to the following links:
Why Is Productive Implementing XRechnung?
To support Germany’s shift to e-invoicing compliance, we are enabling customers to generate an XML file in EN 16931 bound to UBL format.
These XML files can:
Be downloaded and sent via email.
Be uploaded to invoicing tools that support XRechnung.
Be submitted to e-invoicing portals set up by German federal states.
1) E-Invoicing Settings
You can set up e-invoicing by following these steps:
Go to Settings > Invoicing > e-Invoicing.
Select Your Subsidiary: From the list, choose the appropriate subsidiary.
Toggle on E-invoicing. This will automatically enable the option to download XML files.
In the E-Invoice format dropdown menu, select XRechnung.
Mandatory Fields for XRechnung
Payment Means: Choose either SEPA Credit Transfer or Credit Transfer.
E-Invoicing Email: Enter the sender’s email address.
E-Invoicing Phone Number: Enter the sender’s phone number. You can input the phone number in either of the following formats: +491701234567 or 00491701234567.
2) Client Company (Invoice Recipient) Settings
To configure your client’s details for XRechnung:
1) Go to CRM > Companies.
2) Select the relevant client company and click Edit Company in the upper right.
3) Add the following mandatory details:
Full Company Name and Buyer Reference: This unique identifier ensures invoices are sent to the correct recipient. It may also be a reference provided by the client.
The Buyer Reference field is required by the XRechnung specification.
It can be a Leitweg-ID or any other reference provided by the buyer.
Email: The first "Work" email entered will automatically be included in the XML invoice.
City, ZIP, and Country
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Add other details, like the Subsidiary, Tax Rate, Payment Terms, and Invoice Template to automatically pre-fill this information when creating new deals, invoices, and budgets for this client.
Tax ID (optional for client companies): The Tax ID field is treated as the VAT ID (Umsatzsteuer-ID) in the XML file.The Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer (USt-IdNr) follows the format
DE123456789.
3) Subsidiary (Invoice Sender) Settings
Tax ID, Name, and Address
Enter the default following information in Settings > Company Info > Subsidiary, as these fields will be mandatory when downloading the e-invoice:
Full Company Name
The Tax ID field is treated as the VAT ID (Umsatzsteuer-ID) in the XML file.
The Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer (USt-IdNr) follows the format
DE123456789.Street, City, ZIP, State, and Country
Note: You can add or adjust this information manually when downloading the invoice. Here is where you set up your defaults for easier management.
Bank Accounts
To ensure all necessary bank details are included in the XML file, set up your bank account information for the appropriate subsidiary.
Note: If you set up multiple bank accounts for the same subsidiary, the system will use the first created bank account for generating the XML file.
Go to Settings > Company Info > Bank Accounts.
Use the following options to manage bank accounts:
Add a bank account
Edit an existing account
Archive bank accounts
Bank Account Fields
Name
Bank Name
Bank Address (optional).
Account Number
Currency
BIC/SWIFT Code
Subsidiary
Important: Ensure the BIC/SWIFT field is filled in. It is required for generating and downloading the XRechnung XML file.
Downloading the XRechnung Invoice
Once all settings have been configured:
You can proceed to download your XRechnung invoice.
For detailed steps, refer to this guide: E-Invoicing: Downloading an Invoice in the XML Format.