If e-invoicing is enabled in your settings and all required sender and recipient details are in place, you’ll have the option to send finalized invoices directly through the PEPPOL network.
This guide covers how to send a PEPPOL-compliant invoice from Productive, including all the required data fields and how validation works.
Good to Know: Limitations by Plan
There is a monthly limit on the number of invoices you can send via the PEPPOL network, based on your plan:
Essential Plan: 10 invoices
Professional Plan: 50 invoices
Ultimate Plan: 100 invoices
📌 You must be on a paid plan to send invoices via the PEPPOL network. This option is not available during the trial period.
How to Send an Invoice via PEPPOL
Open the finalized invoice you want to send.
Click on the Send to Client dropdown in the upper-right corner.
Select Send via PEPPOL from the list of options, check the PEPPOL IDs for the sender and the recipient, and click Send Invoice.
Once you click Send Invoice, the system will begin validating the invoice to ensure all required information is present and properly formatted for PEPPOL delivery.
Requirements for Sending via PEPPOL
To successfully send an invoice via the PEPPOL network, make sure the following data is correctly filled out:
1. Invoice Data
The invoice must be finalized and have an invoice number. Learn more about invoice numbering options here.
Buyer Reference or PO Number Required. To comply with PEPPOL standards, each invoice must include either:
A Buyer Reference Number (set under the client company details in CRM), or
A PO Number (entered manually when finalizing the invoice).
Only one of these is required, but at least one must be present for successful validation.
2. Client (Bill To) Data
The invoice must include the following information about the client company:
Full Company Name
City, ZIP Code, and Country
PEPPOL ID (mandatory for the client company, set in CRM > Companies > Edit Company)
Optional: Buyer Reference Number (stored under the client company for reuse on future invoices)
Optional: Tax ID (Treated as the VAT ID, though not mandatory for the client)
📌 The PEPPOL ID consists of a scheme code (e.g. 9925 for a Belgian VAT ID), followed by a colon and the actual identifier (e.g. 9925:BE123456789). Formats may vary by country. See the full list of accepted schemes.
Important: The Invoice Recipient Must Be Registered on the PEPPOL Network
A valid PEPPOL ID can only be assigned by the PEPPOL network after an organization completes its registration.
It's not enough to enter a PEPPOL ID using a VAT number format (such as 9925:BE1234567890) unless the recipient is already registered in the PEPPOL network.
When you send an invoice, Productive checks the PEPPOL directory for the recipient’s ID. If the ID isn’t found in the directory, the invoice will not be delivered and an error will be returned.
📌 Always confirm that your client is registered in the PEPPOL network before attempting to send an invoice.
Check if your client is registered in the PEPPOL directory here:
https://directory.peppol.eu/public
3. Sender (Bill From) Data
The invoice must include complete subsidiary details (the company sending the invoice):
Full Company Name
Street, City, ZIP, State, and Country
Tax ID (This field is mandatory and treated as the VAT ID in the XML)
PEPPOL ID (Identifies your company in the PEPPOL network, set in Settings > Invoicing > E-invoicing > Subsidiary)
📌 The PEPPOL ID consists of a scheme code (e.g. 9925 for a Belgian VAT ID), followed by a colon and the actual identifier (e.g. 9925:BE123456789). Formats may vary by country. See the full list of accepted schemes.
4. Subsidiary (Bill From) Bank Account
A valid bank account for the invoice-sending subsidiary must be configured under Settings > Company Info > Bank Accounts.
Mandatory Bank Account Fields:
Name
Bank Name
BIC/SWIFT Code
Account Number
Currency
📌 If multiple bank accounts exist for the same subsidiary, the system will use the first created one for the PEPPOL invoice.
Validation Status
After initiating the Send via PEPPOL action, the system checks whether all required fields are correctly filled in.
1) Successful Validation
A confirmation will appear in the invoice feed.
2) Validation Errors
If any errors are detected, a popup will display the issues. These messages are designed to be human-readable and easy to interpret.
Example Error Messages:
"Bill from and bill to TAX ID must have an alpha-2 ISO country code prefix"
"A buyer reference or purchase order reference MUST be provided."
Troubleshooting Validation Errors
If you run into validation issues, check the following:
Client Buyer Reference / Invoice PO Number: Ensure that at least one is entered.
Client PEPPOL ID: Ensure it is entered and correctly formatted in CRM > Companies.
Tax IDs: Verify that the sender’s Tax ID is entered and formatted properly.
Bank Account: Confirm that the subsidiary has a valid bank account set up.
Company Details: Ensure all mandatory fields are completed.
👉 For further assistance, review your e-invoicing settings in Set Up for Sending Invoices via PEPPOL.