If you're required to send invoices through the PEPPOL network, you can configure your Productive account to send PEPPOL-compliant invoices.
This guide covers the initial PEPPOL setup, including required company and client information.
Once everything is in place, you'll be able to send invoices through the PEPPOL network.
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
1) E-Invoicing Settings
To enable PEPPOL e-invoicing:
Go to Settings > Invoicing > e-Invoicing
Select the appropriate Subsidiary
Toggle on Send Invoices via the PEPPOL Network
Mandatory Fields for PEPPOL:
TAX ID
This is typically your company’s VAT ID (e.g.BE1234567890for Belgium). It must follow your country’s official VAT or tax number format.PEPPOL ID
This identifies your company in the PEPPOL network and must follow a specific format; it consists of an identifier scheme (such as9925for a VAT number in Belgium), followed by a colon and the actual ID (e.g.9925:BE1234567890).
The format and valid scheme codes may vary depending on your country. You can find the full list of accepted schemes here.
2) Client Company (Invoice Recipient) Settings
To configure your client's details for PEPPOL invoicing:
1) Go to CRM > Companies
2) Select the relevant client company and add the following information:
Full Company Name
PEPPOL ID: Enter the client's PEPPOL ID here.
(Optional) Buyer Reference Number: Add the Buyer Reference Number here. This field is used as a reference identifier for the client’s internal systems.
📌 Important:
To send an invoice via PEPPOL, you must include either a Buyer Reference or a PO Number.
The Buyer Reference is stored under the client company settings and reused automatically.
The PO Number can be added manually when finalizing each invoice.
You only need one of these identifiers, having both is not required.
📌 Recommended:
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 in the XML file.
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) Subsidiary (Invoice Sender) Settings
To define your company's sender details:
Go to Settings > Company Info > Subsidiary
Enter the following fields:
Full Company Name
Tax ID (formatted according to your country’s rules)
Street, City, ZIP, State, and Country
📌 These values will be included in the invoice file and may be required by some recipients.
4) Bank Account Settings
Bank account information is often required for PEPPOL invoices, though requirements may vary by country. To set up your bank account:
Go to Settings > Company Info > Bank Accounts
Add or edit an account using the following fields:
Subsidiary
Name of the Bank Account
Bank Name
Bank Address (optional)
BIC/SWIFT Code (recommended)
IBAN/Account Number
Currency
📌 If multiple accounts exist for the same subsidiary, the first created one will be used for the PEPPOL invoice.
Sending a PEPPOL Invoice
Once setup is complete and client data is filled in, you’ll be able to send invoices via PEPPOL. When finalizing an invoice:
If the Buyer Reference is already stored in the company profile, it will be added automatically.
If not, you can enter a PO Number directly on the invoice form.
Productive will check that at least one of these identifiers is present before allowing you to send the invoice.
👉 For the full flow, see: Sending Invoices via the PEPPOL Network.
Can I Use Both PEPPOL and XRechnung?
Yes. You can enable both options in your e-invoicing settings.
PEPPOL allows you to generate invoices in the PEPPOL BIS Billing 3.0 format and send them directly through the PEPPOL network to supported recipients.
XRechnung is primarily used in Germany and generates an XML file that can be downloaded and submitted via government or client portals.
When finalizing an invoice, you can:
Send it via PEPPOL if your client accepts network delivery
Download the XML version if required for XRechnung or internal record-keeping