Peppol is a European network for electronic invoicing. Through Peppol your business customers receive your invoices automatically in their own accounting package, as a standardised XML file, without manual work.
Please note: The Peppol integration in your Autorespond shop only supports sending invoices. Receiving invoices through Peppol is not supported. If your customers also need to be able to receive invoices (which is a legal requirement in Belgium), they need their own Peppol Access Point, which they arrange through their own accounting software.
Peppol e-invoicing in Autorespond is based on eDocuments for WooCommerce: Peppol, a paid add-on from WP Overnight that builds on the invoicing system that is already included in your package.
How does it work? #
The Peppol integration is a paid add-on that builds on the invoicing system that is already active in your Autorespond shop. For every order for which a normal PDF invoice is created, the add-on automatically generates a Peppol XML file in the Peppol BIS 3.0 format. This file is sent straight to the Peppol network, without an external accounting party in between.
Credits: The add-on works on the basis of an annual credit bundle (available in bundles of 500, 1,000, 5,000 or 10,000 credits). A credit is only used for a successful transmission. If the XML contains an error or the recipient is not registered in the Peppol network, no credit is deducted.
Sending manually or automatically: You can have invoices sent manually or automatically. To start with, we recommend sending manually so you can check the first transmissions. Automatic sending can be set up later through Shop → Invoice management → E-Documents → Settings → Auto-send to Network, with optional filters on B2B customers or specific invoice countries.
Step 1: purchase and KYC procedure (your action) #
You purchase the add-on yourself through: https://wpovernight.com/downloads/woocommerce-edocuments-peppol/
During the purchase you go through a KYC (Know Your Customer) procedure. This verification determines how quickly the integration becomes active, so fill in the checkout page accurately:
- Invoice email address: use an email address on the same domain as the website on which the plugin is installed (for example [email protected] if the plugin runs on yourcompany.com).
- Company details: enter the correct company details of the business that is being connected to Peppol.
- VAT number: a valid VAT number is required, including for customers in the Netherlands. This is needed for the automatic verification.
Are you buying the add-on as an agency on behalf of a client? Then log out and go through the checkout with your client’s invoice details, not your own.
After the purchase you receive a zip file (the plugin) and a licence code.
Step 2: installation and licence activation (Autorespond) #
Once we have received the plugin and the licence code, we take over. We install the plugin and activate the licence through the input field below the plugin title on the plugins page.
Step 3: configuration and testing (Autorespond) #
After installation we set up the integration. There are a few critical settings:
Format: Go to Shop → Invoice management → E-Documents and set the format to Peppol BIS 3.0.
Due date: On the Documents tab in the invoice settings, the option for the due date must be ticked. If it is missing, the plugin assumes the invoice has already been paid and an amount of €0.00 appears in the XML, even though the correct amounts are in the code.
Network connection: After installation and licence activation you go to Shop → Invoice management → E-Documents → Network to connect to the Peppol network. Once the KYC procedure has been completed, the connection is active straight away.
First test: We start with manual sending. For each order you click ‘Send XML Invoice to Network’ in the E-Documents panel (after the PDF invoice has been created).
See also Setting up PDF invoices for more information about the general invoice settings.
Frequently asked questions #
My customer is not in the Peppol network, what now? #
If the recipient is not registered in Peppol, the transmission fails and no credit is used. In that case you send the invoice in the usual way (by email) and there is nothing further to do.
How do I send a credit note through Peppol? #
Credit notes can also be sent through Peppol. When processing a refund, make sure you include the product lines in the refund. A refund of only the amount without product lines results in an incomplete credit note that cannot be sent through Peppol.
What do I do if an invoice returns an error when sending? #
First check whether the XML is still up to date. If you changed the invoice after the XML had already been generated, open the invoice (this reloads the data), click the refresh icon next to the XML and send it again. Does the order contain an invalid or expired VAT number? Remove it at user level and contact the customer.
