Best e-Invoicing Software in Germany | XRechnung & PEPPOL Solution

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XRechnung Software for Germany: Create, Validate and Send Compliant E-Invoices

Produce XRechnung XML files that follow EN 16931 and the KoSIT specification, address public-sector buyers with the Leitweg-ID, and keep every invoice archived in line with GoBD.

 

Trust Badge Row:

 

  • XRechnung (KoSIT Standard)
  • EN 16931 Validation
  • UBL and CII Syntax
  • Leitweg-ID for Public Sector
  • Peppol Delivery
  • GoBD Archiving
  • Talk to E-Invoicing Expert
Talk to Accounting Expert

Understand What XRechnung Means for Your Business

XRechnung is Germany’s national e-invoice standard. It is a purely structured XML file, with no image or PDF layer, and follows the German specification of the European norm EN 16931. The Koordinierungsstelle für IT-Standards maintains it on behalf of the IT-Planungsrat of the Federation and the Länder. Suppliers to federal authorities have had to use it under the E-Rechnungsverordnung since November 2020. Many Lander and municipalities set similar requirements for their own contracts.

Since 1 January 2025, every domestic B2B business in Germany must be able to receive structured e-invoices. Issuing duties are phased in.  From 1 January 2028, structured e-invoices are required for all domestic B2B supplies. Advintek helps teams prepare XRechnung workflows. Please confirm your own obligations with the Federal Ministry of Finance, the KoSIT website or your tax advisor.

XRechnung Software Features for Germany

XML Invoice Creation

Generate XRechnung files in the UBL 2.1 or UN/CEFACT CII syntax from your existing billing data, without writing XML by hand.

Specification Validation

Check each file against the XML schema, EN 16931 rules and the German XRechnung business rules (BR-DE) before it leaves your system.

Leitweg-ID Handling

Enter the Leitweg-ID of the receiving authority as the buyer reference so the invoice is routed to the correct public-sector office.

Electronic Address Fields

Complete the seller and buyer electronic addresses (BT-34 and BT-49), which are mandatory since XRechnung version 3.0.

Readable Preview

Turn the XML into a clear, human-readable view so your team and customers can check content without opening raw code.

Compliant Archiving

Store the original XRechnung file unchanged for the eight-year retention period under GoBD and the Fiscal Code (AO).

Improve XRechnung Accuracy with Automated Checks

  • Confirm the invoice uses the current XRechnung version published by KoSIT.
  • Fill in the buyer reference (BT-10) with the correct Leitweg-ID for public customers.
  • Include seller contact details, payment terms and a payable amount.
  • Add the electronic address of both seller and buyer.
  • Keep tax rate, tax amount and exemption or reverse charge wording consistent with UStG.
  • Run schema and Schematron validation on every file before delivery.
  • Keep the structured XML as the legal original, not a PDF copy.

Connect XRechnung to Your Finance Workflow

An XRechnung moves through creation, validation, delivery, receipt, approval, payment and archiving. When these steps are linked, data is entered once, errors surface before sending, and your accounting, ERP and tax advisor systems work from identical information.

Advintek supports connected e-invoicing for Germany. Before go-live, confirm supported syntaxes, delivery channels (such as the federal invoice portals ZRE and OZG-RE, the Peppol network or email where the recipient accepts it) and ERP connections. Also check the latest KoSIT release notes. 

XRechnung Management Controls

Version Control

Stay aligned with the KoSIT release in force and prepare for the transition to XRechnung 4.0 when final dates are published.

Delivery Tracking

Follow each invoice from dispatch to receipt confirmation, whether sent by portal, Peppol or another channel.

Inbound XRechnung

Receive, read and approve supplier XRechnung files while preserving the original XML for your records.

Audit Trail

Keep history, corrections and archived files available for your tax advisor or the Finanzamt.

Support Public-Sector Suppliers, Businesses and Tax Advisors

Advintek helps German organisations structure invoice data and meet XRechnung and EN 16931 requirements ahead of the e-invoicing timeline.

For Suppliers to Public Authorities

  • Send invoices that meet federal and Länder XRechnung requirements.
  • Avoid rejections caused by a missing Leitweg-ID or invalid fields.
  • Track which invoices were delivered, accepted or returned.

For B2B Companies and Finance Teams

  • Prepare for the receipt duty already in force and the staged issuing duty.
  • Reduce manual retyping between ERP, accounting and invoicing tools.
  • Keep a clear record of credit notes and corrected invoices.

Explore XRechnung Software from Advintek

Begin with compliant invoice creation and e-invoice formats, then expand into inbound invoice processing, archiving, credit notes and integrations with your accounting or ERP system as German e-invoicing requirements grow.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is XRechnung software?

XRechnung software creates, checks, sends and stores invoices in the German XRechnung format. This is an XML data set based on EN 16931 and maintained by KoSIT. Good software also validates files against the official rules before dispatch.

 

For suppliers invoicing federal authorities, yes, under the E-Rechnungsverordnung. Many Länder have comparable rules. In B2B, a structured e-invoice compliant with EN 16931 is required, and XRechnung is one accepted format. Receiving has been mandatory since 1 January 2025, and issuing is phased in through 2027 and 2028 depending on turnover.

 

XRechnung is pure XML with no visual layer. ZUGFeRD is a hybrid: a PDF with an embedded XML file. Both can satisfy the e-invoice requirement if the data meets EN 16931. ZUGFeRD in the XRECHNUNG profile or an EN 16931-conformant profile is generally accepted. Confirm the recipient’s requirements before choosing.

Two are allowed: UBL 2.1 and UN/CEFACT Cross Industry Invoice (CII). Both carry the same invoice content, so the choice usually depends on your system or your customer’s.

The Leitweg-ID is a routing identifier assigned to public-sector recipients. It is entered as the buyer reference (BT-10) so the invoice reaches the right office. You need it when invoicing German federal, state or municipal authorities that require it. Ask your customer for the correct value.

 

Federal recipients are connected to the ZRE and OZG-RE portals. Other channels may include the Peppol network or email, depending on what the recipient accepts. Always check the authority’s published submission instructions.

Besides standard invoice data, the specification requires items such as the buyer reference, seller contact details, payment information and, since version 3.0, the seller and buyer electronic addresses (BT-34 and BT-49). Validation tools will flag missing fields.

The raw XML is not designed for people to read. A viewer or visualisation function turns it into a readable invoice. The XML file itself remains the legal original and must be kept.

Invoices must be kept unchanged, readable and machine-evaluable for eight years under GoBD and the Fiscal Code (AO). The structured original must be retained, not just a printout or PDF image.

Advintek supports e-invoice workflows for German businesses, including XRechnung creation, validation, receiving and archiving. Please confirm supported versions, delivery channels and ERP integrations with the Advintek team before deployment.

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Best e-Invoicing Software in Germany | XRechnung & PEPPOL Solution