Electronic B2B invoicing in Germany:
Your solution with efsta

Mandatory electronic invoicing in Germany: Requirements and compliance since 2020

In Germany, since November 27, 2020, all suppliers to the federal government are obliged, according to the E-Rechnungsverordnung (E-Invoicing Ordinance), to submit invoices in electronic form for direct orders with an invoice amount of more than €1,000 net. Since then, paper invoices and PDF invoices may no longer be sent to public clients of the federal government.

An e-invoice presents invoice content – instead of on paper or in a file format such as PDF – in a structured, machine-readable XML data record. E-invoices enable invoice processing WITHOUT media breaks and are processed completely electronically: secure – digitally traceable!

The advantages for the taxable invoice issuer include: Simplified invoicing, shortened processing times, faster processing and more punctual payment, no paper or postage costs, high error-free data processing due to the specified data format!

There are currently two invoice receipt platforms available for this purpose: the central invoice receipt platform of the federal government (ZRE) and the Online Access Act-compliant invoice receipt platform (OTG-RE). Which platform is to be used will be communicated when the order is placed or can be requested from the client: https://www.e-rechnung-bund.de/rechnungssteller/ 

This regulation requires that all invoices be issued, transmitted and received in a structured data format to enable automatic and electronic processing in accordance with German regulations. In addition, companies must ensure that their e-invoices comply with the standards of Directive 2014/55/EU and that secure and traceable archiving is guaranteed.

The challenges of e-invoicing in Germany

Structured Data Formats

In Germany, the XML data format standard XRechnung must be used. For e-invoices to the federal government, other standards (e.g. ZUGFeRD 2.2.0 profile XRECHNUNG as a purely structured XML file) are also permitted, provided they comply with the European standard EN-16931, the E-RechV of the federal government and the terms of use of the federal government's invoice receipt platforms.

Transmission of e-invoices

The central invoice receipt platform of the federal government (ZRE) and the Online Access Act-compliant invoice receipt platform (OTG-RE) are functionally similar for invoice senders and invoice recipients. The invoice recipient specifies which platform is to be used. Free registration is required on both platforms!

Compliance with Directive 2014/55/EU

The invoices must comply with the standards of Directive 2014/55/EU to ensure that all necessary data fields are included and interoperability is guaranteed. The national specifications for Germany must also be observed!




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Interoperability and Standards

E-invoices must be interoperable, meaning they must be capable of being exchanged and processed between different systems and platforms without compromising the integrity and readability of the data.





Security Requirements

The authenticity and integrity of the origin and content must be guaranteed throughout the invoicing process to protect the data. Each e-invoice is automatically validated on the invoice receipt platform and, after a positive check, made available to the invoice recipient. The recipient can track any status change in the invoicing process.

Invoice Management and Preservation

Companies are obliged to archive e-invoices securely and accessibly for at least 10 years, similar to paper invoices, in order to comply with the legal requirements for the retention of business documents: § 14b of the Value Added Tax Act – Efsta has already implemented this archiving service!

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efsta offers you the solution!

With the expansion of our Efsta EFR-API, you can easily meet all requirements for electronic B2B invoicing in Germany. Our solution ensures full compliance with the legal regulations for e-invoices.

Electronic data format

Support for the legally required XML data format for automated and electronic processing.

Simple transmission

Seamless integration with the ZRE and OTG-RE systems, which simplifies the transmission process.

Easy integration

Ensuring compatibility with various systems and platforms for maximum interoperability.

Invoice Management and Preservation

Secure and legally compliant archiving of invoices, meeting all legal requirements.

Compliance

Ensure that all invoices comply with the standards of Directive 2014/55/EU and contain all necessary data fields.

You can find our complete fiscalization solution for Germany here

The advantages for the taxable invoice issuer include: Simplified invoicing, shortened processing times, faster processing and more punctual payment, no paper or postage costs, high error-free data processing due to the specified data format! There are currently two invoice receipt platforms available for this: the central invoice receipt platform of the federal government (ZRE) and the Online Access Act-compliant invoice receipt platform (OTG-RE). Which platform is to be used is communicated when the order is placed or must be requested from the client.

fiscalization in Germany

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Arrange a personal consultation with our experts now and find out how Efsta can help you meet all requirements!
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