Peppol
Peppol is a set of specifications and a network for exchanging electronic business documents such as invoices. OpenPeppol AISBL develops and publishes the specifications. Peppol BIS Billing 3.0, the invoice and credit note specification, is a core invoice usage specification (CIUS) of EN 16931. A file that follows those rules is not yet delivered: delivery happens through the Peppol network.
Why this matters when you invoice
Peppol separates the rules for the document from its delivery. A file that follows Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 is still only a file until it is sent through the Peppol network to a receiver that supports it.
Where it appears
Current EHF invoice flows in Norway are exchanged through the Peppol network. Receiving capabilities that participants publish appear in the Peppol Directory, which InvoiceCraftly’s Norway and Finland recipient checks read. Publication in the Directory is voluntary.
Read a received Peppol invoice, then check delivery separately
A business receives an invoice as a Peppol XML file. Opening it in the viewer shows the seller, buyer, lines and totals and runs InvoiceCraftly’s preflight checks. Whether the file passes the official Peppol rules, and whether it reached the right receiver, are separate questions the viewer does not answer.
Common mistakes
- Treating any UBL XML file as a Peppol invoice.
- Assuming a file that passes a preflight check has been delivered.
- Reading a missing Peppol Directory entry as proof that a business cannot receive Peppol invoices.
Open and check Peppol XML
Open a received Peppol invoice to read the invoice details and see which checks ran and which did not.
InvoiceCraftly can display supported Peppol BIS Billing 3 XML in its viewer, but it does not run the official Peppol validation or send invoices through the Peppol network.
Official references
- OpenPeppol — Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 specification source
- OpenPeppol — Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 documentation
- OpenPeppol — Peppol Directory introduction
Sources and terminology reviewed 10 October 2026; the documentation and Directory pages were last opened on 16 August 2026. Next evidence review: 9 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is every UBL invoice a Peppol invoice?
No. Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 adds its own rules to EN 16931, and the file also needs delivery through the Peppol network.
Can I send a Peppol invoice from InvoiceCraftly?
No. InvoiceCraftly can open and check supported Peppol XML files, but it does not send or receive invoices through the Peppol network.
What does the Peppol Directory show?
It shows receiving capabilities that participants publish. Publication is voluntary, so a missing entry does not prove that a business cannot receive Peppol invoices.