guide

eInvoicing FAQ

eInvoicing replaces emailed PDFs with structured digital invoices that systems can process automatically. Across Europe, governments are introducing mandatory eInvoicing to reduce tax fraud and improve tax reporting.

For finance teams, this means invoices will increasingly need to be sent and received through approved networks and formats. The upside? Less manual work, fewer errors, faster processing, and a more automated Accounts Payable process.

eInvoicing requirements are rolling out across Europe, with each country following its own
timeline.

Key milestones include:

• Germany: Mandatory receipt from January 2025; mandatory issuance from January 2027 for large companies and January 2028 for SMEs
• Belgium: Mandatory for B2B transactions from January 2026
• Poland: KSeF is mandatory for large taxpayers from February 2026
• France: Mandatory receipt for all companies from September 2026; issuance starts in September 2026 for large companies and ETIs, and September 2027 for SMEs
• Spain: B2B mandate planned for 2027

Additional countries are introducing their own requirements as part of the EU’s VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) initiative.

In most countries, eInvoicing requirements focus on B2B transactions.

Some countries also require businesses to report B2C and cross-border transactions electronically. For example, France requires separate eReporting for B2C and international transactions.

Requirements vary by country, so it's important to review the rules for each market where you operate.

Peppol is a secure network that enables businesses to exchange structured electronic documents, including invoices, across Europe and beyond.

Think of it as the infrastructure that allows businesses to send and receive compliant eInvoices automatically. Peppol connects suppliers and buyers through certified access points, ensuring invoices reach the right destination in the correct format.

Some countries, including France, also operate national invoicing platforms alongside or instead of Peppol.

Yes. Payhawk is designed to be your single AP platform for supplier invoices. You can receive, review, and process every invoice in one place, whether it has already been paid (for example, by card) or is still awaiting payment. This gives your team complete visibility and a consistent workflow across all supplier spend.

You can continue receiving invoices by email or upload them directly into Payhawk.

As eInvoicing mandates take effect, suppliers will need to move to compliant invoicing methods. In the meantime, Payhawk supports both structured and traditional invoice flows, making the transition easier for your team.

eInvoicing adds an important layer of protection in countries like France by verifying sender identities through approved networks and national directories.

However, a compliant invoice isn't automatically a legitimate invoice.

That's why approval workflows, segregation of duties, and internal controls remain essential. Payhawk helps you maintain those controls while automating invoice processing.

Each Payhawk entity is registered using its own VAT ID or local tax number (e.g., SIREN in France).

When an invoice arrives, it is automatically routed to the matching entity based on the buyer information in the invoice data. No manual allocation is required.

Payhawk extracts the supplier details from the eInvoice, including the supplier name, Tax ID, country, and bank details.

Your finance team can review the data in Payhawk and add the supplier from there. If your ERP is connected through one of Payhawk’s integrations, the new supplier record syncs back to your ERP automatically.

LoremYes. Some countries, including France, allow businesses to register multiple eInvoicing identifiers for the same legal entity. Each identifier can be connected to a different system, and Payhawk supports this setup.