How XRechnung Works
XRechnung defines a strict XML structure based on the European standard EN 16931. It supports two syntaxes:
- UBL 2.1 (Universal Business Language) — Most common, used by Peppol
- UN/CEFACT CII (Cross-Industry Invoice) — Used by ZUGFeRD/Factur-X
German-Specific Rules
XRechnung adds 21 business rules beyond EN 16931, including:
- Leitweg-ID: Required routing identifier for German government invoices
- Payment terms: Specific format requirements
- VAT categories: Mapping to German tax codes
Submission Methods
XRechnung invoices can be submitted via:
- ZRE (Zentrale Rechnungseingangsplattform): Federal government portal
- OZG-RE: State government portals
- Peppol: Via certified Access Point
- Email: To specific submission addresses (varies by authority)
Why XRechnung Matters
B2G: Already Mandatory
Since November 2020, all invoices to German federal authorities must be XRechnung-compliant. Most state governments have similar requirements. Non-compliant invoices may be rejected.
B2B: Coming 2025-2028
Germany's B2B e-invoicing mandate phases in:
- January 2025: All businesses must receive EN 16931 invoices
- January 2027: Businesses >€800K must send e-invoices
- January 2028: All businesses must send e-invoices
XRechnung or ZUGFeRD are both accepted for the B2B mandate.
How to Get Started
Step 1: Check Your Requirements
Are you invoicing government (B2G) or only businesses (B2B)? Government requires XRechnung; B2B can use XRechnung or ZUGFeRD.
Step 2: Get Your Leitweg-ID
For government invoices, you need the recipient's Leitweg-ID routing number. This is usually provided on purchase orders or contracts.
Step 3: Generate or Convert
Use your accounting software's XRechnung export, or convert existing invoices using our generator.
How Invoice Navigator handles XRechnung
Invoice Navigator covers 147 XRechnung CIUS rules, updated to version 3.0.2. The engine auto-remediates 89% of the top 50 German rejection errors — missing Leitweg-IDs, invalid Scheme IDs, wrong date formats. Every fix is revalidated through the same KoSIT engine used by German public authorities.
Browse XRechnung error referenceValidate Your XRechnung Invoice
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What is ZUGFeRD?
ZUGFeRD is a German hybrid e-invoice format that embeds machine-readable XML data inside a human-readable PDF, enabling both automated processing and visual review.
What is Peppol?
Peppol is a secure pan-European network for exchanging standardized electronic business documents, governed by OpenPeppol and connecting over 300,000 organizations across 40+ countries.
Read moreWhat is ZUGFeRD?
ZUGFeRD is a German hybrid e-invoice format that embeds machine-readable XML data inside a human-readable PDF, enabling both automated processing and visual review.
Read moreWhat is EN 16931?
EN 16931 is the European standard defining the semantic data model for electronic invoices, published by CEN and mandated by EU Directive 2014/55/EU.
Read more