Create compliant XRechnung and ZUGFeRD e-invoices in PayFlowAI
EU Compliant e-invoicing

Create compliant e-invoices in seconds.

E-invoicing is being rolled out across the EU for B2B transactions, one country at a time. PayFlowAI helps freelancers and small businesses to draft EU-compliant e-invoices in the validated formats, without any of the usual complexity.

Validated to EN 16931
Start free trial See how it works

Built in the EU GDPR-native 7-day free trial

The core idea

A PDF is not an e-invoice

This one distinction is what the whole transition is about. It is simpler than it sounds.

Comparison of a PDF invoice and an e-invoice On the left, today's PDF invoice is a picture that a person must retype and is being phased out by law. On the right, an e-invoice is labelled data that software reads automatically and is becoming mandatory country by country. TODAY · PDF INVOICE A picture for humans INVOICE #2026-014 Consulting · 10 days 1,000.00 VAT 20% 200.00 TOTAL 1,200.00 A person retypes every field Slow, and easy to get wrong Being phased out by law ≠ THE E-INVOICE Labelled data for software seller_vat ATU12345678 net 1000.00 vat_20 200.00 total 1200.00 due 2026-07-10 Software reads it instantly No retyping, no errors Mandatory, country by country

A PDF is a picture of an invoice, made for a person to read. An e-invoice is the same information as labelled data that software can read on its own, the seller's VAT ID, the net amount, the tax, the due date. The new rules require the second kind, which is why simply emailing a PDF will not be enough.

The timeline

When does it become mandatory?

There is no single EU switch-on date. Each country sets its own timeline, leading up to EU-wide rules for cross-border trade in 2030.

DE
Germany
–

Every business has had to be able to receive e-invoices since January 2025. The duty to send them phases in from 2027 to 2028, depending on company size.

Receiving already in force
BE
Belgium

Structured e-invoicing for domestic B2B transactions became mandatory from January 2026, making Belgium one of the first movers.

In force
FR
France
–

All businesses must be able to receive e-invoices from September 2026, with sending obligations phasing in for smaller businesses through 2027.

Rolling out
PL
Poland

The national KSeF e-invoicing system becomes mandatory for businesses during 2026, phased in by company size.

Rolling out
AT
Austria

E-invoicing to the federal government is already required. A broader B2B mandate is expected within the ViDA window, voluntary today, but worth preparing for now.

Voluntary today
EU
EU-wide · ViDA

Structured e-invoicing and digital reporting become the standard for cross-border B2B trade between EU member states from July 2030.

The horizon

,

Am I affected?

Find yourself below

Short, plain answers for the people who ask us most often.

Yes, to receive

Freelancer in Austria with German clients

If you invoice German businesses, they may already expect to send and receive e-invoices. You should be able to accept one today, and be ready to issue one as Austria moves.

Yes, being exempt doesn't exempt you

Kleinunternehmer (VAT-exempt)

Not charging VAT does not exempt you from the format rules. In Germany, even small businesses must be able to receive e-invoices, the exemption is about VAT, not about the file format.

Yes, sooner than you'd think

Small GmbH or limited company

Registered companies are first in line for sending obligations. Depending on turnover and country, your duty to issue e-invoices may begin in 2027, plan for it now, not later.

Yes, cross-border is the 2030 target

Agency invoicing clients abroad

If you bill clients in other EU countries, the ViDA cross-border rules from 2030 are aimed squarely at you. Each client's home country may also have its own earlier deadline.

Know someone who hasn't heard about this yet?

How PayFlowAI helps

Compliant e-invoicing, built into your workflow

From plain English descriptions to validated e-invoice files, PayFlowAI takes care of the standard processes, so you don't have to.

Natural Language Invoice Creation

Describe what you want in plain English, 'invoice Acme for three days of consulting', and PayFlowAI drafts a complete, structured e-invoice in seconds.

XRechnung & ZUGFeRD, validated to EN 16931

Every e-invoice is built to the EN 16931 European standard, as XRechnung (XML) or ZUGFeRD (a hybrid PDF with the data embedded), and validated before you send, so it is accepted the first time.

Peppol BIS 3.0

Send e-invoices across the European Peppol network, the pan-European standard for cross-border B2B and B2G trade. PayFlowAI registers and routes automatically.

ebInterface (AT B2G)

Invoicing Austrian public-sector clients? ebInterface is the required format for Austrian government buyers. PayFlowAI generates it automatically for Austrian B2G.

The right format, automatically

PayFlowAI picks the format each client needs, XRechnung with Leitweg-ID routing for German public-sector buyers, ZUGFeRD for EU businesses, a plain PDF for everyone else. Override it per client or per invoice whenever you like.

Download-ready files

Pull the ZUGFeRD PDF or the XRechnung XML straight from any invoice, the moment a buyer, portal, or accountant asks for it.

Corrections done right

Finalized invoices are locked and numbered in a gapless series. Need to fix one? PayFlowAI issues a proper credit note (Stornorechnung), no editing history, no compliance gaps.

Built in the EU, GDPR-native

Every finalized invoice is archived write-once (PDF + XML, hashed) for your records. Built by an Austrian company, with EU data residency and privacy designed in from the start.

PayFlowAI does more than e-invoicing, online payments, automated reminders, and multi-currency tracking help you get paid faster, too. See features →

Part of the payment lifecycle

Every invoice PayFlowAI generates is ready for the future of European e-invoicing.

Compliance isn't a separate step here. It's built into the same flow that creates your invoices, tracks payments, sends reminders, and forecasts your cash, so getting paid and staying compliant happen together.

See how the payment lifecycle works

FAQ

The questions everyone asks

Straight answers, no jargon, and where a term is unavoidable, it is explained in the same breath.

Is a PDF invoice sent by email an e-invoice?
No, and this is the misconception the whole transition exists to correct. A PDF is a picture made for a human to read. A true e-invoice is structured data that software reads automatically, in a format like XRechnung or ZUGFeRD. Emailing a PDF will not meet the e-invoicing obligation.
What is the difference between a PDF and an e-invoice?
A PDF is built for the eye: a layout that only makes sense once a person looks at it. An e-invoice is built for software: every value, the seller's VAT ID, the net amount, the tax rate, the due date, is a labelled field another system can import without anyone retyping it. The law increasingly requires the second kind.
When does the e-invoicing obligation begin?
It depends on your country. Germany has required every business to be able to receive e-invoices since January 2025, with sending obligations phasing in from 2027 to 2028 by size. Belgium's B2B mandate began in 2026, France and Poland are rolling out in 2026 and beyond, and EU-wide cross-border rules apply from July 2030 under ViDA.
Does the obligation apply to Kleinunternehmer and small businesses?
In most cases yes, at least for receiving. In Germany the duty to receive e-invoices applies to all businesses, including small businesses and Kleinunternehmer under the §19 VAT scheme. Being exempt from charging VAT does not exempt you from the format rules. Sending timelines are more generous for smaller businesses, but you should be able to receive an e-invoice today.
What is ViDA?
ViDA stands for VAT in the Digital Age, a package of EU reforms that modernises how VAT is reported. One of its core pillars makes structured e-invoicing and near-real-time digital reporting the standard for intra-EU B2B trade, with the cross-border rules applying from July 2030. Many member states are already moving ahead with their own national mandates.
What is XRechnung?
XRechnung is the German structured e-invoice format built on the European standard EN 16931. It is pure data (XML) that software reads automatically, and it is the format public-sector buyers require. PayFlowAI generates and validates XRechnung for you.
What is ZUGFeRD (Factur-X)?
ZUGFeRD, known as Factur-X in France, is a hybrid e-invoice: an ordinary PDF a person can read, with the structured EN 16931 data embedded invisibly inside it. Your client sees a familiar invoice while their software still gets machine-readable data. It is PayFlowAI's default send format for EU business customers.
Which e-invoice format does PayFlowAI use?
PayFlowAI chooses automatically based on the client. German public-sector buyers get XRechnung with the required Leitweg-ID routing, EU business customers get ZUGFeRD, and non-EU clients get a plain PDF. You can override the format per client or per invoice at any time.
Does PayFlowAI already create compliant e-invoices?
Yes. PayFlowAI generates both XRechnung (XML) and ZUGFeRD (a hybrid PDF with embedded data) to the EN 16931 European standard, and validates every file before you send. Describe the invoice in plain English and PayFlowAI builds and validates the structured file for you.

Get started

Start sending compliant e-invoices today

Create your first compliant e-invoice in minutes. Describe it in plain English, let PayFlowAI pick the right format, build and validate the file, and send it with confidence.

Start free trial See pricing
  • ✓ XRechnung & ZUGFeRD, validated to EN 16931
  • ✓ Built in the EU, GDPR-native
  • ✓ 7-day free trial, no charge until it ends

Questions about e-invoicing for your business? Talk to our team