Introduction
XRechnung is Germany’s official standard for electronic invoices in public procurement (called E-Rechnungen), though it is also used for B2B transactions. It’s part of the implementation of the EU directive2014/55/EU, which requires all contracting authorities in the EU to accept electronic invoices in a structured XML file. It can be implemented using two different syntaxes, CII and UBL. They both contain the same information, but have different field names.
When referring to syntaxes, it is important to note that X-Rechnung and ZUGFeRD (and Factur-X) are all semantic data models. What this means is that they define the data that must be present in the invoice, but not the actual format of the data or the explicit name of the fields.To implement the semantic models, there are two syntaxes approved by the EU: UN/CEFACT Cross Industry Invoice (CII) and OpenOasis Universal Business Language (UBL).
Prerequisites
To convert invoices to XRechnung format, ensure you have:- A valid API key and a basic understanding of the workflow engine and API.
- An invoice with:
- Supplier details (company name and required identities). Check the German regimes for specifics.
- Line items with name, price, and applicable taxes.
XRechnung Setup
To issue XRechnung invoices, follow these instructions in the Invopop Console:1
Connect the OASIS UBL app
- Navigate to Configuration → Apps.
- Locate OASIS UBL in the app discovery list.
- Click Connect to activate.
2
Configure invoice workflow
Running
In your invoice data, make sure to include the XRechnung addon and state the regime as
DE.EN 16931-1.
Some example invoices are provided below, along with an example workflow to send the invoices to. We also recommend using the GOBL Builder to create your own invoices.
Be sure to set the regime field to DE in your invoices and the XRechnung addon. This will add extra validations to ensure the document is compliant with the standard.
Sample Invoices
XRechnung B2B Invoice
XRechnung B2B Invoice
XRechnung B2B Invoice
FAQ
Which XRechnung syntax should I choose, UBL or CII?
Which XRechnung syntax should I choose, UBL or CII?
Both syntaxes are equally valid and contain the same information, so in the majority of cases the choice has no consequences.If you plan on sending invoices through the PEPPOL network, we recommend using UBL as it is the supported format. If you plan on also issuing invoices in ZUGFeRD or Factur-X, it might be more convenient to use CII, as it is the syntax also supported by ZUGFeRD and Factur-X.