What is an electronic invoice?

An electronic invoice is a structured digital document (for example UBL or XML) that can be automatically processed by accounting systems. A PDF is not considered a true e-invoice.

What is a Peppol Access Point?

A certified service provider that connects businesses to the Peppol network and ensures secure document exchange.

What happens if invoices are not sent via Peppol?

In markets where Peppol is mandatory, invoices sent outside the network may be rejected or considered non-compliant.

Is Peppol only for Europe?

No. While Peppol originated in Europe, it is increasingly used worldwide.

Invoice Grabber - Automate your invoice flow

E-invoicing is rapidly becoming the standard for doing business. Across Europe and beyond, governments and enterprises are moving away from PDFs and paper invoices toward structured electronic invoices. Peppol plays a central role in this shift.

But what exactly is Peppol? How does it work in practice? And what does it mean for your business? This article explains the essentials and how Invoice-Grabber helps you work with Peppol without complexity.

What is Peppol?

Peppol (Pan-European Public Procurement Online) is an international network that enables businesses and public organisations to exchange electronic invoices and other business documents in a secure and standardised way.

Peppol is not a software product. It is a network and set of standards that ensures documents can be sent and received reliably, regardless of the systems used by sender or recipient. Companies connect to Peppol via certified Peppol Access Points, which handle validation, security, and delivery.

Originally designed for public procurement, Peppol is now widely used for B2B and B2G e-invoicing in many countries and continues to expand globally.

How does Peppol work?

Peppol operates using the four-corner model, which ensures interoperability and security across different systems.

The process works as follows:

You create an electronic invoice in Peppol-compatible software, such as Invoice-Grabber
The invoice is sent via your Peppol Access Point
The Peppol network validates and routes the document
The recipient receives the invoice directly in their own software

Both sender and recipient are connected to Peppol through certified access points. Because invoices follow a common structured format, they can be processed automatically without manual intervention.

Using Peppol with Invoice-Grabber

Invoice-Grabber provides direct access to the Peppol network while handling the complexity in the background.

With Invoice-Grabber you can:

Send and receive e-invoices via Peppol
Automatically collect invoices from email, Peppol and other sources
Store all documents in one structured, central location
Prepare your invoicing processes for current and future e-invoicing requirements

No technical setup, no format conversions, and no separate tools required.

Why Peppol matters for your business

Peppol offers clear operational and financial benefits:

Faster invoice processing and payments Invoices arrive in the correct format and are processed automatically.
Lower administrative workload No manual data entry, no paper handling, fewer errors.
Improved security Peppol reduces the risk of invoice fraud and spoofing.
International interoperability Peppol is used across multiple countries and industries, making cross-border invoicing easier.

As more countries introduce mandatory e-invoicing rules, Peppol is increasingly becoming the default infrastructure.

Is Peppol mandatory?

E-invoicing requirements differ by country. In many regions, Peppol is already mandatory for invoicing public authorities, and several countries are extending requirements to business-to-business (B2B) transactions.

Even where Peppol is not yet mandatory, many companies adopt it proactively to simplify operations and ensure future compliance.