PERIFACT Invoice Software | Windows

PEPPOL

Please note: this is for the Belgian market. PEPPOL in PERIFACT is intended for entrepreneurs who invoice in Belgium. If you operate from the Netherlands, you do not need this function for the time being.

Sending invoices without email and without retyping

PEPPOL is a secure network that allows you to deliver your invoice directly into your customer's accounting system. No PDF as an attachment, no mailbox where it gets lost among the junk mail, and on the other end, no one manually retyping amounts.

In PERIFACT, PEPPOL is simply listed alongside Email, Printing, and PDF. You create your invoice as you are used to and choose PEPPOL when sending.

WITHOUT PEPPOL

PDF by email

You make a PDF, email it, and hope it gets seen. On the other end, someone copies the data into the accounting software. Twice the work, and every manual entry is a chance for a typo.

WITH PEPPOL

Directly into the system

You click on PEPPOL. The invoice is sent encrypted across the network and arrives as a file that your customer's software reads in immediately. No one needs to re-enter anything.

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What is PEPPOL exactly?

PEPPOL is an international agreement on what an electronic invoice looks like and how it is securely transmitted from one business to another. Think of it as a postal network for computers: every connected business has its own address, and what you send only goes between parties that have been pre-verified.

What goes over that network is not a PDF, but a structured file. The invoice number, amounts, and VAT are in a fixed location within it, so your customer's accounting department can extract them without intervention. If you still want to include a readable PDF, you can: you turn that on at Settings, Basis, PEPPOL tab.

Why PEPPOL is currently trending in Belgium

Since January 1, 2026, Belgian VAT-registered businesses are required to exchange structured electronic invoices among themselves. A PDF via email no longer qualifies as an electronic invoice. The PEPPOL network is the designated path for this.

In short: if you invoice Belgian companies, your invoice must be able to go that digital route. With PEPPOL in PERIFACT, that is taken care of.

Just to be clear: There are exceptions, for example for invoices to private individuals and for certain exempt entrepreneurs. If you are unsure whether the obligation applies in your situation, consult your accountant. No rights can be derived from this information.

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What's in it for you?

  • ✅ It ends up where it belongs. Not in a mailbox, but in the administration itself. That saves the discussion of whether the invoice was actually sent.
  • ✅ No typing errors. The amounts come in just as you entered them.
  • ✅ Safe on the road. The traffic is encrypted and only goes between registered, controlled parties.
  • ✅ Possibly paid faster. An invoice that is processed the same day can also be included in a payment run earlier.
  • ✅ Set up once. After that, it is simply a button next to Email, Print, and PDF.

Who is it intended for?

For Belgian entrepreneurs invoicing to:

  • other VAT-liable companies in Belgium;
  • government institutions, such as municipalities, provinces, and hospitals;
  • large clients that mandate PEPPOL.

Whether you are self-employed or have a larger company, the path to the network is the same.

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How to enable PEPPOL

You only go through this once. After that, you don't need to worry about it anymore.

STEP 1

Create a free account at PEPPYRUS

PEPPYRUS is the service provider that gives you access to the network. Registering on peppyrus.be is free of charge.

STEP 2

Complete the verification

PEPPYRUS verifies your company and identity information. This is done entirely through them, outside of PERIFACT.

STEP 3

Get your digital key

Upon approval, you will receive a personal API key. That key connects PERIFACT to the network. Keep it secure and do not share it.

STEP 4

Paste the key in PERIFACT

Go to Main Menu, Settings, PEPPOL and enter the key. From that moment on, PEPPOL will be available as a sending option for every invoice.

The complete step-by-step guide with screenshots is on the help page about PEPPOL.

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How much does it cost?

Nothing extra. PEPPOL is included in PERIFACT: no additional cost, no separate module, and no fee per sent invoice. You also create the PEPPYRUS account required for it for free.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does my customer also need to be connected to PEPPOL?

Yes. The recipient must have an address on the network, otherwise the invoice cannot be delivered. Due to the Belgian mandate, more and more companies are joining, but do not assume this blindly: when in doubt, just check with your customer. If delivery fails, you will see that invoice in PERIFACT in the FAILED folder.

How do I know if my invoice has arrived?

After sending, PERIFACT reports that the invoice has been submitted to the network. You can see the current status in the PEPPOL main menu using the REFRESH button. If the invoice is in the SENT folder, it has been sent. If it ends up in FAILED, something went wrong. This can sometimes happen shortly after one another, so if in doubt, check again later.

Will my customer still see a regular PDF?

Only if you want to. The network works with a structured XML file; the PDF is purely for visual purposes. Starting from PERIFACT V22.8, you can have the PDF included via Settings, General, PEPPOL tab.

What actually is that XML file?

An invoice in a fixed, international format that computers can read directly. Not meant for viewing yourself, but for error-free processing. On the help page There is an example.

Enable PEPPOL in PERIFACT

You set it up once, and after that it is a button with every invoice. The step-by-step guide with screenshots is ready. If you can't figure it out, we are happy to help you further.

View the step-by-step plan