ZEP supports structured, machine-readable invoice formats based on the ZUGFeRD, XRechnung and Swiss QR standards. Setup requires several steps – from company data through to activation per customer and project. XRechnung and ZUGFeRD are the common electronic invoice (e-invoice) formats.
Available Formats
ZUGFeRD: Hybrid format – the PDF contains an embedded XML file. Recommended for exchange with German and European business customers. Available versions: 1 (outdated), 2.1.1 (outdated), 2.2, 2.3.2 and 2.5.2. Version 2.5.2 is the most recent one and the only one ZEP generates in more than one profile. It is technically equivalent to Factur-X 1.09.2, its French counterpart, and business partners in France know it under that name.
XRechnung: Purely XML-based format, mandatory for invoices to public sector clients in Germany. Available versions: current version (recommended) as well as 2.1 (1 Feb 2022), 2.2 (1 Aug 2022), 2.3.1 (1 Aug 2023) and 3.0.1 (1 Feb 2024). All versions of the 3.0 series carry the same identifier in the document. Under the 3.0.1 entry, ZEP therefore produces the current state of that series, even though the label in the selection stays the same.
Swiss QR Code and Swiss QR+Swico: Swiss standard for electronic payment instructions.
When you change the format, you do not have to open every customer address individually. The Change machine-readable invoice format mass operation in the customer overview sets it for many customers in one pass.
Note: The availability of machine-readable formats depends on your ZEP licence. Contact your ZEP account manager if the options are not displayed.
Step 1 – Enter Company Data
Before machine-readable invoice formats can be used, your company data must be completely maintained. Go to Administration > My Company > Company Data and verify:
Company name, address (street, postcode, city, country)
Phone and email
Commercial register number and court of registration (if applicable)
Management (for the imprint section of the invoice)
For ZUGFeRD and XRechnung: Global ID number (e.g. GLN) and ID type in the seller identification section
Also under Administration > My Company > Bank details: your company's bank details must be stored, as they are included in the invoice.
Step 2 – Activate Format per Customer
The machine-readable format is configured per customer address. Open Customer > [Customer Name] > General > Addresses and select the desired format from the Machine-readable invoice format field.
Warning: Once a machine-readable format has been selected, the invoice address can no longer be freely edited during invoice creation. The change is only applied when all mandatory fields are present at the customer: postcode, city, country code and address line 1.
Note: To set the format for several customers at once, mark the customers concerned in the customer overview and choose Change machine-readable invoice format from the Actions menu. That is the way to go when you switch your customer base to a new version. ZEP then changes only the billing address, or the primary billing address, and customers with an incomplete address are skipped. The procedure is described in Customer overview.
Additional Requirements for ZUGFeRD
The embedded XML file carries details about the invoice recipient that ZEP cannot derive from the invoice text. You maintain two of them at the customer before the first ZUGFeRD invoice is created:
The embedded XML file carries details about the invoice recipient that ZEP cannot derive from the invoice text. You maintain two of them at the customer before the first ZUGFeRD invoice is created:
At the customer under Addresses: enter the ZUGFeRD country code.
Under Customer > [Customer Name] > General > Data > Invoice tab: check the customer's VAT ID.
Warning: Once ZUGFeRD is activated for a customer, invoices to that customer are only permitted in ZUGFeRD format.
Choosing the ZUGFeRD Profile
If you have selected ZUGFeRD 2.5.2 for the customer, the ZUGFeRD profile field appears underneath. The profile determines how much detail the embedded XML file carries. The field does not appear for the older ZUGFeRD versions, which know only one scope.
Basic: the smallest scope, sufficient for simply structured invoices.
EN 16931 (Comfort): the default in ZEP. This profile complies with the European standard EN 16931 and therefore carries the details an e-invoice must provide in Germany.
Extended: the largest scope, it takes additional details such as those needed for cross-border transactions.
Tip: If your invoice recipient does not require a particular profile, keep the default EN 16931 (Comfort).
Note: If you switch your customer base to ZUGFeRD 2.5.2 using the Change machine-readable invoice format mass operation in the customer overview, the same field appears there. You therefore choose the profile for all the customers you marked in one pass.
Additional Requirements for XRechnung
XRechnung is aimed at public sector clients. They assign every invoice-receiving department an identifier of its own, which ZEP cannot derive and therefore expects at the customer:
XRechnung is aimed at public sector clients. They assign every invoice-receiving department an identifier of its own, which ZEP cannot derive and therefore expects at the customer:
Under Customer > [Customer Name] > General > Data > Invoice tab: enter the Buyer reference (BT-10). The buyer reference uniquely identifies the public sector client's invoice recipient department.
Step 3 – XRechnung Fields per Project
Once a machine-readable format is activated for the customer, the XRechnung tab appears in the associated project under Project > [Project Name] > General > Data & Plan. There you can enter optional BT fields at project level:
Project reference (BT-11): The buyer's reference to the project.
Contract reference (BT-12): Identifier of the underlying contract.
Allocation number (BT-17): Reference to the procurement procedure, e.g. for public sector contracts.
Object number (BT-18): Object identifier, e.g. a construction project ID.
Paymentterms (BT-20): Payment terms as free text.
Comment (BT-22): General note text for the invoice.
Step 4 – Check Invoice File Format
Make sure that under Administration > Billing > Settings, the invoice file format selected is compatible with the machine-readable format. PDF/A is required for ZUGFeRD. For XRechnung an additional XML file is generated automatically.
VAT Category for Items Without VAT
An invoice item with 0 % VAT must state in the e-invoice why no tax applies. As soon as you set the tax rate of an invoice item to 0 %, the fields Tax Exemption Reason and VAT category appear for that purpose. The category has three values:
Exempt from tax / zero rate: the service is exempt from VAT or is taxed at zero per cent.
Reverse charge: the recipient owes the tax, which is usual for customers in other EU countries.
Not subject to domestic VAT: the turnover is not subject to German VAT, which is usual for customers outside the EU.
ZEP proposes the category from the Identifier for the country field at the customer: EU gives reverse charge, Drittland gives “not subject to domestic VAT”, anything else gives “exempt from tax / zero rate”. You can change the proposal in every item.
Warning: When the invoice is created, ZEP checks the categories and stops if a rule of the standard is breached. With reverse charge, the VAT ID of the customer and your own VAT ID must both be stored. Items marked not subject to domestic VAT must not share an invoice with other items, and they require an identifier other than a VAT ID: a supplier number at the customer, or at your own company the global ID, the business identification number or the commercial register number.
Note: These checks apply to every ZUGFeRD version and to XRechnung. If the customer address carries no machine-readable format, ZEP produces no e-invoice and therefore does not check the categories.