Embed E-Invoices Into PDFs
A hybrid format for invoicing that combines human-readable and machine-readable data for automated pipelines and ensures compliance with international e-invoicing standards.
Automate accounting with e-invoices
Programmatic e-invoice creation
E-invoicing is integrated into the PDF-to-PDF/A conversion interface
Output PDF/A-3 with embedded XML data
Support for ZUGFeRD and Factur-X e-invoice format
Automatic invoice type detection
Seamlessly integrate e-invoicing into your document pipeline with our PDF SDK
E-invoicing is a step towards automating your pipeline
PDF/A-3 with XML embedded
Any file type can be attached to the PDF/A-3 format. E-invoicing makes use of this by embedding structured XML data into PDFs for automated processing.
E-invoices combine a human-readable format (PDF) and a machine-processable format (XML). Both formats hold identical information but the XML is what opens up automation. Accounting software and ERP systems can extract the XML and process the data.
E-invoicing in the PDF SDK
The Pdftools SDK integrates e-invoicing through its PDF-to-PDF/A conversion interface and supports ZUGFeRD and Factur-X, which are internationally accepted invoicing standards. The SDK supports multiple versions and profiles. It automatically detects the invoice type and version, ensuring seamless integration into the PDF without requiring manual specification.
What’s the difference between ZUGFeRD and Factur-X?
ZUGFeRD and Factur-X originated in Germany and France, respectively. They’re essentially the same format with the same data structure and only minor naming differences. Factur-X and ZUGFeRD 2.0 (incl. subsequent versions) are fully interoperable. The embedded XML schema called Cross Industry Invoice (CII) is the same and any XML parser can handle both.
Both ZUGFeRD and Factur-X are implementations of the European EN 16931 standard that regulates e-invoice format and are suitable for cross-border invoicing within the EU.
Only the PDF/A-3 format supports e-invoicing
Is e-invoicing here to stay?
Many countries around the world have made e-invoicing mandatory, at least for B2B transactions. And with e-invoicing becoming the EU-wide standard in 2030 for all cross-border B2B transactions, a good number of countries are on the path to making it mandatory.
These changes have been laid out by the European Union in a legislative package called ViDA (VAT in the Digital Age), which aims to modernize the VAT system within the EU. One of ViDA’s pillars is e-invoicing as the default.
