Since 2026, B2B invoices between VAT-registered businesses in Belgium travel by default through the Peppol network as structured data. Becoming Peppol-ready therefore changes how an SME sends, receives and checks invoices. Here is how the network works and how to prepare your company step by step. We also list the most common mistakes and explain when outside help pays off.
How the Peppol network works
Peppol connects certified access points. Your software sends the invoice to your access point, which forwards it to your customer's access point and then to their software. Each participant identifies itself with its enterprise number. The invoice travels in UBL format, as machine-readable data, rather than as a PDF attached to an email. A PDF sent by email is therefore no longer enough between businesses.
In practice, your customer no longer retypes anything: the invoice flows straight into their accounting. On your side, you receive pre-filled purchase invoices, with VAT lines and totals already checked. A Peppol-ready process means less data entry, fewer errors and faster payment handling. Your accountant saves time at closing, and disputes over amounts become rarer. Moreover, each document keeps a timestamp and a unique identifier.
Becoming Peppol-ready: the steps for an SME
First, check that your invoicing software supports Peppol, either directly or through a partner. Then register your company with an access point and confirm that it appears in the network directory. Also update the enterprise numbers of your customers and suppliers, because they act as addresses. An incomplete customer record will indeed block sending. Keep this list up to date every time you add a customer. Check as well that your own company details are correct in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises.
Test sending and receiving with a few partners before rolling out. Finally, train the person who handles accounting: they need to follow delivery confirmations and deal with rejections. Also keep in mind that you must store invoices, electronic or paper, for the legal retention period. For detailed rules, consult the information published by the FPS Finance. In addition, plan a procedure for customers who are not yet on the network. These habits keep your company Peppol-ready over time.
Our Peppol-ready article and when to call a specialist
Our article on Peppol and Dokapi presents a Peppol-ready integration: one-click sending from a finalised invoice, automatic receipt as a pre-filled purchase invoice and an admin page to review or replay a document. It also explains the audit trail kept for each exchange and how to activate the service in a few steps. You will also see why the choice of access point matters for data sovereignty and support.
Call on a specialist if your invoicing relies on in-house software, an older ERP or several companies. Espero-Soft makes its invoicing solutions Peppol-ready through Dokapi, a certified access point operated in Belgium. We also help you migrate customer data and test the first exchanges, so that your invoicing never stops during the transition. Peppol then becomes a time saver rather than a constraint.
