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Business Central guide

E-Rechnung in Business Central: Germany's e-invoicing mandate

Last updated August 2026. Refreshed as the rules and Business Central features evolve.

Since 1 January 2025, every company in Germany must be able to receive B2B e-invoices, and a plain PDF does not count as an e-invoice. Business Central supports XRechnung, ZUGFeRD and Peppol for Germany through the E-Documents framework and the German localization, with transmission handled by service provider connectors. Issuing becomes mandatory on 1 January 2027 for companies with turnover above EUR 800,000 and on 1 January 2028 for all companies.

The mandate timeline and the accepted formats

The Wachstumschancengesetz phases in the German e-invoicing mandate over several years. Three dates matter, plus the question of which formats legally count as an e-invoice.

  • Since 1 January 2025: Every company must be able to receive B2B e-invoices, regardless of size or turnover.
  • From 1 January 2027: Issuing becomes mandatory for companies with turnover above EUR 800,000, and from 1 January 2028 for all companies.
  • A PDF is not an e-invoice: Only structured formats compliant with EN 16931 qualify, an emailed PDF does not meet the requirement.
  • Accepted formats: XRechnung (pure XML), ZUGFeRD 2.1 or later (a PDF with embedded XML), Peppol BIS 3.0 and other EN 16931 compliant formats.

What Business Central users should do now

For Germany, Business Central supports PEPPOL, XRechnung (UBL) and ZUGFeRD through the E-Documents framework and the localization. Connectivity to the exchange networks runs through service provider connectors such as Avalara, Pagero or Continia. Three steps get you ready.

  • Check your version and localization: Confirm with your partner that your Business Central version and the German localization fully cover the E-Documents framework for your scenarios.
  • Pick a service provider and test receiving: The receiving obligation already applies, so set up a connector and test inbound XRechnung and ZUGFeRD documents end to end.
  • Plan issuing by threshold: From 2027 if your turnover exceeds EUR 800,000, from 2028 for everyone, so prepare master data, formats and processes in time.

What about documents that still arrive as PDFs?

Zentriq is not a compliance connector and not an access point, it complements the structured flow: AI document capture reads the documents that still arrive as PDFs or scans, without templates, straight into Business Central, and invoice matching checks received invoices against purchase orders. Everything stays a draft until a human approves it in BC, nothing is ever posted automatically.

Frequently asked questions

Is a PDF an e-invoice in Germany?

No. An e-invoice is a structured data set compliant with EN 16931, such as XRechnung or ZUGFeRD 2.1 or later. A plain PDF, even sent by email, does not meet the requirements of the Wachstumschancengesetz. ZUGFeRD is the special case: the PDF carries embedded XML, and the XML part is what counts.

What are the deadlines for the German e-invoicing mandate?

Since 1 January 2025 every company must be able to receive B2B e-invoices. Issuing becomes mandatory on 1 January 2027 for companies with turnover above EUR 800,000, and on 1 January 2028 for all companies.

Does Business Central support XRechnung and ZUGFeRD?

Yes. For Germany, Business Central supports PEPPOL, XRechnung (UBL) and ZUGFeRD through the E-Documents framework and the localization. Coverage depends on your release, so confirm with your partner. For transmission you also need a service provider connector, for example from Avalara, Pagero or Continia.

Does Zentriq replace an e-invoicing connector?

No. Zentriq is not a compliance connector, an access point or a transmission platform. It complements Business Central with template-free AI document capture and with invoice matching after receipt. Everything stays a draft until a human approves it in BC, and nothing is ever posted automatically.

Looking beyond Germany? See our Europe-wide e-invoicing overview and our E-Documents guide for the setup in Business Central.

Capture and match documents in Business Central

Zentriq reads documents without templates, creates drafts in Business Central and matches invoices against purchase orders. A human always approves before anything is posted.

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