Activate X-invoice / E-invoice for Germany

E-invoicing simplifies the invoicing process, saves costs and time, and is increasingly becoming mandatory in the B2B sector. https://www.e-rechnung-bund.de/e-rechnung/merksatze-zur-erechnung/

Activation of the e-invoice / X-invoice in your LDB

To activate the e-invoice in ZUGFeRD format, go to your system settings in the Invoice area. Activate the e-invoice there and add your company data.

Then please go through your customer list once and complete the newly appeared field Country code

If you now send an invoice from your LDB, there is an embedded attachment in the PDF, an XML file that maps the X invoice format. You can display this in a PDF viewer.

Important, related Master Data Fields

On Customer Level

VAT ID
customers.DDF_UID
Mandatory for invoicing foreign customers.
Mandatory for domestic invoices (AT) exceeding €10,000.

Buyer Reference
customers.DDF_Buyer_Reference
Used for field BT-10 in e-invoices.
Mandatory for invoicing public authorities.

Vendor number/Seller ID
customers.DDF_Seller_ID
Used for field BT-29 for e-invoices.

Email address of the buyer/recipient
customers. DDF_Buyer_Electronic_Address
Used for field BT-49 for e-invoices.
If this field does not exist, customers.email is used.

On Invoice Level

Order Number
invoices.DDF_Order_Reference
Used for field BT-14 in e-invoices.
Mandatory for invoicing public authorities.

Buyer's Order Number
invoices.DDF_Buyer_Order_Reference
Used for field BT-13 in e-invoices.

Service Period From
invoicesDDF_Billing_Period_Start
Used for field BT-73 for e-invoices.

Service Period To
invoicesDDF_Billing_Period_End
Used for field BT-74 for e-invoices.

Delivery time
invoices.DDF_Delivery_Time
Used for field BT-72 for e-invoices.

Note

There are two permitted formats for e-invoices:

  • Universal Business Language (UBL)
  • UN/CEFACT Cross Industry Invoice (CII)

We support the CII format, but not the UBL format.

Last change: 12/22/25

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