With finway you can receive, extract and approve e-invoices. Get ready for digital invoice processing with finway.
Our founder Jennifer answers the following questions in the video:
With finway, you can process e-invoices in the XRechnung and ZUGFeRD formats:
finway extracts all the relevant information for you. You can start processing the invoice straight away.
From receipt and collection to verification and approval: finway allows you to process all invoices digitally and automatically, regardless of whether they are XRechnung, ZUGFeRD, paper or PDF invoices.
Has an e-invoice been checked and exported to DATEV or another accounting system? If so, you can use finway to archive the e-invoice (and of course all other invoice formats) in an Revision-proof manner with just one click. finway is GoBD-certified in accordance with IDW PS 880 and enables you to comply with the specific requirements of the German tax authorities for the proper management and storage of digital records and documents in addition to the archiving obligation.
As part of the Growth Opportunities Act, it is mandatory to be able to technically receive and process e-invoices since January 1st, 2025. To date, there has been a statutory transitional period for issuing e-invoices until 2028 the latest. However, in view of the expected high implementation costs on the part of companies, the legislator has provided for a transitional arrangement for the years 2025 to 2027:
Since 1 January 2025, e-invoicing is mandatory for B2B companies in Germany: Invoices over €250 must be able to be received electronically.
Until December 31st 2026, paper invoices may continue to be sent for B2B transactions carried out in 2025 and 2026, just like electronic invoices that do not yet comply with the new format-
Until 31 December 2027, paper invoices may continue to be sent for B2B sales carried out in 2027, just like electronic invoices that do not yet comply with the new format. Please note: The prerequisite for this regulation is that the invoice issuer has a previous year’s turnover (total turnover 2026) of no more than 800,000 euros. Companies whose turnover exceeds this limit can continue to use electronic data interchange (EDI procedure), even if the format of the electronic invoice does not yet comply with the European standard (94/820/EC).
From 1 January 2028 on, it will be mandatory to comply with all e-invoicing requirements.
What advantages does an e-invoice offer?
E-invoices save time and money: no printing or postage costs, faster processing and fewer errors thanks to standardised formats. They also offer transparency in the processing status and enable flexible, location-independent creation.
What does the e-invoicing obligation mean for my company?
From now on, all B2B companies in Germany must be able to receive electronic invoices. This means that invoices must be prepared, processed and archived in the prescribed format. Switching to e-invoices saves time and money and avoids errors.
What e-invoice formats are available?
The most important formats in Germany are:
Further examples include: Peppol BIS (Austria), FatturaPA (Italy), Factur-X (France). All formats comply with the EU standard EN 16931.
What is the difference between X-Invoice and ZUGFeRD?
XRechnung
ZUGFeRD
Why is a PDF invoice not an e-invoice?
Although PDF invoices are static documents, they do not contain any structured, machine-readable data. E-invoices in the XRechnung or ZUGFeRD formats consist of machine-readable data that can be processed automatically by accounting software.
A PDF document can therefore be part of an e-invoice (e.g. as a visual representation), but does not fulfil the requirements on its own if it does not also contain integrated structured data.
What mandatory information should be included in an e-invoice?
The details are similar to those of paper invoices:
How can I check if an e-invoice is correct?
Make sure that you have entered all mandatory information correctly. To check the format yourself, there are already various validation tools available. These are special online or software tools that check whether the format complies with the standards. We prefer to use portinvoice, where you can validate XRechnung and ZUGFeRD formatsfree of charge.
How long do e-invoices have to be stored?
In Germany, e-invoices are subject to the same statutory retention periods as paper invoices. They must be archived for at least 10 years in an unalterable and readable format. You must therefore ensure that the digital documents are protected against loss, changes or unauthorised access during this time. finway provides you with an revision-proof archive with which you can easily comply with this obligation.
What happens if I ignore the e-invoicing obligation?
Ignoring the e-invoicing obligation can have serious consequences:
Switching to e-invoices in good time is crucial to avoid legal and financial risks and to work more efficiently.
How secure are e-invoices?
Thanks to standardised formats and digital transmission, e-invoices offer a high level of security. Here are the most important protection mechanisms:
Give your finance team the tools they deserve.
We will be happy to advise you – free of charge and of course without obligation.
Our experts will guide you through the tool in approx. 30 minutes without obligation and will work out potentials for your company together with you.
