Receive, process and archive e-invoices automatically

Yes, since 1 January 2025 the receiving obligation has applied to all domestic companies, regardless of size or turnover. Small businesses, freelancers and landlords who have opted to charge VAT are also affected as soon as they receive invoices from business partners who send in the B2B sector. Small businesses themselves must be able to receive, but may still issue their own invoices on paper or as another invoice in a different electronic format. A receiving-capable infrastructure is therefore relevant for every company, even if it does not have to issue any e-invoices itself.

A plain PDF invoice or a paper invoice does not count as an e-invoice within the meaning of the legal obligation. An e-invoice must contain structured data that can be processed automatically. Plain PDF files without embedded XML content do not meet this requirement. Paper invoices are still permitted when sending until the end of 2026, but only with the recipient's consent. For receiving, the relevant formats are ZUGFeRD and XRechnung.

GetMyInvoices processes all common e-invoice formats. XRechnung in versions 1.x, 2.x and 3.x, as well as ZUGFeRD from version 2.0.1 in the BASIC, EN 16931 and EXTENDED profiles, count as compliant with the law. The ZUGFeRD profiles MINIMUM and BASIC-WL can also be read by GetMyInvoices, but as the sole invoice format they do not count as an e-invoice compliant with the law.

If you are technically unable to receive an e-invoice addressed to you, you risk delays in input tax deduction and conflicts with suppliers who want to meet their obligation. In such cases, the invoice sender may assume that the invoice has been received. A lack of receiving capability is not a reason to reject the invoice. An automated receiving solution such as GetMyInvoices reliably closes this gap.

For VAT purposes, a retention period of eight years has applied since the Fourth Bureaucracy Relief Act (§ 14b UStG). Longer periods may apply for other purposes, for example under the Fiscal Code or commercial law. It is important that the structured part of the e-invoice, that is the XML, is preserved unchanged in its original format. GetMyInvoices automatically archives incoming e-invoices GoBD-compliantly in a German data centre, including versioning and complete logging.

Yes, recurring invoices, credit notes, cancellation invoices and invoice corrections also fall under the e-invoicing obligation, provided they concern domestic B2B transactions. For ongoing continuing obligations, it is often sufficient to create a compliant e-invoice once that applies for the agreed period. GetMyInvoices treats incoming documents of this kind like regular e-invoices and assigns them to the relevant transaction.

An e-invoice must contain all the mandatory details of a regular invoice under § 14 UStG, supplemented by structured data fields in accordance with EN 16931. All VAT-relevant mandatory details must be contained in the structured part of the e-invoice; a reference to an unstructured attachment is not sufficient. These include the full name and address of the supplier and recipient, the tax number or VAT identification number, the invoice date, a sequential invoice number, a description of the goods or services, quantities, unit prices, tax rates and the total amount. GetMyInvoices automatically checks incoming invoices for completeness and flags missing mandatory details.

Yes, GetMyInvoices receives e-invoices from the Peppol network and moves them into the same workflow as invoices from email mailboxes or online portals. Peppol is the delivery route, not the format.

GetMyInvoices is operated in a German data centre and is GoBD-compliant. All data is transmitted and stored in encrypted form. Access is logged and traceable, and the archiving meets the requirements for audit-proof storage. As a member of the Verband elektronische Rechnung (VeR), GetMyInvoices is involved in the standardisation work on e-invoicing in Germany.