Peppol is an abbreviation for Pan European Public Procurement Online. It is a set of standards and specifications for electronic procurement used by public sector organizations and their suppliers in Europe, providing a standardized framework for exchanging electronic documents.

Peppol is used as an open network to enable secure and standardized electronic communication between businesses across Europe. It provides a platform for businesses to exchange electronic documents, including invoices, purchase orders, and other business documents.

Peppol is not currently mandatory in Australia, but it is widely adopted by businesses and government entities in the country as a way to streamline their procurement processes and improve efficiency.

The Australian government has mandated the use of e-invoicing for all Commonwealth agencies by the end of 2022. Peppol Australia is an approved e-invoicing framework and the OASIS UBL 2.1 standard.

Many Australian businesses, particularly those that supply goods and services to the government. They are also adopting Peppol to align with the government’s e-invoicing mandate and to improve their invoicing processes.

A Peppol invoice is an electronic invoice that conforms to the Peppol standard for e-invoicing. It is an XML-based document that follows the Peppol BIS (Business Interoperability Specification) format and is transmitted using the Peppol network.

The Peppol invoice contains all the necessary information required for billing, such as the name and address of the buyer and seller, the date of the invoice, the itemized list of goods or services, and the total amount due.

The Peppol service provides a secure and interoperable platform for businesses to exchange electronic documents such as invoices, purchase orders, and delivery notes.

The Peppol service operates on a set of technical specifications, including data format and transmission protocols, that ensure seamless communication between different software systems. Using the Peppol service, businesses can automate their invoicing and other document exchange processes, saving time and reducing errors.

It also includes a peppol directory of certified service providers that offer Peppol access points and related services to businesses.

Peppol integration refers to the process of integrating Peppol’s standardized and secure electronic communication network into existing business software or systems. This enables businesses to exchange electronic documents such as invoices, purchase orders, and other business-related documents using the Peppol network.

Peppol is currently used by over 34 countries worldwide, primarily in Europe but also in other parts of the world, such as Australia, Singapore, and Canada. Some countries that have adopted Peppol include Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Peppol continues to expand its reach globally, with more countries expected to join in the near future.

The Peppol Interoperability Framework is a set of rules and guidelines that define how different Peppol Access Points should communicate with each other to exchange electronic documents, ensuring that documents are exchanged in a standardized and interoperable manner. It covers technical specifications, messaging standards, security requirements, and other aspects of the Peppol infrastructure to ensure seamless and secure document exchange across different systems and countries.

Peppol Authority is the governing body responsible for managing and promoting the Peppol framework, ensuring compliance with its standards and guidelines.

The Peppol Authority is the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) in Australia. The ATO is responsible for managing the Peppol network in Australia, certifying and accrediting Access Point providers, and ensuring compliance with the Peppol Interoperability Framework. The ATO also provides guidance and support to organizations looking to implement the Peppol infrastructure in Australia.

Peppol uses a four-corner model for exchanging electronic documents, where the sender and receiver each have their own Access Point, enabling secure and standardized document exchange between different organizations.

A Certified Peppol Access Point is a service provider that has been certified by the Peppol Authority to connect to the Peppol network and exchange electronic documents with other participants in a secure and standardized manner. To become certified, an Access Point provider must meet the technical and security requirements set out in the Peppol Interoperability Framework, undergo testing and validation by an accredited third-party provider, and obtain accreditation from the Peppol Authority. Using a Certified Peppol Access Point ensures that electronic documents are exchanged in compliance with the Peppol standards and guidelines and that the exchange process is secure and reliable.

The invoice format exchanged in the Peppol network is the Universal Business Language (UBL) format, which is an open, royalty-free standard for exchanging electronic business documents. UBL is a flexible and extensible format that can accommodate different types of invoices and is widely used in e-procurement and e-invoicing systems. Electronic invoices can be exchanged seamlessly between different systems and countries using a standardized format like UBL, reducing the need for manual processing and enabling faster and more efficient payment processing.

E-Invoicing Ready+ software refers to software products that have been certified by the Digital Business Council (DBC) in Australia as compliant with the Peppol Interoperability Framework and capable of sending and receiving electronic invoices through the Peppol network. These software products have undergone rigorous testing and validation to ensure that they meet the technical and security requirements for exchanging electronic invoices using the Peppol infrastructure. Using e-Invoicing Ready+ software can help organizations in Australia adopt e-invoicing and benefit from its efficiencies and cost savings.

The best practice information fields for e-Invoicing Ready+ software in Australia include:

1. Sender and recipient identification
2. Invoice date
3. Invoice number
4. Description of goods or services provided
5. Quantity and unit of measure
6. Price per unit
7. Total amount
8. Tax information (e.g., GST)
9. Payment terms
10. Currency
11. Delivery Information (if applicable)

Including these information fields in electronic invoices sent through the Peppol network ensures that invoices are compliant with the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) requirements for tax reporting and payment processing.

Taxilla provides a cloud-based platform that enables businesses to connect to the Peppol network and exchange electronic invoices with their customers and suppliers. Taxilla’s platform includes features such as invoice creation, delivery tracking, and automated payment processing, making it easy for businesses to adopt e-invoicing and benefit from the efficiencies it offers.

Service Metadata Publisher (SMP) is a component of the Peppol infrastructure that publishes and manages the digital certificates used by Access Points to authenticate and secure the exchange of electronic documents.

Service Metadata Locator (SML) is a directory service that enables Access Points to locate the correct SMP for their trading partners and exchange electronic documents securely and reliably.

The three phases of the invoice process in Australia are the pre-invoice phase, invoice issuance phase, and payment and follow-up phase.

BIS 3.0 is the latest version of the Business Interoperability Specifications (BIS) developed by the Peppol community. BIS 3.0 defines the technical and semantic requirements for exchanging electronic documents, including invoices, through the Peppol network.

E-invoice to cash refers to the electronic invoice process that enables the faster and more efficient collection of payment for goods and services rendered. It involves sending the invoice electronically to the buyer, who can then pay through various electronic payment methods, resulting in faster receipt of payment.

E-invoice to pay is an electronic invoicing process allowing businesses to automate invoice processing and payment operations. It involves sending electronic invoices to customers and receiving electronic payments from them, resulting in faster and more efficient payment processing.

E-invoice archival refers to the process of storing electronic invoices securely and in compliance with legal requirements. It involves preserving invoices in their original format for a specified period, making them easily accessible for auditing purposes, and ensuring their integrity and authenticity.

PEPPOL (Pan-European Public Procurement Online) is a secure network infrastructure that enables businesses to exchange electronic documents with government agencies and other businesses across Europe. It is an open, standards-based network that provides a single point of access for electronic procurement and invoicing transactions. Anyone can use PEPPOL, including businesses, government agencies, and service providers.