E-invoices: terms explained
E-invoice is the umbrella term for invoices with structured, machine-readable data. An ordinary PDF or scan alone is not a structured e-invoice.
ZUGFeRD / Factur-X
A PDF with embedded invoice data in XML. ZUGFeRD and Factur-X are the German and French names for the jointly developed hybrid format. Their current releases are technically identical.
Check a PDF invoiceXRechnung
A German invoice standard based on EN 16931, particularly for public-sector customers. The invoice is transmitted as XML in UBL or CII. Not every invoice XML is an XRechnung.
Validate XML & create Factur-X PDF- XML · UBL · CII
- XML is the technical data format. UBL and CII are two different XML structures for invoice data, not languages such as German or English. ZUGFeRD / Factur-X uses CII.
- EN 16931
- The European standard defines the core data and business rules of an e-invoice. It is neither a file extension nor a program.
- Profile
- A profile defines the data scope and additional rules. EN 16931-compliant CII is not automatically XRechnung, which has further requirements. Recipients may require a specific profile.
Technically valid ≠ factually correct
Technical validation checks the format and rules. PDF/XML comparison checks whether visible and embedded values agree. A preview generated from XML is not an independent comparison source. The invoice still needs a factual review.
How Canary checks