For many of the forward-thinking software companies who have already integrated Peppol in their solutions, the job isn’t yet complete. Even though Peppol is essential for compliance with fast-approaching mandates, and brings a host of user benefits, many customers are yet to activate Peppol capabilities. And this is brewing up a storm for everyone when Peppol e-invoicing becomes mandatory on 1 January 2026.
Adopt Peppol to maximize efficiency and compliance
Users who don’t understand what Peppol does, how it benefits them, or maybe don’t even realise it’s available within their solution, have not yet adopted the Peppol-based functionality that’s right at their fingertips.
These customers aren’t just missing out on Peppol-facilitated opportunities to increase efficiency and accuracy, reduce costs and Failure to comply with the upcoming mandate may result in fines and other sanctions from the tax authorities. In addition, invoices issued after 1 January 2026 will only be legally binding if sent as e-invoices. Ignoring the mandate therefore risks non-payments and eliminates the right to take legal action in such cases.
If large volumes of users only wake up to these facts at the last moment, and there’s a sudden rush to familiarise themselves with Peppol capabilities, software company helpdesks could be inundated. Not because Peppol is hard to use or creates problems, but because customers’ unpreparedness may result in compliance issues, operational disruptions and unnecessary stress.
It’s therefore very much in software companies’ interests to encourage customers to start using Peppol capabilities sooner rather than later. Doing this will help avoid helpdesk overload and positively demonstrate your value as a forward-thinking product supplier that doesn’t just sell solutions, but proactively works in customers’ best interests.
Help SMEs simplify workflows with Peppol-first
It’s natural for people to take the path of least resistance. Especially when they’re busy and juggling many tasks at once. Peppol is a game-changer for reducing workload. But, depending on how your software is set up, the path to activating Peppol may not be the most obvious one to follow. This is where software companies can easily make all the difference, by implementing a Peppol-first policy.
To put it simply, Peppol-first means making Peppol the default option for sending and receiving invoices and any other relevant communication, whenever this is possible. This can happen automatically and invisibly, or via an “approve” button that appears whenever Peppol transmission has been identified as possible.
According to UBL.BE, implementing Peppol-first is defined by the following conditions:
- The software or service is compliant with the ability to send invoices via the Peppol network.
- The software or service is compliant with at least one of the below conditions:
- Every time an invoice is sent, the software or service checks automatically if the receiver is registered on the Peppol network. If the receiver is registered, the software or service will send the invoice via the Peppol network. This check overrules any configuration setting related to the preferred channel of the receiver.
- Every time the user of the software or service creates a new receiver, the software or service checks if the receiver is registered on the Peppol network. If the receiver is registered, the software or service sets the configuration setting to use Peppol as the preferred channel for this receiver.
- The software or service has functionality allowing the user periodically or at any moment in time to check if receivers are registered on the Peppol network. For registered receivers, the user has the option to change the configuration so that the software or service will send the invoice via the Peppol network. Changing the configuration should happen in a user-friendly way.
- The service actively facilitates a software house to roll out its Peppol-first strategy.
Additionally, software companies can encourage adoption and ease helpdesk demand by proactively informing their users about what Peppol does with relation to their products. This could be via a combination of direct e-mail, in-product / website FAQs and social media campaigns.
Lead your customers towards accuracy, security and compliance with e-invoicing
Peppol is here to stay and, sooner or later, every business of every size will need to be connected. Compliance obligations aside, Peppol presents many benefits to businesses and the accountants who serve them.
Peppol also brings opportunities for software companies to engage with customers in an advisory role, educating them on both the benefits and necessity of e-invoicing. Helping customers get up to speed now means they’ll start reaping the benefits sooner, while having no compliance worries when January 2026 comes around. And software companies won’t have to worry about overloaded helpdesks.