If you’re required to issue invoices in the XRechnung (XML) format, you can configure your Productive account to generate compliant XML files.
This guide covers all the necessary settings for enabling XRechnung, including invoice sender and recipient details.
Once everything is in place, you’ll be able to download invoices in the correct format.
1) E-Invoicing Settings
To enable e-invoicing and configure the XRechnung format:
Go to Settings > Invoicing > e-Invoicing.
Select Your Subsidiary: From the list, choose the appropriate subsidiary.
Toggle on the Download & email e-invoices option.
Mandatory Fields for XRechnung
TAX ID
Payment Means: Choose either SEPA Credit Transfer or Credit Transfer.
E-Invoicing Email: Enter the sender’s email address.
E-Invoicing Phone Number: Enter the sender’s phone number. You can input the phone number in either of the following formats: +491701234567 or 00491701234567.
2) Client Company (Invoice Recipient) Settings
To configure your client’s details for XRechnung:
1) Go to CRM > Companies.
2) Select the relevant client company add the following mandatory details:
Full Company Name and Buyer Reference: This unique identifier ensures invoices are sent to the correct recipient. It may also be a reference provided by the client.
📌 The Buyer Reference field is required by the XRechnung specification.
It can be a Leitweg-ID or any other reference provided by the buyer.
📌 Recommended:
Add other details, like the Subsidiary, Tax Rate, Payment Terms, and Invoice Template to automatically pre-fill this information when creating new deals, invoices, and budgets for this client.
Tax ID (optional for client companies): The Tax ID field is treated as the VAT ID (Umsatzsteuer-ID) in the XML file.
The Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer (USt-IdNr) follows the format
DE123456789.
4) Open the company contact details and add the company:
Email: The first "Work" email entered will automatically be included in the XML invoice.
City, ZIP, and Country
3) Subsidiary (Invoice Sender) Settings
You also need to configure your own company’s details:
1) Go to Settings > Company Info > Subsidiary.
2) Enter the following information:
Full Company Name
The Tax ID field is treated as the VAT ID (Umsatzsteuer-ID) in the XML file.
The Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer (USt-IdNr) follows the format
DE123456789.Street, City, ZIP, State, and Country
📌 Note: You can manually adjust these fields when downloading an invoice, but setting defaults here simplifies the process.
4) Bank Account Settings
Bank account information is required in the XML file. Set it up for the correct subsidiary:
1) Go to Settings > Company Info > Bank Accounts.
2) Use the following options to manage bank accounts:
Add a bank account
Edit an existing account
Archive bank accounts
Bank Account Fields
Subsidiary
Name of the Bank Account
Bank Name
Bank Address (optional)
BIC/SWIFT Code (Ensure the BIC/SWIFT field is filled in. It is required for generating and downloading the XRechnung XML file.)
IBAN/Account Number
Currency
📌 Note: If you set up multiple bank accounts for the same subsidiary, the system will use the first created bank account for generating the XML file.
Downloading the XRechnung Invoice
Once all settings have been configured:
You can proceed to download your XRechnung invoice.
For detailed steps, refer to this guide: E-Invoicing: Downloading an Invoice in the XML Format.
Can I Use Both XRechnung and PEPPOL?
Yes. You can enable both options in your e-invoicing settings.
XRechnung allows you to generate, download, and send invoices in the official German XML format. You can upload the file to your client’s invoicing portal or keep it for internal records.
PEPPOL generates invoices in the PEPPOL BIS Billing 3.0 format and delivers them automatically through the PEPPOL network to recipients that accept e-invoices this way.
When finalizing an invoice, you can:
Download the XML for manual submission or archiving
Send the invoice via PEPPOL, if your client supports network-based delivery