Starting January 2026, e-invoicing via Peppol will be mandatory for all Belgian companies. Most businesses are currently focused on that aspect: being able to send and receive electronic invoices.
But e-invoicing is really just the beginning. Peppol was never designed as an invoicing network, but as a universal infrastructure for structured business communication between companies. A system that enables companies to communicate directly with each other—software-independent, secure, and fully standardized. And that opens up a much broader world of possibilities.
From E-Invoice to Digital Business Communication
At its core, Peppol is a business communication network: a common language that allows companies to exchange not only invoices but also a wide range of documents—orders, deliveries, order confirmations, catalogues, and credit notes—all in a uniform, structured format.
Those who see Peppol merely as a way to comply with the e-invoicing mandate are missing the real opportunity. The same infrastructure has the potential to automate the entire Procure-to-Pay and Order-to-Cash process.
The Digital Chain: From Order to Payment
The documents that companies currently process manually already exist in Peppol as standardized messages:
| Process Step | Peppol Document | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Order | Order | The buyer places an order for goods or services |
| Order Confirmation | Order Response | The supplier confirms or modifies the order |
| Delivery | Despatch Advice | The supplier reports what is being delivered |
| Invoice | Invoice | The supplier issues an invoice |
| Approval | Invoice Response | The buyer approves or rejects the invoice |
Once these documents are exchanged digitally and in structured formats, companies can set up fully automated workflows:
- Automatic 3-way matching between order, delivery, and invoice
- Approval flows based on amount, supplier, or category
- Real-time visibility into outstanding documents, discrepancies, and processing times
- Automatic notifications for missing deliveries or invoice errors
The result? Less manual follow-up, fewer errors, and a much faster cycle from order to payment.
What This Means for Businesses
Wholesale and manufacturing companies stand to gain the most. They operate on both sides of the chain: purchasing raw materials or products (Procure-to-Pay) and selling them onward (Order-to-Cash).
By using Peppol for both procurement and sales, a seamless flow of data is created across the entire supply chain. Suppliers, customers, and partners literally speak the same digital language.
Wholesalers can send orders via Peppol, track deliveries, and automatically receive and approve invoices. At the same time, they can receive customer orders, send delivery notes, and issue invoices—all through the same network.
This makes Peppol not just a compliance requirement, but a true efficiency engine.
The Role of Recommand
At Recommand, we believe every company—big or small—should be able to connect to this digital network on its own terms. That’s why we’re building an open-source Peppol platform that doesn’t just handle e-invoices, but is ready for the full Peppol potential.
With Recommand, you can:
- Send and receive e-invoices via Peppol
- Exchange orders, deliveries, and confirmations in the same network
- Automatically validate and monitor documents via our dashboard or API
- Integrate with your existing ERP or accounting software
This way, Peppol becomes not just an obligation, but a catalyst for better collaboration between businesses.
Peppol Isn’t an Endpoint. It’s a Starting Point.
The 2026 mandate forces companies to take a first step toward digital collaboration.
But the real value lies in what comes next: a fully automated, error-free, and transparent business administration that connects the entire chain.
That future is available to those who choose to go beyond mere compliance—starting today.
Want to learn how your company can unlock the full potential of Peppol?
Discover Recommand or get in touch with our team for more information.