Peppol Network Basics

This guide introduces the fundamental concepts of the Peppol network and its role in electronic document exchange.

What is Peppol?

Peppol (Pan-European Public Procurement Online) is a standardized network that enables organizations to exchange electronic business documents across borders. Originally developed for European public procurement, it has expanded globally to facilitate e-invoicing and other business document exchanges between organizations of all types.

Key characteristics of Peppol:

Open network: Any organization can join through an accredited service provider
Standardized: Common document formats and transmission protocols
Interoperable: Connect once, reach all network participants
Secure: Trusted and authenticated document delivery
Global: Used across Europe, Asia, and beyond

Peppol Network Structure

Peppol operates as a "4-corner model" for document transmission:

Peppol 4-corner model

Corner 1: Sender
Corner 2: Sender's Access Point
Corner 3: Recipient's Access Point
Corner 4: Recipient

This structure allows any participant to exchange documents with any other participant through their respective service providers without bilateral agreements.

Key Components

1. Peppol IDs

Every participant in the Peppol network is identified by a unique Peppol ID, typically structured as:

[Identifier Scheme]:[Identifier Value]

Common electronic address schemes can be found here. In Belgium, "0208" (Belgian Enterprise Number) is often used.

The identifier is often the company's national identifier, such as a VAT number or enterprise number.

2. Access Points

Access Points are service providers (like Recommand) that connect organizations to the Peppol network. They handle:

Document validation
Protocol conversion
Secure transmission
Digital signatures

3. SML and SMP

SML (Service Metadata Locator): Central directory that helps locate the right SMP server
SMP (Service Metadata Publisher): Contains information about recipients' capabilities and how to route documents to them

Aside from being an access point service provider, Recommand also acts as an SMP.

Document Exchange Process

Addressing: Documents are addressed using the recipient's Peppol ID
Discovery:
- The sender's Access Point queries the SML to find the recipient's SMP
- The SMP provides details about what document types the recipient can receive
Validation: Documents are validated against Peppol standards
Transmission: Documents are securely transmitted between Access Points
Delivery: The recipient's Access Point delivers the document to the recipient

Benefits of Using Peppol

Reduced costs: Eliminate paper-based processes
Faster processing: Near real-time document delivery
Increased accuracy: Standardized formats reduce errors
Regulatory compliance: Meet legal requirements for e-invoicing
Simplified supplier onboarding: One connection to reach many trading partners
International reach: Seamlessly exchange documents across borders

Peppol in Practice

Verification

Before sending a document, you can verify if the recipient is registered in the Peppol network using the verify endpoint:

// Check if recipient exists in Peppol network
const response = await fetch("https://peppol.recommand.eu/api/peppol/verify", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    Authorization:
      "Basic " + Buffer.from("key_xxx:secret_xxx").toString("base64"),
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    peppolAddress: "0208:987654321",
  }),
});

javascript

Document Types Support

You can also check if a recipient supports specific document types using the verifyDocumentSupport endpoint:

// Check document type support
const response = await fetch(
  "https://peppol.recommand.eu/api/peppol/verifyDocumentSupport",
  {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      Authorization:
        "Basic " + Buffer.from("key_xxx:secret_xxx").toString("base64"),
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      peppolAddress: "0208:987654321",
      documentType:
        "urn:oasis:names:specification:ubl:schema:xsd:Invoice-2::Invoice##urn:cen.eu:en16931:2017#compliant#urn:fdc:peppol.eu:2017:poacc:billing:3.0::2.1",
    }),
  }
);