An overview of the PEPPOL framework.

Pan-European Public Procurement Online (PEPPOL) is an international framework designed to standardize and streamline electronic procurement processes. Primarily used for e-invoicing and e-procurement in both the public and private sectors, PEPPOL offers a network that enables businesses to seamlessly exchange electronic documents, such as invoices and purchase orders, across different systems, countries, and regions.

SOVOS is a PEPPOL-certified service provider and Service Metadata Publisher (SMP), and can offer services of electronic invoice exchange (notice invoice and credit notes) through this interoperability network. Although it is a global network, PEPPOL Authorities can define and impose local requirements.

Some PEPPOL Authorities have a local accreditation process to certify that global players can meet the local requirements. Currently, SOVOS has acquired the following local accreditations:

• Australia (Australian Taxation Office)
• New Zealand (Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment)
• Japan (Digital Agency, Government of Japan)
• Singapore (Infocomm Media Development Authority)
• Malaysia (Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation)

PEPPOL has four main pillars:

Interoperability

PEPPOL ensures that businesses and government entities can communicate and exchange e-documents seamlessly, even if they use different Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems or platforms. This eliminates the need for multiple integration points by providing a common standard.

Compliance

PEPPOL is designed to comply with European regulations and international standards, such as the European e-invoicing standard (EN16931), ensuring that businesses meet legal requirements when exchanging e-documents, especially in the public sector.

Security and Trust

PEPPOL operates through a network of certified Service Providers to facilitate document exchange. This ensures that data is transmitted securely, maintaining confidentiality and authenticity throughout the process.

Standard document formats

PEPPOL Business Interoperability Specifications (BIS) and PEPPOL International Invoice (PINT) are standard document formats used within the PEPPOL network, such as PEPPOL BIS Billing 3.0 for e-invoicing. The specifications ensure that all documents exchanged on the network are structured and standardized, making them understandable by all systems, while also permitting country-specific formats, such as the CIUS XRECHNUNG UBL Germany format.