E-procurement via Peppol brings the complete purchase-to-pay chain into one structured, secure network. Instead of separate systems for orders, invoices and status messages, everything runs via the same infrastructure. This delivers immediate benefits. Orders and invoices are automatically matched, making manual checks largely unnecessary. All document exchange is structured, which prevents data entry errors.

The secure exchange via Peppol offers the same protection against fraud as with e-invoicing: verified participants, encrypted communication and automatic validation. For purchasing organisations, e-procurement means the entire process from quotation to payment runs smoothly. Orders are confirmed quickly, despatch advices match the order, and invoices are automatically matched and approved. The result: shorter lead times, lower administrative costs and better supplier relationships.

eConnect supports the complete purchase-to-pay chain via Peppol. This starts with quotations (Quotation) and purchase orders (Order) and continues through to order confirmations, despatch advices (Despatch Advice), invoices (Invoice) and status messages (Invoice Response). Each document type is exchanged in a structured format via the Peppol BIS standard, enabling automatic processing on both sides.

Additionally, we support sector-specific document types. In the staffing industry, e-timecards (SETU format) are exchanged via Peppol, making the hours administration fully digital. Support for the complete document chain is important because the benefits of e-procurement increase as more steps in the process are automated. An invoice that is automatically matched with the corresponding order and despatch advice can be approved automatically. This is only possible when all documents are in the same chain.

E-procurement via Peppol is valuable in every sector with structural procurement, but some sectors benefit more. The government was the first to mandate e-invoicing via Peppol (B2G) and is actively pushing for e-ordering. Many municipalities, provinces and ministries already work with electronic orders and invoices.

The construction sector benefits from the DICO standard, which covers sector-specific needs such as G-account, reverse charge VAT and chain liability. The staffing industry exchanges e-timecards via Peppol (SETU format), making the hours administration fully digital. The energy sector uses e-invoices per EAN number or property unit, enabling automatic allocation to the correct property. And in transport and logistics, despatch advices and logistics documents are increasingly exchanged electronically. eConnect has proven experience in each of these sectors and supports the relevant industry standards.

Payment terms are determined by how quickly an invoice is received, checked, approved and cleared for payment. With manual processing, each step can take days: the invoice needs to be scanned, the data needs to be entered, the invoice needs to be matched with an order, and a manager needs to approve.

E-procurement automates each of these steps. The invoice arrives directly as structured data. Matching with the order and despatch advice happens automatically. If everything checks out, approval can be automatic. The result: invoices processed on the same day instead of after weeks. The Province of North Brabant demonstrated this convincingly: after implementing e-invoicing via eConnect, the average payment term went from 22 to 8 days. This is good for the supplier relationship, prevents payment reminders and can even lead to better procurement conditions if you are known as a fast payer.

The fastest way to start is with e-invoicing: receiving and sending invoices via Peppol. Many organisations begin with this and then gradually expand to orders, despatch advices and status messages. This phased approach makes implementation manageable and controlled.

The technical connection runs via the eConnect PSB (Procurement Service Bus). If you use a financial software package for which a standard integration already exists (more than 100 packages), the connection is typically operational within a few days. For direct integration via the REST API, eConnect offers a fully documented API with Swagger UI, OAuth2 authentication and webhooks for real-time notifications.

For larger implementations, such as rolling out e-procurement in an organisation with multiple locations or complex approval processes, our specialists guide the process. We have extensive experience with implementations at government bodies, healthcare institutions and large enterprises. The free invoice portal also offers an easy way to experience how e-invoicing via Peppol works firsthand, without technical knowledge or costs.

More about the connection

Yes. The eConnect PSB (Procurement Service Bus) provides access to multiple networks through a single integration. In addition to Peppol, you can exchange documents via other procurement networks through the same connection. Routing to the correct network and the corresponding format conversion are handled automatically.

This multichannel approach is valuable in practice for purchasing organisations with an international or diverse supplier base. Not all suppliers are connected to the same network. One supplier invoices via Peppol, another via a different procurement network and a third still sends a PDF by email. The PSB brings all these streams together in one system, so your invoice processing is not dependent on the channel a supplier uses.

Format conversion works automatically between all common standards: UBL, CII, PINT, XRechnung (Germany), Factur-X (France) and sector-specific formats such as DICO (construction), SETU (staffing industry) and SEEF (energy). You receive every document in the format that fits your own system, regardless of what the sender used.

Read more about document formats