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E-invoicing

ZUGFeRD compliance,
without the fine print.

Every PDF Billino generates is a valid Factur-X 1.0 / ZUGFeRD 2.x document at the EN 16931 (Comfort) profile — the full standard, not a stripped-down subset. Here's exactly what that means and how to verify it.

What is ZUGFeRD / Factur-X?

ZUGFeRD (Germany) and Factur-X (France/EU) are the same technical format under different names. Both embed a machine-readable XML invoice inside a PDF/A-3 file — the PDF looks like a normal invoice to the human eye, but accounting software and tax authorities can extract and process the data automatically without any manual entry.

The format is built on the UN/CEFACT Cross Industry Invoice (CII) schema and the European core standard EN 16931:2017. It is accepted by every major German and European accounting system — DATEV, Lexware, sevDesk, FastBill, and all e-invoicing platforms mandated by the EU.

Which profile does Billino use?

ZUGFeRD defines several profiles, each carrying a different amount of data. Billino uses the EN 16931 profile — known as "Comfort" in ZUGFeRD terminology. This is the most complete interoperability level short of the extended (XRechnung) profile required for invoicing German public authorities.

Profile ZUGFeRD name Line-level tax Payment terms Addresses Billino
MINIMUM Minimum
BASIC WL Basic WL Header only Partial
BASIC Basic Partial Header only Partial
EN 16931 Comfort Full ✓ Full ✓ Full ✓ ✓ Used
EXTENDED Extended / XRechnung Full ✓ Full ✓ Full ✓

The EN 16931 profile is required for invoicing B2B customers who process invoices in DATEV or similar systems, and is the level most commonly required by medium-sized businesses. XRechnung (EXTENDED) adds fields only required when invoicing German government bodies — Billino is aimed at freelancers and small businesses, so EN 16931 / Comfort is the right fit.

What the embedded XML contains

Every Billino PDF embeds an XML block covering:

  • Invoice header — invoice number, issue date, document type (TypeCode 380)
  • Seller & buyer — legal name, full postal address, tax ID (VAT number or Steuernummer), buyer VAT ID
  • Line items — description, quantity, unit code, unit price, line total, tax category and rate per line
  • Tax summary — grouped by category and rate; basis amount, tax amount, and rate per group
  • Tax exemptions — Kleinunternehmerregelung (§19 UStG), reverse charge, intra-EU supply, export — with EN 16931 exemption codes
  • Payment means — IBAN and BIC (BT-84 / BT-86), payment method type code
  • Due date — payment terms with exact due date
  • Delivery / service date — actual delivery or service date (or falls back to issue date)
  • Monetary summary — subtotal, tax basis, tax total, grand total, amount due

Technical specification

For developers and accountants who want to verify compliance directly:

Profile URN urn:cen.eu:en16931:2017#compliant#urn:factur-x.eu:1p0:en16931
XML schema CrossIndustryInvoice:100 (UN/CEFACT CII D16B)
PDF container PDF/A-3b — embedded XML attachment (factur-x.xml)
Standard EN 16931-1:2017 + A1:2019
Document type TypeCode 380 — Commercial Invoice
Date format 102 — YYYYMMDD (ISO 8601 basic)

You can verify any Billino-generated PDF by opening it in a validator such as Mustang Project or the ZUGFeRD Community validator — both are free and check against the official EN 16931 schematron rules.

Why this matters for your business

Automatic processing

Your client's DATEV, SAP, or accounting software reads the data directly — no manual entry, no keying errors.

EU mandate ready

The EU e-invoicing directive (2014/55/EU) and Germany's upcoming B2B mandate both point to EN 16931 as the target standard.

Small business rules built in

Kleinunternehmer (§19 UStG), reverse charge, and intra-EU supplies all generate correct exemption codes automatically.

Fully offline

The XML is generated entirely on your device. No data leaves your phone to produce a compliant invoice.

Try it — it's free.

Download Billino and generate a compliant Factur-X invoice in minutes. No account, no subscription.