Most webshop entrepreneurs think of a PDF sent by email when it comes to invoicing. That works fine today. But in a few years it won't anymore, at least not for B2B transactions within the EU.
E-invoicing is something fundamentally different from a digital invoice. It involves structured files in XML or UBL format that are automatically exchanged between systems. Not an attachment in a mailbox, but data that flows directly from one accounting package to another. Without anyone having to open, read or retype a PDF.
The difference sounds technical. The consequences are not.
Through the ViDA directive (VAT in the Digital Age), the European Commission has decided that e-invoicing becomes mandatory for cross-border B2B transactions. The deadline: 1 July 2030. Every invoice between companies in different EU countries must then be sent as a structured digital file, via a recognised network such as Peppol.
Belgium is ahead of the pack. There, e-invoicing has been mandatory for all domestic B2B invoices since 1 January 2026. Belgian entrepreneurs doing business with Dutch webshops are already noticing this. They expect a UBL invoice, not a PDF.
The Netherlands has not yet set a domestic deadline. But the EU obligation for cross-border transactions will simply apply. And given the direction the EU is heading, it is only a matter of time before domestic B2B invoicing becomes mandatory as well.
If you only sell to consumers, little changes for now. E-invoicing focuses on B2B. But the reality is that many webshops have a mix. Business customers who buy on account. Orders from other companies. Collaborations with resellers or purchasing organisations.
Every B2B invoice your webshop generates will soon have to meet the e-invoicing standard. That doesn't mean you press a button and you're done. Your entire invoicing process has to produce structured data. The right fields, the right format, via the right network.
And that is where the problem lies. According to MKB Servicedesk, only 1 in 10 SME entrepreneurs is prepared for e-invoicing. The majority don't even know what it involves, let alone how to adapt their systems.
Peppol is the standard network for e-invoicing in Europe. Compare it to a kind of postal network for structured invoice data. Your accounting software sends an invoice via Peppol and your customer's system then receives it automatically, with all the details placed correctly in the right fields.
Exact Online is already working on Peppol integration. That is relevant, because if your accounting package supports Peppol, you won't have to set up a separate invoicing system yourself. Your invoice data does have to be correct then. Structured, complete, without manual edits.
That is exactly where the difference becomes visible between webshops that keep their invoicing by hand and webshops that use an automated connector.
Anyone who creates invoices manually, exports them as PDF and sends them by email, will soon have a problem. E-invoicing requires invoice data to be machine-readable. Every field has to be in the right place: VAT number, Chamber of Commerce number, invoice line with product description, unit price, VAT amount, total amount.
With manual entry, variations creep in. A customer name spelled just a little differently. A missing VAT code. A product description that differs from what is in the system. Those are exactly the kind of inconsistencies that cause an e-invoice to be rejected.
So it is not just about the format in which you send. It is about the quality of your data.
A connector between your webshop and Exact Online does something that becomes crucial in an e-invoicing world: it structures your data. Automatically, with every transaction, without human intervention.
Orders from your webshop are translated into invoices in Exact Online with the right debtor numbers, VAT codes, article numbers and amounts. Every invoice follows the same pattern. Every customer name is consistent. Every VAT rate is correct.
That means you are fully ready the moment Exact Online rolls out the Peppol integration completely. Your data is already structured. You won't have to overhaul your entire invoicing process after all. The step from structured invoice data to e-invoicing via Peppol is then small.
Anyone still working manually will still have to take that step. But then under time pressure, with a deadline approaching.
E-invoicing is more than an obligation. Companies that already use it report shorter payment terms. Invoices arrive faster, are processed faster, are paid faster. There is less discussion about what is on the invoice, because both parties look at the same structured data.
For webshops with many business customers, that can make a noticeable difference. Fewer reminders to send. Less manual sorting out. Less hassle with invoices that "never arrived" or "ended up in spam."
You don't have to wait until 2030 to take action. In fact, the sooner you start, the less work it will be later. A few steps you can take right now:
Make sure your invoicing data is structured: That starts with a connector that automatically converts your webshop data into correct entries in Exact Online. No manual entry, no loose spreadsheets.
Check that your VAT registration is correct: E-invoicing requires correct VAT numbers and Chamber of Commerce numbers for every business customer. Make sure that data is in your system, and that your connector carries it along.
Keep track of the Peppol developments: Exact Online is building Peppol support. Once it is available, you want to be ready to switch it on. That is only possible if your data is already in order.
Choose a partner that takes security seriously: E-invoicing means that sensitive company data is exchanged over networks. ISO 27001 certification is then no unnecessary luxury, it is a basic requirement.
2030 feels far away. But experience with other regulations shows that companies which start early get through the transition more smoothly. Anyone who automates now won't have to panic later and revise an entire invoicing process.
The webshops that already use an automated connector with Exact Online today have their data in order. Their invoices are structured, consistent and complete. For them the step to e-invoicing is not a revolution, it is a software update.
For the rest it becomes a project. With deadlines, costs and stress.
The choice is not whether you are going to automate. The choice is whether you do it now, at your own pace, or later, under high pressure.
Do you want to make your webshop future-proof? View our webshop connectors →