How to integrate Peppol with my ERP?

Integration Approaches

Connecting your ERP to the Peppol network requires routing invoices through a certified Access Point. According to Invoice Navigator's analysis of Peppol integration patterns across European businesses, there are three main approaches — each suited to different business sizes and technical capabilities.

Option 1: Use a Certified Access Point Provider (Most Common)

The most widely adopted approach is to contract with an existing certified Peppol Access Point provider. These providers offer RESTful APIs that your ERP calls to send invoices into the Peppol network and receive inbound invoices. Your ERP generates invoice data, the API converts it to Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 (UBL) format, and the Access Point handles SMP/SML lookup, AS4 transport, and delivery to the recipient's Access Point. Integration time is typically days to weeks rather than months.

Option 2: Native ERP Connectors

Major ERP vendors offer built-in or marketplace connectors for Peppol. SAP provides native connectors for S/4HANA, Business One, and ByDesign through its Document and Reporting Compliance module. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central includes e-document capabilities and offers certified connectors via the AppSource marketplace. Oracle users typically connect through vendor-independent Access Point providers, which is especially practical for Oracle E-Business Suite, Oracle Financials Cloud, and NetSuite environments. These pre-built connectors reduce implementation effort but may limit flexibility compared to API-based integration.

Option 3: Become a Certified Access Point

Large enterprises or software vendors processing high volumes can become certified Peppol Access Points themselves. This requires OpenPeppol membership, ISO 27001 certification, implementation of Peppol BIS specifications and SMP, and passing interoperability testing. The certification process takes several months and carries ongoing compliance obligations, but gives full control over the Peppol connection and eliminates per-invoice fees to third-party providers.

API Integration Pattern

The standard API-based integration follows this flow:

1. Registration — Register your business with a Peppol Participant ID via your Access Point provider.
2. Outbound invoices — Your ERP calls the provider's API (typically REST/JSON) with invoice data. The provider converts it to Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 UBL, validates it, looks up the recipient's Access Point via SML/SMP, and delivers via AS4.
3. Inbound invoices — The provider receives invoices on your behalf and makes them available via webhook or polling API. Your ERP retrieves and processes them.
4. Validation — Both sending and receiving Access Points validate invoices against Peppol BIS rules before forwarding.

Key Considerations

Pre-Submission Validation

Before sending invoices into the Peppol network, Invoice Navigator recommends validating against the full EN 16931 + Peppol CIUS ruleset. Invoice Navigator's validation API checks outbound invoices against 1,300+ rules in under 500ms and auto-remediates structural errors — ensuring invoices pass Access Point validation on the first attempt and reach recipients without rejection.