Document types you can exchange
Peppol carries far more than invoices. Documents are defined by BIS specifications — standard profiles that both sides agree to follow.
BIS specifications
A BIS (Business Interoperability Specification) defines exactly how a document type is structured and what the values mean, so any compliant receiver can process it. When two parties “speak Peppol”, they’re agreeing on a shared BIS.
Common documents
| Document | What it’s for |
|---|---|
| Invoice | Request payment for goods or services. |
| Credit note | Correct or reverse a previous invoice. |
| Order | A buyer’s request to purchase. |
| Order response | The seller’s acceptance, rejection or change to an order. |
| Despatch advice | Notifies the buyer that goods have been shipped. |
| Catalogue | A structured list of products and prices a supplier offers. |
| Message Level Response (MLR) | A technical acknowledgement that a document was received. |
Invoices and BIS Billing 3.0
The most widely used profile is Peppol BIS Billing 3.0, which covers invoices and credit notes. It builds on the European standard EN 16931 for electronic invoicing, so a Peppol invoice also satisfies the EU’s semantic invoice requirements.
Procurement documents
Beyond billing, Peppol supports the full procurement cycle — ordering, order responses, despatch advice and catalogues. These let trading partners automate the steps before the invoice, not just the invoice itself.
How do I know which to use?
- For e-invoicing, you’ll almost always use BIS Billing 3.0.
- For ordering and logistics, ask your trading partner which BIS profiles they support.
- Your Access Point can tell you which document types it can send and receive on your behalf.