ZUGFeRD & Factur-X, Explained
It's just a PDF that both a human and a computer can read — and it's about to become the norm.
You send an invoice as a PDF. A person opens it, reads it, and types the numbers into their accounting software. ZUGFeRD ends that second step: it's a single PDF that looks like a normal invoice but also contains the invoice data embedded inside it — so a computer can read it directly, no typing.
What ZUGFeRD actually is
ZUGFeRD (and its international twin, Factur-X) is a "hybrid" PDF. It has two layers:
- A visual layer — the invoice exactly as a human sees it.
- A data layer — an embedded XML file with the structured invoice data (line items, amounts, VAT, payment terms).
Your customer opens it like any PDF. Their accounting software — or your accountant's DATEV system — reads the embedded XML and imports everything automatically. One file, both readers happy.
Why it matters now
Germany has been phasing in mandatory e-invoicing (E-Rechnung) for business-to-business transactions. The deadlines roll out through 2026–2028 depending on your revenue. If you invoice German companies, you'll need to send machine-readable invoices — and ZUGFeRD is the format that keeps it human-readable at the same time.
Even if you're not in Germany: big clients and public bodies increasingly prefer structured invoices, and sending one means you get paid faster because nobody has to re-key your data.
Do you need accounting software to make one?
No. The old assumption was that ZUGFeRD required expensive accounting suites. You can generate a compliant ZUGFeRD 2.2 / Factur-X PDF from a mobile app — the same way you'd export a normal PDF, except the XML is embedded for you.
Create one in seconds
Start with the free invoice template to see the visual layout. When you need the machine-readable layer for German clients, InvoYX generates ZUGFeRD 2.2 / Factur-X PDFs and DATEV export from your phone — fully offline.
