ZUGFeRD is simple.
The integration isn't.
The e-invoicing mandate is already in effect. In Germany, companies have been legally obligated to receive e-invoices since January 2025, in France since September 2026. Transition periods for sending are expiring step by step in both countries, in Germany from January 2027. Anyone supplying customers abroad has to meet these deadlines. Austrian companies are not directly covered by these obligations. Their German or French customers pass the requirements on.
The format itself isn't the issue. ZUGFeRD combines a PDF with structured invoice data in a single file. Difficulties arise in practice when different systems and formats meet. The data has to reach each recipient in the right format, while existing transmission channels such as SFTP or AS2 continue to work.
The three typical obstacles in ZUGFeRD integration:
Rigid interfaces.
Standard converters often rely on an API connection only. Established B2B transmission channels such as SFTP or AS2 cannot easily be used, which creates additional work for your IT team.
Full protocol flexibility.
You send us your data through your preferred channel, such as SFTP, FTPS, HTTPS, AS2 or REST API. No new ERP interfaces are required.
Missing XML data.
Older ERP software often produces plain PDF files without a structured XML export. Creating a hybrid ZUGFeRD invoice then becomes difficult or requires a costly ERP upgrade.
Automated data capture.
Our AI service sermocore.ai extracts the relevant data from plain PDFs and generates structured ZUGFeRD documents from it.
Hidden validation errors.
Generated documents can fail automated PDF/A-3b checks in tools such as veraPDF. These tools verify precisely whether a PDF meets the technical standards. Even small deviations lead to rejection.
Built-in validation.
Every invoice is checked automatically before delivery. We verify PDF/A-3 conformance, correct XML embedding and the rules of the selected ZUGFeRD profile.
Choose the right path for your IT.
Automation for any infrastructure.
Two starting points come up most often in practice. The first is an older or industry-specific ERP that exports no structured XML data. The vendor offers no update, so the gap stays. The second is an established EDI landscape with high invoice volumes, where PDF/A-3b conversion and validation would have to be built and maintained in-house. The libraries required for this carry high licence costs and tie up IT capacity permanently.
Which of these three paths best fits your setup depends on your data input.
Structured invoice data.
PDF and structured invoice data.
PDF invoices only.
Four reasons for the sermocore ZUGFeRD Converter.
What you gain.
No ERP overhaul
You do not need a new interface. Use your preferred transmission channel, such as SFTP, FTPS, HTTPS, AS2 or REST API. Where required, we read plain PDF invoices using AI.
Verified ZUGFeRD conformance
Every invoice is checked automatically before delivery. We verify PDF/A-3 conformance, correct XML embedding and the rules of the selected ZUGFeRD profile.
Current formats and standards
Your invoices reflect the current state of European standardisation. We support ZUGFeRD up to 2.5.2 and Factur-X up to 1.09.2 in the BASIC, EN 16931 and EXTENDED profiles, plus XRECHNUNG for public sector recipients in Germany.
No ongoing operational effort
Whether as a cloud service or on-premises, we handle hosting, maintenance and future format updates. New format requirements are implemented without any action on your side.
Built for a real customer first.
Then made available to everyone.
The ZUGFeRD Converter started with a customer requirement, not a product roadmap. That customer needed reliable conversion including automated validation. A look at the market showed that the available standard solutions were either very expensive or technically incomplete.
So we built the conversion pipeline ourselves, put it into production and hardened it in live operation. What was built for one customer is available to everyone today.
sermocore as your central data hub.
One platform, many directions.
Start with ZUGFeRD conversion and grow from there. One central interface connects further data, formats and systems, with no need to rebuild the processes you already run. The sermocore platform has been in operation since 2009 and is developed continuously.
E-invoicing standards across DACH and the EU
Formats based on the EU standard EN 16931, including ZUGFeRD for the DACH region and Factur-X for France.
Certified Peppol provider
Direct, compliant access to the international Peppol network for B2B and B2G.
AI document capture (sermocore.ai)
Reading unstructured PDFs without manual mapping or ERP changes.
SAP PI/PO modernisation
Moving legacy SAP interfaces to a modern integration platform before support runs out.
EDI standardisation
Central harmonisation and translation of the classic B2B formats (EDIFACT, VDA, ANSI X12).
Internal integration (EAI)
Connecting internal ERP, CRM and line-of-business systems, without data silos.
sermocore logistics
Industry-specific modules for automated data exchange in logistics and transport.
Questions & Answers
No. We connect to your existing transmission channels such as SFTP or AS2. A new interface in your ERP is not required. If your system does not deliver structured data, sermocore.ai extracts it from the PDF.
You send us your usual PDF documents. sermocore.ai extracts the header and line item data. From this, the hybrid ZUGFeRD file is created in the agreed profile. Each document then goes through validation. This route requires the combination of sermocore.ai and the converter module.
Every document goes through an automated check before delivery, including veraPDF validation against the PDF/A-3b standard. This confirms that the technical container is sound. Whether an invoice is accepted in substance also depends on the mandatory fields under EN 16931. If these are missing from your source data, we point this out during the project.
We support SFTP, FTPS, AS2, HTTPS and REST API. Further channels can be reviewed on request. Your existing infrastructure stays as it is.
Yes. The converter focuses on ZUGFeRD and Factur-X in line with EN 16931. As a certified Peppol provider, we also connect you to the international Peppol network. Countries with their own platforms, such as Italy with SdI, require plain XML formats. We cover these routes through the sermocore platform as well.
We support the current version 2.5.2 as well as the common earlier versions. Version 2.5 brought closer alignment with the current edition of EN 16931, along with updated code lists. This improves interoperability with validation systems in other EU member states. It does not introduce any new legal requirements.
That depends on your starting point. Where structured invoice data is already available, the connection is usually productive within a few weeks. If AI-based data capture is added, we plan additional time for testing and for aligning the document types.
Factur-X is one of the invoice formats approved in France. Creating the file alone is not sufficient. Invoices are transmitted through an accredited platform, and depending on the setup, e-reporting obligations apply as well. We take both into account in the project planning.
