Peppol Commerce uses data from WooCommerce to create e-invoices. We use data from WooCommerce, which means this data must be completely correct to successfully send an e-invoice via the Peppol network. If the data from WooCommerce is incorrect or incomplete, the e-invoice will not be sent via the Peppol network.
WooCommerce can be configured in several ways. For example, other WooCommerce plugins may be in use and impact the functionality of our Peppol Commerce plugin. These can always affect the sending of invoice data from WooCommerce. So be sure to check these if you encounter any issues.
In addition, there are several standard settings/data you should definitely check. Below is a list of important settings and/or data to keep in mind.
Rounding off prices including VAT #
WooCommerce is originally an American product where sales tax is often used. In the US, VAT is generally calculated per line item. However, in Europe, this causes problems when prices are displayed in the webshop that include VAT.
To work around this problem, you need to calculate VAT on the entire order instead of per line item. To do this, set the following:
What to do? #
Adjust rounding in WooCommerce to happen per order
VAT on shipping #
When delivery takes place in Belgium, the highest VAT rate in the order should generally be used to calculate the shipping costs.
What to do? #
In WooCommerce:
- Check your shipping methods (WooCommerce > Settings > Shipping).
- Link shipping costs to the correct VAT rate.
- If necessary, create separate shipping methods for different VAT scenarios.
In your PEPPOL-plugin:
- Make sure that shipping appears as a separate line with the correct VAT rate in the XML.
- Explicitly test an order with shipping costs and validate the generated e-invoice.
Peppol identification #
PEPPOL isn’t just about amounts and VAT, but also about correct identification. Ensure the following information is known on the Peppol network:
- Your business details – make sure you have a Peppol ID yourself
- Your customer’s details – check if your customer has a Peppol ID
- Identifying your products – use product codes (SKU) to publish your products in a structured manner on the Peppol network
ISO country codes #
Make sure you send country information using the country code. For example, for Belgium, that’s ‘BE’, for the Netherlands, ‘NL’, and for France, ‘FR’.
WooCommerce uses country codes by default, but if you have custom fields, they may not be sent correctly.
SKUs #
SKUs (item numbers) are often considered “optional” in WooCommerce. But in a B2B and PEPPOL context, they’re worth their weight in gold.
Why SKUs are essential:
- They make products uniquely identifiable.
- Accounting software can use SKUs to automatically link to item files.
- They reduce discussions: everyone refers to the same article number.
In PEPPOL-XML:
- SKUs go into the item identification.
- Receiving systems often expect some form of item code.
What to do:
- Provide a consistent SKU system (e.g. PRO-001, PRO-002).
- Make SKUs mandatory during product creation in your business.
- Also fill in SKUs for variable products and variants.
Legal phrases at 0% VAT: “VAT shifted” is not a detail #
Not all invoices include VAT. Consider:
- Intra-Community deliveries within the EU.
- Specific exemptions.
- Certain services where VAT is transferred to the customer.
But: 0% VAT does not mean “we just write 0 and that’s it”.
Tax regulations expect you to clearly indicate why 0% VAT is applied.
