Cover of the booklet “E-Invoicing, Compact” by SmoovOps
Free guide · PDF · 13 pages

E-Invoicing, Compact

What freelancers and small businesses in Germany need to know about e-invoicing for 2025–2028 – in plain English.

What freelancers and small businesses in Germany need to know about e-invoicing for 2025–2028 – in plain English.

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Since 2025 every business in Germany must be able to receive e-invoices; in 2027 and 2028 the obligation to send them follows. The rules are simpler than the jargon. This booklet explains which deadline applies to you and how to get ready without switching to an accounting suite. Reading time: about 20 minutes.

What’s inside

  • What an e-invoice is – and why a PDF by email isn’t one
  • The three key dates 2025, 2027 and 2028, and the exceptions
  • A decision tree: which deadline applies to you
  • Receiving, sending and archiving – step by step
  • The six most common mistakes and a one-week switch-over plan

Who it’s for

Freelancers, solopreneurs and small businesses that invoice other businesses in Germany – including expats who meet terms like XRechnung or Kleinunternehmer only in German. Not tax advice: for your specific case, ask your tax advisor.

Curious what SmoovOps does?

SmoovOps reads incoming ZUGFeRD e-invoices on every plan, including Free, and turns your invoices into ZUGFeRD and XRechnung files from the Starter plan.

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