Create e-invoice online — XRechnung & ZUGFeRD, free
Create XRechnung-, ZUGFeRD-, Factur-X- and PEPPOL-compliant e-invoices directly in your browser. PDF + XML in one step, all mandatory fields validated per EN 16931. No registration, no installation, no accountant needed.
At a glance
Docuflair E-Invoice Generator is a free online tool to create XRechnung-, ZUGFeRD-, Factur-X- and PEPPOL-compliant e-invoices. Four format standards, automatic mandatory field validation per EN 16931, export as PDF/A-3 (Hybrid with XML) or pure XML. Auto-deletion after session, DACH hosting, no signup. Suitable for solopreneurs, small businesses and occasional invoicers. For mass invoice processing with ERP integration: Docuflair Invoice on-premises or private cloud.
4 format standards
XRechnung 3.0, ZUGFeRD 2.x, Factur-X and PEPPOL BIS Billing 3.0 — for public sector, B2B and EU cross-border.
EN 16931 validation
All mandatory fields are checked automatically: invoice number, VAT ID, tax rates, amounts, dates.
GoBD-compliant
Export as PDF/A-3 with embedded XML — standard format for 10-year immutable archiving.
Auto-deletion
Entered data is automatically deleted after session ends. No persistent storage.
From input to finished e-invoice in under three minutes
Enter master data, add line items, pick format, download. No account, no installation, no accountant. Try the tool now with test data.
Note: The sandbox is a test tool. Do not use real invoice or bank data — for that you need the on-prem solution Docuflair Invoice.
Create an e-invoice in 4 steps
How to create an XRechnung or ZUGFeRD invoice online for free — from input to download in under three minutes.
Enter master data
Capture supplier, recipient and bank details. Optionally save as a template for follow-up invoices — reusable in the next session.
Add line items
Description, quantity, unit price, tax rate per item. Automatic totals and tax calculation — no Excel formulas needed.
Choose format
XRechnung (German public sector), ZUGFeRD (B2B standard), Factur-X (France) or PEPPOL (EU cross-border). Multi-format export possible.
Validate & download
Tool validates all mandatory fields per EN 16931. On success, download as PDF/A-3 or XML — ready to send via email or PEPPOL network.
Which format do I need when?
Overview of the four supported e-invoice standards
| Format | For what? | File type | Mandatory for |
|---|---|---|---|
| XRechnung 3.0 | German public sector (federal, state, municipal) | Pure XML (UBL or UN/CEFACT CII) | Suppliers to German public bodies |
| ZUGFeRD 2.x | DACH B2B standard, human-readable | Hybrid PDF/A-3 + embedded XML | B2B in DE/AT/CH (from 2025/27) |
| Factur-X | French ZUGFeRD variant, EN 16931-compliant | Hybrid PDF/A-3 + embedded XML | B2B in France (phased mandate from 2026) |
| PEPPOL BIS Billing 3.0 | EU-wide network for transmitting e-invoices | Pure XML (UBL) | Suppliers to public bodies in NL, NO, DK, BE, IT, SE etc. |
All formats are based on the EU norm EN 16931. The generator creates each format from the same input data — no re-typing needed.
Mandatory fields of an e-invoice — automatically validated
As of 2026-04-28: All fields per EN 16931 / § 14 UStG are checked by the generator
Supplier data
Full company name, address, tax number or VAT ID.
Recipient data
Company name, address, Leitweg-ID (for German public sector), VAT ID (for B2B).
Invoice number
Uniquely sequential, one-time per supplier. Format freely chooseable.
Invoice & delivery date
Date of issue and date of delivery/service.
Service description
Quantity, description, unit price, position. Any number of line items.
Tax rate & amount
Per item or flat. 19%, 7%, 0% (DE) — automatic calculation.
Net & gross total
Sum of all items net, tax amount, gross total.
Bank details
IBAN, BIC, account holder. Optional payment terms and discount.
Notes & references
Order number, contract reference, delivery note, payment discount terms.
Docuflair Sandbox vs. Word/Excel vs. SAP/DATEV
Comparison of the most common ways to create e-invoices
| Feature | Docuflair Sandbox | Word / Excel | DATEV / Lexware / SAP | Docuflair Invoice (production) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Existing | €20–200+/month | On-prem licence |
| XRechnung export | — | |||
| ZUGFeRD export | — | |||
| PEPPOL transmission | — | — | Limited | (Access Point) |
| EN 16931 validation | — | |||
| Mass invoice generation | — | — | ||
| ERP integration | — | — | Own ERP only | (SAP, DATEV, Lexware, sevDesk, Dynamics) |
| GoBD-compliant archive | — | — | Limited | |
| Hosting location | DACH | Local | Variable (often USA) | Your data centre |
| Incoming invoice OCR | — | — | Add-on |
More details: Docuflair Invoice — production solution
Privacy & cloud positioning
The sandbox is a test tool. It runs on a publicly accessible test instance with DACH hosting, auto-deletion after session and no tracking. Use it exclusively for feature exploration — not for real invoices with bank or client data.
For production processing of real invoices, run Docuflair Invoice exclusively on-premises or in your dedicated private cloud — never in the public cloud. This architecture is the prerequisite for GDPR- and GoBD-compliant processing in tax advisors, public agencies and regulated industries. The on-prem architecture is contractually guaranteed in the data processing agreement (DPA).
What the sandbox does NOT store: no IP logs after session ends, no content copies, no indexing, no third-party sharing, no model training on your data, no cookies except technically necessary session cookies (with cookie banner consent).
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most important questions about free e-invoice creation
What is an e-invoice and why do I need one?
An e-invoice is an invoice issued and transmitted in a structured electronic format (XML) that can be processed automatically. Since 1 January 2025, B2B recipients in Germany are required to accept e-invoices — and from 2027 also required to send them. A PDF alone does not qualify as an e-invoice.
What's the difference between XRechnung and ZUGFeRD?
XRechnung is a pure XML format mandated for invoices to the German public sector (federal, state, municipal). ZUGFeRD is a hybrid format: a PDF/A-3 with embedded XML — human-readable AND machine-processable. ZUGFeRD is more popular in B2B because the human recipient still sees a PDF.
Can I create e-invoices in Word or Excel?
No. Word and Excel documents are not e-invoices in the sense of the EU norm EN 16931. Even a PDF print of an Excel sheet does not meet the requirements. You need a tool that generates XML structures per EN 16931 — like the Docuflair generator.
Which fields are mandatory in an e-invoice?
Per § 14 UStG / EN 16931 at minimum: full name and address of supplier and recipient, tax number or VAT ID, invoice number (uniquely sequential), invoice and delivery date, quantity and description of goods/services, net amount and tax rate with tax amount. The generator validates all fields automatically.
Is the created e-invoice GoBD-compliant for archiving?
Yes. The export is in PDF/A-3 with embedded XML — the standard format for 10-year GoBD-compliant archiving. The file is immutable, complete and machine-readable. For archiving itself, we recommend a GoBD-compliant DMS solution like Docuflair Archive.
What is PEPPOL and when do I need it?
PEPPOL (Pan-European Public Procurement Online) is an EU-wide network for transmitting e-invoices. If you send invoices to public agencies in other EU countries (e.g. Netherlands, Norway, Denmark), they often must be submitted via PEPPOL. The generator creates PEPPOL BIS Billing 3.0-compliant XMLs at the click of a button. For actual transmission via PEPPOL you need an Access Point — provided by Docuflair Invoice (production solution).
Where is my data stored?
The sandbox runs on a test instance hosted in Germany/Austria. Entered data is automatically deleted after session ends. There is no tracking, no indexing and no third-party sharing. Still use only test data.
Can I save templates and create follow-up invoices faster?
Yes. Supplier, recipient and bank details can be saved as a template and reused for follow-up invoices. The production solution Docuflair Invoice goes much further: automatic recurring invoices, mass generation from CSV/ERP, direct DATEV handover.
Does it work on Mac, iPhone and Android?
Yes. The generator runs in any modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. No installation or plugin required.
What's the difference between the sandbox and Docuflair Invoice production?
The sandbox creates individual e-invoices interactively. The production solution Docuflair Invoice is a complete invoice processing platform with ERP integration (SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, DATEV, Lexware, sevDesk), automatic mass invoice generation, PEPPOL Access Point, approval workflows, OCR-based incoming invoice processing and GoBD-compliant archiving — on-premises or in your dedicated private cloud.
Do I need SAP, DATEV or Lexware to create e-invoices?
No. For occasional e-invoices the free online generator is enough. Only when you regularly create many invoices or want to integrate with existing accounting software does Docuflair Invoice with direct DATEV, Lexware, sevDesk and SAP integration become worthwhile.
Need automated invoice processing?
For ERP integration (SAP, DATEV, Lexware, sevDesk), PEPPOL transmission, incoming invoice OCR and mass invoice generation: Docuflair Invoice as on-prem platform with GoBD-compliant archiving.