View an e-invoice: open and check XRechnung & ZUGFeRD

An e-invoice is an invoice in a structured, machine-readable format under the European standard EN 16931 – not a plain PDF and not a scanned image. Two formats are common in Germany:

• XRechnung: a pure XML file. It holds all invoice data in structured form but is hard to read without a viewer.
• ZUGFeRD / Factur-X: a hybrid format – a visible PDF/A-3 with an embedded XML file. People see the PDF, software reads the XML.

This viewer makes both formats readable and checks the key mandatory fields. Our e-invoice example shows how such a file is structured.

An XRechnung is technically an XML file (in the UBL or UN/CEFACT CII standard). Double-clicking it just shows code. Upload the .xml file here instead: the viewer instantly turns it into a clear invoice – with invoice number, date, buyer reference, seller and buyer, all line items, the VAT breakdown and the totals.

That lets you check a received XRechnung before you pay or book it, without installing extra software.

With ZUGFeRD and Factur-X the XML sits inside the PDF. Simply upload the PDF: the viewer extracts the embedded XML directly in your browser and shows the structured data – so you see exactly what your accounting software reads, not just the printed layout.

With one click you can also download the contained XML, for example to pass it to your tax advisor. If a PDF holds no valid e-invoice, upload the XML directly instead.

The viewer checks the core mandatory fields of an e-invoice under EN 16931 and shows at a glance what is present and what is missing. These include, among others:

• invoice number (BT-1) and invoice date (BT-2)
• currency (BT-5) and specification/profile (BT-24)
• the seller's name, address and VAT ID or tax number
• the buyer's name and country plus the buyer reference (BT-10)
• at least one line, the VAT breakdown and the grand total / amount due

It also checks whether net plus VAT equals the gross amount. This covers the core fields but does not replace a full schema or Schematron validation.

Since 1 January 2025 every business in Germany must be able to receive B2B e-invoices – an email inbox is enough. For issuing them, transition periods apply until 2027/2028, staggered by turnover.

Small businesses are exempt from issuing but must still be able to receive e-invoices. Read the guide for the exceptions. If you want to create an invoice yourself, use the invoice generator.

Invoices contain sensitive data. That is why this viewer processes your file only locally in your browser – it is not uploaded to a server and not stored anywhere. There is no tracking and no cookies for the processing.

So you can check a received e-invoice quickly and in a privacy-friendly way, even when it contains confidential amounts and customer data.