# Send Documents via PEPPOL
With BestInvoicing, next to sending documents via email, you can also send them over the [PEPPOL](https://peppol.eu/) network. PEPPOL is a network set up by the European Union for the exchange of electronic invoices or e-invoices.
PEPPOL can be compared to email: every company can register for a PEPPOL address to which invoices can be sent and received in a company inbox. Exchanging invoices via this channel has two important advantages for both parties:
* invoices can be processed automatically by software programmes;
* there's a solid proof of delivery, which rules out any discussion on whether an invoice has been delivered or not.
## Registering to the PEPPOL network
In order to receive/send e-invoices via the PEPPOL network, your compnay must be registered or be kown on this network. BestInvoicing handles this automatically: your PEPPOL address is generated based on the company enterprise number or VAT number you entered in the tab 'Company Information' in your account.
{% hint style="info" %}
Do you get an error message when sending your first invoice via PEPPOL? Be sure to check that your VAT or company number is entered correctly in your '[Company Information](/settings/company-information.md)'. Try sending again after completing this information.
{% endhint %}
## Sending e-invoies via PEPPOL
To send e-invoices via PEPPOL, you don't have to do anything special: you create an invoice in BestInvoicing the way you normally would. You can also send an already existing invoice, created in BestInvoicing, again via PEPPOL.
In the summary screen of the invoice, an additional box will appear above the timeline; there you can see whether or not your customer is registered on the PEPPOL network and is able to **accept** your invoice.
{% hint style="warning" %}
To send an invoice via PEPPOL, your customer's VAT number or enterprise number must always be entered in the invoicing details. Thus, you cannot send e-invoices via PEPPOL to private customers without VAT or enterprise numbers.
{% endhint %}
If your customer is detected on the PEPPOL network, the blue 'Actions' button will reveal the option to 'Send via PEPPOL'. If the customer is not detected on PEPPOL, you will see a notification about that and will only be able to send by email or mail using the 'Actions' button.
{% hint style="success" %}
Het is niet nodig om aan de PEPPOL-e-mail een begeleidende tekst toe te voegen zoals bij een e-mail. De vIt is not necessary to add any accompanying text to the PEPPOL e-mail like an e-mail. Sending the document is sufficient.
{% endhint %}
After refreshing the window, you will immediately see confirmation that the customer has received the invoice through the PEPPOL network:
## Receiving invoices via PEPPOL
Your suppliers can of course also detect your company on the PEPPOL network, and deliver their invoices to you via PEPPOL. These then become purchase invoices in onFact.
To receive purchase invoices via PEPPOL, you must activate your PEPPOL inbox. You can find it here:
* Click on 'Purchases' in the left menu.
* Go to 'To be processed
* At the top right, you will see the message, 'Click here to activate your PEPPOL inbox.' Click in the box to activate. The inbox icon will turn blue and your VAT or company number will appear next to it.
{% hint style="success" %}
Is the inbox icon already blue? Then your inbox is already activated and you can already receive e-invoices.
{% endhint %}
Once your inbox is activated, you can automatically find incoming documents in the edit list at the bottom.
{% hint style="info" %}
A duplicate of the invoice received is also always sent, both as an electronic invoice and in PDF, to the company's e-mail address.
{% endhint %}
When you receive an invoice in BestInvoicing through the PEPPOL network, it enters your processing list of incoming documents, from where you can start to process it further.
## Inviting suppliers to deliver invoices via PEPPOL
You can easily invite your suppliers from BestInvoicing to deliver your purchase invoices via PEPPOL. This allows you to process them more efficiently.
In the left menu, go to 'Purchases' and click on the green PEPPOL notification at the top. This will display a list of all suppliers you can send an invitation to from BestInvoicing.
Through the blue button 'Send invitation to e-invoicing' you can load a standard e-mail message where the possibilities of PEPPOL are presented, and the request to electronically forward invoices. You can edit this text yourself. Click 'Send e'-mail' to invite your supplier.
## Invoicing to the government via PEPPOL
In case you need to send invoices via PEPPOL to governmental services, the procedure is exactly the same. In some cases, governmental services require adding an order reference. That can easily be done in BestInvoicing: [read here](/apps-integrations/order-reference.md) how to do it.
By adding this reference in a separate field on BestInvoicing documents, it can be sent in a structured way via PEPPOL.
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