E-Rechnung Node Package

This Flow-Like node package helps you read, create, validate, transform, review, send, and archive German and EU electronic invoices. It is built for workflows around XRechnung, EN 16931, ZUGFeRD, and Factur-X.

The package is designed for file-based automation. Invoice PDFs, XML files, folders, exports, archives, and generated reports are handled as FlowPathvalues, so workflows pass references to files instead of raw file bytes.

What You Can Build

Use this package to automate common E-Rechnung tasks:

• Read invoice files from XML, PDF, folders, or normalized JSON.

• Extract invoice data from ZUGFeRD and Factur-X PDF containers.

• Generate XRechnung UBL or CII XML from normalized invoice data.

• Validate invoices against EN 16931, XRechnung, Peppol, German B2B, and B2G checks.

• Convert invoice data for ERP, CSV, DATEV, or archive workflows.

• Prepare review views such as summaries, payment checks, booking proposals, and anomaly reports.

• Create audit bundles, retention metadata, redacted log versions, and hash manifests.

Recommended Starting Node

Use Auto Extract Invoice when you receive an invoice file and do not know its exact format.

It can detect and extract from:

• XRechnung UBL XML.

• XRechnung or ZUGFeRD CII XML.

• ZUGFeRD and Factur-X hybrid PDFs with embedded XML invoice data.

• Normalized invoice JSON created by this package.

For hybrid PDFs, the node follows the official PDF structure first:

• PDF catalog associated files (/AF).

• Embedded file name tree (/EmbeddedFiles).

• File specification embedded-file streams (/EF).

• Decompressed embedded XML streams.

Only if the official path does not produce a standards-based invoice XML does the node fall back to looser invoice-like XML detection for demo or legacy files.

Typical Workflow

1. Add Auto Extract Invoice.

1. Connect your invoice FlowPath to the file input.

1. Run the node.

1. Use the normalized invoice output for downstream processing.

1. Use detection, metadata, and report outputs to decide whether the file needs validation, manual review, or rejection.

Common next steps:

• Send the extracted invoice to Validate EN16931.

• Run Validate XRechnung or Validate ZUGFeRD Profile.

• Generate a readable summary with Invoice Summary.

• Convert to ERP payload or DATEV export.

• Archive the original and structured invoice files.

Node Groups

Read

Read and interpret incoming invoice files.

Important nodes include:

• Auto Extract Invoice

• Read E-Rechnung File

• Detect E-Rechnung Format

• Parse XRechnung UBL

• Parse XRechnung CII

• Parse ZUGFeRD/Factur-X

• Read Invoice Folder

• Extract Invoice Attachments

Write

Create standards-oriented invoice outputs from normalized data.

Important nodes include:

• Build Invoice Document

• Write XRechnung UBL

• Write XRechnung CII

• Write ZUGFeRD/Factur-X

• Write Credit Note

• Write Invoice Correction

• Write Invoice JSON

Validate

Check invoices before sending, booking, or archiving.

Important nodes include:

• Validate Invoice XML

• Validate EN16931

• Validate XRechnung

• Validate Peppol BIS Billing

• Validate ZUGFeRD Profile

• Validate German B2B Readiness

• Validate B2G Requirements

• Validate Invoice Totals

• Validate Leitweg ID

• Validate VAT ID

• Validate IBAN/BIC

Transform And Map

Move invoice data between standards and business systems.

Important nodes include:

• Convert UBL to CII

• Convert CII to UBL

• Invoice to ERP Payload

• ERP Payload to Invoice

• Invoice to CSV

• Invoice to DATEV Export

• Map Supplier Master Data

• Map Buyer Master Data

Review

Support human approval and accounting review.

Important nodes include:

• Invoice Summary

• Render Invoice Preview

• Render Payment Summary

• Render Booking Proposal

• Extract Approval Fields

• Flag Invoice Anomalies

• Compare Invoice XML/PDF

Transport

Connect invoice workflows to delivery channels.

Important nodes include:

• Send Invoice Email

• Fetch Invoices Email

• Send Peppol API

• Receive Peppol API

• Submit Invoice Portal

Some transport nodes are integration hooks. They expose the workflow shape but need host credentials, provider configuration, or a real connector before they can send or receive production data.

Archive And Audit

Create traceable records for compliance and operations.

Important nodes include:

• Archive Original Invoice

• Archive Structured Invoice

• Create Audit Bundle

• Build Retention Metadata

• Check Duplicate Invoice

• Hash Invoice Payload

• Sign Hash Manifest

• Verify Hash Manifest

• Redact Invoice For Logs

Inputs And Outputs

The package uses structured outputs wherever possible:

• invoice: normalized invoice data for downstream nodes.

• raw_document: source file reference plus extracted XML text when requested.

• metadata: format, syntax, profile, and source file information.

• detection: format detection evidence.

• report: validation or extraction status.

Files are always represented as FlowPath. This applies to PDFs, XML files, folders, archives, rendered previews, and export files.

Supported Standards And Formats

Primary support:

• EN 16931 invoice model.

• XRechnung UBL.

• XRechnung CII.

• ZUGFeRD and Factur-X PDF/A-3 containers with embedded CII XML.

• Normalized JSON created by this package.

The parser prioritizes official structures and namespace markers. Fallback parsing exists to make test, demo, and legacy files easier to inspect, but production workflows should use standards-valid XML or hybrid PDFs.

Practical Notes

• Use validation nodes before sending invoices to customers, authorities, or Peppol access points.

• Keep the original invoice file and the extracted structured data for audit workflows.

• Use duplicate checks and hash manifests when invoices enter an archive.

• Do not assume a PDF is an E-Rechnung just because it is visually an invoice. A real hybrid invoice PDF must contain embedded structured XML.

Current Limitations

Some nodes are catalog-level integration points and intentionally return a clear host/provider-required error until the surrounding Flow-Like runtime supplies:

• Official validator services or rule packs.

• Email, Peppol, or portal credentials.

• Production archive, ERP, or provider connectors.

The local lightweight readers and validators are useful for routing, extraction, normalization, and workflow setup. For legal or production acceptance, connect the official validator and transport services required by your organization.