Most people expect PEPPOL registration to be complicated. It isn't — at least, not on DEMFACT. This is the exact sequence to send your first Belgian PEPPOL invoice, timed on a fresh account.
Before you start
You need three things:
- Your Belgian VAT number (format BE0XXX.XXX.XXX or BE1XXX.XXX.XXX)
- Your client's VAT number (or PEPPOL ID if it's a public administration)
- The amount and description of what you're invoicing
Total time: 4–6 minutes for a first-timer, less than 2 minutes for every invoice after.
Step 1: Create your DEMFACT account (60 seconds)
Go to demfact.com/register. Enter your name, email, choose a password. Confirm your email with the 6-digit code sent to your inbox.
No credit card is required to create the account.
Step 2: Add your company (90 seconds)
Click "Add company" and enter:
- Company name (as registered at the KBO/BCE)
- Legal form (BV/SRL, VOF/SNC, NV/SA, or Independent)
- Your Belgian VAT number
- Address (street, number, postal code, city)
- IBAN (optional but recommended for invoice footer)
Click "Validate VAT" — DEMFACT queries the EU VIES database in real time. If everything matches, you get a green check.
PEPPOL registration happens automatically the moment your VAT is validated. You do not need to fill out any additional form or contact any authority.
Step 3: Add your first client (45 seconds)
Click "Clients → Add client". For a Belgian business client:
- Type: Business
- Enter their VAT number — DEMFACT auto-fills the name and address from VIES
- Their PEPPOL ID is auto-generated (format: 0208:BE + VAT number)
Save. This client is now available in every future invoice.
Step 4: Create the invoice (2 minutes)
Click "New invoice". Select your company, select the client. Add one or more lines:
- Description (free text)
- Quantity
- Unit price
- VAT rate (usually 21% — DEMFACT auto-applies reverse-charge if applicable)
The total is calculated automatically. You can preview the PDF before sending.
Step 5: Send via PEPPOL (10 seconds)
Click "Send via PEPPOL". That's it. DEMFACT wraps the invoice into a UBL 2.1 XML file compliant with CIUS-BE and PINT profiles, transmits it through the PEPPOL network, and returns a delivery confirmation.
The client receives the invoice in their own PEPPOL-enabled software. Your dashboard shows the status update from "sent" to "delivered" within seconds.
What if the client isn't PEPPOL-enabled yet?
DEMFACT checks this before you send. If the client isn't on PEPPOL, you get a clear message and the option to send via email (with the same PDF attached). No wasted credit.
What comes after
Every invoice you send is:
- Archived automatically (PDF + PEPPOL XML) for the required 7 years
- Trackable — you see when it's delivered and when it's paid
- Downloadable — you or your accountant can pull the PDF at any moment
Once your first invoice lands in "delivered", the second one takes 90 seconds. The client is already saved, your company is already set up. It's essentially: pick client, add lines, send.
Send your first PEPPOL invoice Understand pay-per-invoice pricing →