Convert PDF invoices to XRechnung automatically – without replacing your ERP
PEDIF converts recurring PDF invoices from ERP, billing and legacy systems into structured, validated XRechnung data. Keep your existing invoice process while PEDIF adds XRechnung output, validation and handoff to the required target workflow.
How PDF to XRechnung works with PEDIF
Not "upload a PDF and hope", but a defined workflow for recognition, structure, validation and controlled handoff.
Keep creating PDF invoices
Your ERP, billing or specialist application continues generating the familiar PDF invoice.
Recognize and map invoice data
PEDIF processes recurring invoice layouts configured and tested for automation, including header, line-item, tax, total and reference data.
Create XRechnung data
The identified invoice data is mapped into the structured fields required for the agreed XRechnung output.
Validate the XRechnung
The generated output is checked for format, mandatory fields, calculations and agreed recipient/process rules before release.
Deliver to the target process
The validated XRechnung is passed to the agreed ERP, EDI, portal, interface or transmission workflow.
XRechnung is an E-Invoice – but not every E-Invoice is an XRechnung
E-Invoice is the broader category for structured electronic invoices. XRechnung is a German structured invoice specification based on EN 16931. A recipient may specifically require XRechnung, while another workflow may use a suitable ZUGFeRD/Factur-X profile or another compliant structured format. PEDIF first clarifies the required format, recipient requirements, validation rules and transmission process before the PDF workflow is automated.
What data does XRechnung need?
Missing mandatory data cannot be invented by conversion. It must come from the PDF, the source system or another reliable data source. Typical data includes:
- Invoice number
- Invoice date
- Seller and buyer data
- Invoice line items
- Quantities and units
- Prices and discounts
- Tax information
- Net, tax and gross totals
- Payment information
- Purchase-order or contract references
- Delivery or service references
- Recipient-specific references
Business meaning matters
OCR can read visible characters, but XRechnung needs their business meaning. A value such as 1,250.00 may be a unit price, net total, tax amount or gross total. A date may mean invoice date, delivery date, service date or due date.
PEDIF therefore combines document recognition with field logic, mapping rules, validation and exception handling instead of treating the PDF as plain text.
Leitweg-ID and XRechnung
The Leitweg-ID is primarily used to identify and address invoice recipients in German public administration and route an e-invoice to the responsible downstream authority system. It is particularly relevant in workflows for the German federal administration.
Not every B2B XRechnung automatically requires a Leitweg-ID. The exact requirement depends on the recipient, transmission route and process rules. Before conversion, the target workflow therefore needs to define which recipient references are mandatory.
What PEDIF checks first
technical format and structure
required version/profile
mandatory invoice fields
mathematical consistency and totals
tax logic
buyer, seller, order and contract references
recipient-specific requirements
exception handling before release
Automate PDF to XRechnung instead of converting every invoice manually
For a single invoice, a manual online converter may be enough. If your systems generate tens, hundreds or thousands of recurring PDFs, the real question is different: how do you turn conversion into a repeatable, controlled workflow?
Manual one-off converter
A typical flow is: upload PDF, review extracted fields, add missing information and download XML. For occasional invoices, this can be the simplest and most economical option.
Single or rare invoices
Manual review for each document
Download as the endpoint
Automated PEDIF workflow
Relevant when ERP, billing or specialist systems continuously generate PDFs and a defined structured target output is required.
Recurring approved layouts
Defined field and validation rules
Validation before handoff
Review path for exceptions
Handoff to ERP, EDI, portal, interface or other target process
PDF to XRechnung Without ERP Integration or Changing the Invoicing System
If your ERP, billing or legacy application reliably creates PDF invoices but cannot generate the required XRechnung output, you do not necessarily need to replace the source system.
PEDIF can add a structured output layer to the existing process: the PDF remains the familiar source document, relevant invoice data is mapped into XRechnung, the result is validated and the structured output is passed to the agreed downstream process.
This is particularly relevant for legacy applications, subsidiaries, specialist billing systems and EDI exceptions that continue to produce recurring PDFs.
Typical starting point
ERP reliably creates PDF, but not the required XRechnung output
Multiple invoice sources or subsidiaries
Existing EDI does not cover every partner or exception
Customers require different formats and references
Finance wants to avoid manual re-entry
IT wants to avoid an unnecessary migration project
XRechnung or ZUGFeRD?
The right choice depends on the recipient, B2B/B2G context, required profile/version, target systems, submission route and human-readability needs.
XRechnung
A structured XML-based invoice standard. It is especially relevant where the recipient explicitly requires XRechnung, public-sector rules apply, or the target process expects a pure structured dataset.
ZUGFeRD / Factur-X
A hybrid format that combines a readable PDF/A-3 representation with embedded structured XML invoice data. It can be useful when people still need a familiar invoice view while systems also need structured data.
FAQ
Fit check, not a blanket promise
Is your PDF workflow suitable for XRechnung?
Show PEDIF representative PDF invoices and the intended target workflow. The important factors are recurring layout, available mandatory data, recipient requirements, validation and the desired downstream handoff.
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