DEFINITION
The name used in Germany for the format France calls Factur-X, a PDF with a structured XML file inside. Clivio reads ZUGFeRD invoices from their XML, the same way it reads Factur-X.
One format, two names
Factur-X and ZUGFeRD are published together by the French e-invoicing forum, FNFE-MPE, and its German counterpart, FeRD. Since ZUGFeRD 2, the two specifications are written jointly, and a Factur-X and a recent ZUGFeRD with the same profile are technically equivalent. A German supplier who sends you a ZUGFeRD 2 invoice is, in practice, sending you a Factur-X.
Only some profile names differ. The profile ZUGFeRD calls COMFORT is the one Factur-X calls EN 16931, which holds all the data of the European standard. Whatever the profile, the PDF can show the full invoice, but software only sees what’s in the XML.
The exception: ZUGFeRD 1
The first version, ZUGFeRD 1, uses a different XML schema. It isn’t compatible with Factur-X, and our free reader can’t read it. Clivio itself reads the data of recent ZUGFeRD invoices from their XML, as it does for a Factur-X, and marks them “Factur-X certified data”.
ZUGFeRD in Germany
In Germany, ZUGFeRD sits alongside XRechnung, an XML-only format widely used for invoices to public bodies. To see what a ZUGFeRD or Factur-X file contains, drop it into our free invoice reader: it shows the seller, the amounts, the VAT and the due date in plain language.
Frequently asked questions
Can I open a ZUGFeRD invoice like a normal PDF?
Yes. A ZUGFeRD invoice is a PDF you can read like any other. The structured data sits in an XML file attached inside it, which software reads.
What is the difference between ZUGFeRD and XRechnung?
ZUGFeRD is a hybrid format: a readable PDF with XML inside. XRechnung is XML only, with no page layout, and is widely used for invoices to German public bodies.
Further reading
Read an invoiceCreate a Factur-X invoice