How to Convert a PDF Invoice to Factur-X XML

Why Convert PDF Invoices to Factur-X?

If your business operates in France, you are likely already aware of the upcoming B2B e-invoicing mandate set to begin its phased rollout in September 2026. Under this mandate, all businesses issuing invoices in France will need to produce structured electronic invoices — and Factur-X is one of the accepted formats.

Factur-X is a hybrid format: it combines a human-readable PDF with machine-readable CII XML embedded inside a PDF/A-3 container. This makes it particularly practical for businesses transitioning from paper or plain PDF invoicing, because the output still looks and behaves like a normal PDF — but it also contains the structured data that accounting software and government platforms (like Chorus Pro or certified PDPs) need to process the invoice automatically.

InvoicePeppol lets you take an existing PDF invoice and convert it to a fully compliant Factur-X file in minutes. Our AI reads your PDF, extracts all the invoice data, and generates a valid CII XML at the EN 16931 profile level. Here is exactly how the process works.

Step-by-Step: Convert a PDF Invoice to Factur-X

1. Sign up or log in.

   Go to InvoicePeppol and create a free account. If you already have one, log in. You get a number of free conversions each month to test the process before committing to a paid plan.

2. Upload your PDF invoice.

   Navigate to the Convert PDF page and upload your invoice file. The PDF can be in any layout — our AI handles invoices from different accounting systems, ERP exports, and manual templates. There is no need to pre-format the document.

3. AI extracts the invoice data.

   Once the upload completes, our AI reads the entire PDF and extracts all relevant fields: invoice number, issue date, due date, seller and buyer details, line items with quantities and prices, VAT rates, payment information, and totals. This typically takes a few seconds.

4. Review the extracted fields.

   You will see a summary of everything the AI extracted. Check that the seller name, buyer name, VAT numbers, line items, and totals are correct. You can edit any field manually if the AI misread something — this is your chance to catch errors before generating the XML.

5. Select Factur-X as the output format.

   Choose "Factur-X" from the format dropdown. The conversion will generate CII XML at the EN 16931 profile, which is the minimum level required for French regulatory compliance and the level at which Factur-X is identical to ZUGFeRD.

6. Download your Factur-X XML.

   Click the download button to get your compliant CII XML file. You can then submit this file to Chorus Pro (for B2G invoices), upload it to your certified PDP (for B2B invoices under the mandate), or send it directly to your trading partner.

What Is in the Output XML?

The Factur-X XML file you download is a CII (Cross Industry Invoice) XML document following the UN/CEFACT CrossIndustryInvoice schema. At the EN 16931 profile, it contains all the fields required by the European e-invoicing standard:

• Exchange context: Document type, profile indicator, and business process identifier.
• Seller and buyer parties: Names, addresses, VAT numbers, SIRET/SIREN, and contact information.
• Invoice header: Invoice number, issue date, due date, currency code, and payment terms.
• Tax breakdown: VAT amounts grouped by rate, with taxable base and tax amount for each category.
• Line items: Each product or service with description, quantity, unit price, line total, and applicable VAT rate.
• Payment instructions: IBAN, BIC, and payment means code.
• Monetary totals: Net amount, total VAT, and gross payable amount.

In a full Factur-X hybrid file, this XML would be embedded inside a PDF/A-3 container. The XML file InvoicePeppol generates can be used directly for submission to PDPs and Chorus Pro, or embedded into a PDF/A-3 by your document management system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Next Steps

• Factur-X Format Guide — deep dive into the Factur-X standard, profiles, and technical structure
• France E-Invoicing Guide — the full timeline and requirements for the French B2B mandate
• ZUGFeRD Format Guide — the same standard under its German name, with Germany-specific context