ZUGFeRD is a hybrid electronic-invoice format developed in Germany by the Forum elektronische Rechnung Deutschland (FeRD). Like the French Factur-X, it combines in a single file a human-readable PDF/A-3 and an embedded structured XML file that can be processed directly by accounting and management software.
First published in 2014, ZUGFeRD provided the basis for the Franco-German convergence that gave rise to Factur-X. The hybrid approach meets a transitional need: less-equipped companies continue simply reading the PDF, while information systems automate processing thanks to the XML, without forcing an abrupt change of tooling.
From their 2.0 and then 2.1 versions onward, ZUGFeRD and Factur-X have been technically aligned: they share the same data profiles based on the European standard EN 16931 and the UN/CEFACT CII (Cross Industry Invoice) syntax. Several profiles coexist, from the simplest to the richest (MINIMUM, BASIC, EN 16931, EXTENDED), depending on the level of detail of the structured data to be carried.
In practical terms, a ZUGFeRD invoice received from a German supplier can be imported without re-entry, while remaining readable like a conventional PDF invoice. For a French company dealing with German-speaking partners, understanding ZUGFeRD makes cross-border interoperability easier. eyeot's invoicing relies on the Factur-X format, the French equivalent that is directly compatible with the ZUGFeRD ecosystem.