Recurring invoices and Peppol in Belgium
Run Belgian subscriptions and retainers on Peppol: fresh invoice numbers each cycle, re-check participant lookup drift, and use credit notes for plan changes.
Updated
- Belgium
Recurring invoices in Belgium are still separate Peppol invoices: a new number each cycle, current amounts, and a fresh buyer lookup at send time. Last month’s delivered invoice is not reused.
One job: treat each cycle as a new Peppol invoice
Subscriptions, retainers, and monthly service fees feel automatic, but Peppol does not bill “the same invoice again”. Each period is a new structured invoice: new number, current amounts, current buyer identity, and a fresh send through your Access Point.
This article covers recurring ops under Peppol. For document roles, see invoice vs credit note vs quote. For numbering discipline, see invoice numbering in Belgium.
What must be new every cycle
| Field / step | Recurring rule | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice number | Always a new number in sequence | Sent Peppol invoices are immutable; reuse breaks auditors and AP |
| Issue date / period | Reflect the billing period | Buyer matching and VAT timing |
| Amounts and VAT | Rebuild from current plan | Price changes and regime must match reality |
| Buyer Peppol ID | Resolve at send time | Access Point or entity can change |
| Payment reference | Keep or rotate per your cash process | OGM can stay stable if that is your rule (OGM guide) |
Do not edit a delivered monthly invoice and resend it. If August was wrong, leave August and correct with a Peppol credit note, then issue a new invoice if a replacement charge remains.
Lookup drift on long-running contracts
A customer who was reachable in January can fail in July after an Access Point migration, KBO change, or withdrawn SMP. Build lookup into the recurring job, not only into onboarding.
Practical cadence:
- First send - full participant lookup (scheme 0208, BIS Billing).
- Every cycle - let the Access Point resolve again; treat “not found” as a hard stop.
- On failure - re-verify the enterprise number with the customer; do not burn the next invoice number on blind retries.
- After legal-entity change - update master data before the next scheduled send (client not on Peppol if they are temporarily unreachable).
- Lookup drift
When a previously valid Peppol participant ID stops resolving (or loses BIS Billing capability) while your subscription schedule still assumes last month's routing.
Plan changes: upgrade, downgrade, cancel
| Change | Peppol move |
|---|---|
| Price increase from next period | Next cycle invoice uses the new amount; no credit needed for past periods already accepted |
| Mid-period downgrade with refund | Credit note for the delta (billing reference to the paid invoice), then continue next cycle at the new price |
| Full cancel after invoice sent | Full or partial credit note; stop the schedule; do not void by editing XML |
| Wrong VAT or wrong buyer ID on a run | Credit the bad invoice; fix master data; issue a correct new invoice |
Automation should generate CreditNote documents with the same seriousness as invoices. Informal “pay less next month” emails leave the Peppol open item wrong.
Recurring Peppol checklist
- Schedule creates a new invoice each period (never clones a sent document ID).
- Numbering stays continuous and unique (numbering rules).
- Lookup / routing is checked before each send.
- Plan changes use referenced credit notes, not silent amount tweaks.
- Archive each structured original with its delivery status.
- Revisit VAT category if the service mix changes (VAT regimes).
Worked example
Studio Berg pays 120 EUR net per month. January leaves as F2026-0101, February as F2026-0134 (new number, fresh lookup). Mid-March they downgrade to 80 EUR with a refund of the overcharge: CN-2026-0020 references F2026-0134, then April leaves as F2026-0160 at 80 EUR. Reusing F2026-0101 every month would break the Peppol trail.
FAQ
Can I resend the same Peppol invoice every month?
No. Each cycle is a new invoice with a new number. Peppol does not rebill a document already delivered.
Must the invoice number change each period?
Yes. The series stays continuous. Cloning last month’s number breaks audit and AP matching.
Why does lookup fail after months of success?
Access Point change, KBO change, or withdrawn publication. Resolve identity at every send, not only at onboarding.
How do I handle a mid-period downgrade?
Credit note for the delta on the invoice already sent, then the next cycle at the new price.
Must the OGM change every month?
Not necessarily. You can keep a stable reference or generate one per invoice. Do not invent a second OGM for the same open balance.
Is an email saying “pay less next month” enough?
No. The Peppol open item stays wrong. You need a referenced structured credit note.