Why a customer is not findable on Peppol
When a Belgian trading partner does not appear in the Peppol Directory or in-app lookup: publication delay, wrong ID, incomplete receive, and what to ask their provider.
Updated
The problem in plain language
You (or a supplier) search the Peppol Directory or use your product's "verify recipient" action. The enterprise number looks correct, yet the party is not findable, or findable without invoice receive. That blocks structured send before any UBL file is checked.
Being "on Peppol" means your Access Point published you so others can discover the ID and send invoices. A signed contract alone is not enough if publication is unfinished, delayed, or incomplete.
What "findable" actually means
| Check | Pass looks like |
|---|---|
| Right ID | Scheme 0208 + ten-digit KBO/BCE (with leading zeros) |
| Directory / in-app hit | Participant appears in production tools |
| Invoice receive live | Billing / invoice receive is listed, not send-only |
| Credit notes too (if needed) | Credit note receive published as well |
| Production, not sandbox | Live partners can route; test-only listings do not count |
Day-to-day verify steps: participant lookup. Invoice versus credit note capabilities: Peppol BIS Billing profile.
Why someone does not show up
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Not found minutes or hours after signup | Provider still publishing; Directory lag | Ask them to confirm publish done; retry later |
| Not found days later | Wrong number, never published, or withdrawn | Align 0208 digits; ask their Access Point to confirm live listing |
| Found, no invoice receive | Send-only or incomplete go-live | Ask them to enable receive for invoices |
| Worked yesterday, fails today | Access Point switch or listing removed | Contact their provider; re-run lookup |
| You find them in test tools only | Sandbox versus production mix-up | Repeat the check with production Directory / live verify |
A miss here is a routing gap, not proof that the invoice content is invalid. If they truly are not registered yet, follow client not on Peppol.
Checklist for Belgian SMEs
- Confirm the enterprise number (ten digits, scheme 0208) with the customer.
- Search Directory and your product's verify action; note date and result.
- If they registered recently, wait for publication and retry later before changing process.
- Ask: "Is invoice receive published in production by your Access Point?"
- After they confirm, look them up again, then send.
- When you must be findable for suppliers, verify yourself and share the pack: Share your Peppol ID.
Related reading
Treat "not findable" as a publication or identity issue first. Retry after the provider confirms publish; do not assume the network permanently refuses the customer.