Switch Peppol Access Point without losing receive
Checklist for migrating Belgian Peppol Access Point providers while keeping your participant ID and inbound capability, plus dual-run pitfalls.
Updated
Switching a Peppol Access Point means moving send and receive to a new certified gateway while keeping the same participant ID. For a Belgian company that ID stays 0208: plus the ten-digit enterprise number. Suppliers keep addressing the same identity; only the SMP publication behind the directory changes.
Example
Atelier Nord leaves provider A on Friday after inbound F2026-088 lands in the new inbox. Lookup still shows 0208:0123456789 with BIS Billing on provider B. Outbound F2026-089 delivers to a cooperative customer. Old API keys are revoked the same day.
What must stay the same
Your Peppol participant ID for a Belgian company is normally 0208: + your ten-digit KBO/BCE number. Switching Access Point (AP) should not invent a new identity. Suppliers keep sending to the same ID; only the gateway behind the directory changes.
What changes is who publishes your SMP metadata and who operates send/receive. Background: Peppol Access Point and Peppol registration in Belgium.
| Keep | Migrate / reconfigure |
|---|---|
Participant ID (0208:…) | Which certified AP owns SMP publication |
| Legal entity and VAT data | Outbound credentials in your invoicing tool |
| Invoice numbering sequences | Inbound inbox / API / archive connection |
| Supplier-facing Peppol ID message | Support contacts and monitoring |
Migration checklist
- Inventory current publication. Confirm which AP currently advertises your ID and BIS Billing receive. Run participant lookup and save the result.
- Contract cutover with both providers. Agree who deregisters, who registers, and the exact switch window. Two APs must not claim the same participant ID at once.
- Prepare the new AP. Complete KYC/onboarding, certificates, and product integration (send + receive) before directory cutover.
- Point software at the new AP. Update endpoints/API keys; keep the old lane read-only until inbound is proven.
- Cutover SMP/SML. Old AP withdraws; new AP publishes. Expect short DNS/metadata propagation delay.
- Verify receive. Ask a supplier (or the new AP’s test helper) to send a real inbound invoice to your ID. Confirm it lands in the inbound inbox.
- Verify send. One controlled outbound to a cooperative customer; check delivery status.
- Tell suppliers only if the ID changed (it usually should not). If tooling URLs or portals change, update your share Peppol ID note.
- AP cutover
The coordinated moment when SMP metadata for your participant ID moves from the old Access Point to the new one so lookups route to the new receive endpoint.
Dual-run pitfalls
| Pitfall | Why it hurts | Safer habit |
|---|---|---|
| Two APs published for one ID | Lookups fail or split; invoices bounce | Exclusive ownership of the participant ID |
| Old AP still “live” for send | Staff send from the wrong product; dual sequences | Disable outbound on the old tool the same day |
| Receive unpublished during gap | Silent empty inbox; suppliers keep emailing PDFs | Minimise gap; monitor lookup every hour around cutover |
| Assuming ID stays without checking | Wrong scheme or entity registered at new AP | Lookup 0208 + ten digits after go-live |
| Migrating mid-month without freeze | Lost delivery statuses and open rejects | Freeze non-urgent sends for a short window |
Done when
- Lookup shows your ID with BIS Billing on the new AP
- At least one inbound and one outbound production document succeeded
- Old AP credentials revoked and no second publication remains
- Finance knows which inbox is authoritative
FAQ
Does switching Access Point change my Peppol ID?
No. Keep 0208: plus your ten-digit enterprise number. Only the gateway that publishes SMP metadata changes.
Can two Access Points publish the same ID?
No. Exclusive ownership of the participant ID. Dual publication splits lookups and bounces invoices.
What is the silent risk in a switch?
Outbound often works first. Inbound fails quietly when SMP still points at the old Access Point or receive is unpublished.
When should I tell suppliers?
Only if the participant ID or legal entity changed. If the ID is unchanged, say so and note that only the technical endpoint moved.
When is the switch done?
Lookup shows BIS Billing on the new Access Point, one inbound and one outbound production document succeeded, and old credentials are revoked.