ERPAG e-Invoice: (Active Norway EHF Invoice)

Mastering E-Invoicing: A Guide to Norway EHF Compliance in ERPAG

In the landscape of modern digital trade, transitioning to electronic invoicing is no longer optional for businesses seeking efficiency and regulatory alignment. For companies operating within the Norwegian market, implementing the Norway EHF (Electronic Commerce Format) via the PEPPOL network is a critical step toward standardizing financial operations.

Background: The PEPPOL and EHF Standard

The primary driver for implementing e-invoicing is to ensure compliance with the PEPPOL Billing standard, a global framework designed to streamline electronic procurement. By utilizing the UBL (Universal Business Language) standard, businesses can generate structured XML files that automate data exchange between different accounting systems. In Norway, this is specifically adapted through the EHF standard, which requires precise data fields for tax, payment validation, and regional legal compliance.

Instructions for Sending an e-Invoice (Norway EHF Invoice) via the At Work Systems PEPPOL Access Point Service

To send an e-invoice, it is first necessary to configure the basic mandatory parameters in EPRAG to ensure compliance with the PEPPOL Billing standard, as well as to set up the credentials used to access the At Work Systems API service.

The following three related plugins need to be installed in your database to enable e-invoice generation:

1. PEPPOL Billing – UBL Generator
2. Norway PEPPOL Billing
3. At Work Systems – PEPPOL Access Point service
   

Each of the listed plugins has a specific function that makes the entire e-invoice creation process possible:

1. The PEPPOL Billing – UBL Generator plugin generates the XML file according to the UBL standard.
2. The Norway PEPPOL Billing plugin sends the necessary data to the UBL generator, as well as additional data required to comply with the Norway EHF standard.
3. The At Work Systems – PEPPOL Access Point service plugin verifies the validity of the entered credentials and retrieves a token. It then sends the generated XML file using the obtained token.

Filling in the Required Parameters

From the main menu, select the “Automatization Customization” option and click the “Custom Parameters” button.

Click Edit to enable entering the required data, and after entering the information, click Save.

The “Bank Account Number” field is mandatory. Here, you enter the bank account number to which your customers will make payments based on the issued e-invoices.

This information is required in accordance with the PEPPOL Billing standard and will appear in the PaymentMeans section of the XML file.

The next configuration step involves aligning the units of measure defined in the ERPAG product and services list with the UN/ECE standard.

From the main menu, select the “Administration” option and then click the “UOM Code Comparison List” button.

The UOM Code Comparison List form is initially empty. It is necessary to define all units of measure that you use in ERPAG and match them with the UN/ECE standard unit of measure codes (Note: in ERPAG, we have named the UN/ECE UOM list PEPPOL UOM).

To speed up the process and avoid accidentally skipping any units of measure, simply click the “Import ERPAG UOM’s” button, and the list will be populated automatically.

Confirm the execution of the import script, and after that you will receive a list as shown in the image.

Note: In the future, if you have new units of measure in ERPAG, simply click the “Import ERPAG UOM’s” button again, and the new units will appear in the list while the existing ones will remain configured as before.

As you can see, the unit of measure pcs appears twice, once as Pcs and once as psc. This is because they were defined that way in the ERPAG product and service list.

This is not a problem, but you will need to assign the same PEPPOL UOM code to both entries.

Now it is necessary to assign a PEPPOL UOM code to each individual unit of measure.

Click on the Key of an individual unit of measure, and a new form will open. Click the Edit button to enable selecting the appropriate PEPPOL UOM code.

In the PEPPOL UOM field, enter part of the word you want to use to search the entire list, and then select the appropriate code.

Since the UN/ECE standard currently includes more than 2,160 units of measure (and the number is growing), you must determine for yourself which UOM code to use. For example, for the unit of measure BOX, there are 27 different codes that provide more precise descriptions of the unit.

Finally, once you have finished defining all units of measure, you will get a list like the one shown in the image (which is provided as an example).

The basic configuration is now complete, and you are ready to create an e-invoice (Norway EHF invoice).

Creating an e-invoice

For correct e-invoice creation, it is necessary to have a TAX number recorded for each customer to whom you are sending an e-invoice. This is one of the mandatory pieces of information required for the e-invoice to pass validation.

The next requirement is that the Sales Order must be in the Invoiced status.

So, if the Sales Order is Invoiced, simply click the EHF Invoice – Send EHF Invoice button, and ERPAG will generate an XML file in the PEPPOL standard and send it to the At Work Systems PEPPOL Access Point service.

If the e-invoice is sent successfully, you will receive a “Success” message. However, if there is an error in the At Work Systems service (as occurred during testing), you will receive the exact text of the error message.

Note: ERPAG cannot determine whether the e-invoice is being sent to all your customers or only to specific ones. For now, this decision remains with the operator.