Receiving e-orders (purchase orders) via Peppol from government organisations and the order flip feature.
In addition to e-invoices, you can also receive e-orders (purchase orders) from government organisations via the Peppol network, as part of the broader e-ordering solution. In practice this already happens in government processes; a well-known historical example is the former STAP scheme, where training providers received e-orders from the UWV.
A government organisation sends an electronic purchase order via Peppol to your eConnect organisation. The order appears in your Inbox and contains all order information: what was ordered, the quantity, the amount and the reference details.
After receiving the order, you can use the order flip feature to create the corresponding invoice in a single click. Order number, lines, product codes and amounts are automatically carried over to the invoice, so you can invoice immediately.
E-ordering and e-invoicing together form the digital procure-to-pay chain. An electronic order can be linked to the corresponding invoice via the OrderReference element in the UBL invoice. That enables three-way matching: the recipient compares the invoice with the order and the goods receipt.
To receive e-orders via Peppol, you need the following:
The Dutch government is working on legislation to mandate e-ordering when invoicing the government: STAP (Standaard Toepassen Aanbestedingspraktijk). This aligns with the European directive on e-procurement. The timeline and exact scope are still being determined.
This STAP legislation is different from the ended UWV STAP scheme mentioned below. Both share the STAP acronym, but cover different topics.
The STAP scheme (Stimulering Arbeidsmarktpositie) was a subsidy programme from the UWV that enabled workers and job seekers to take training courses. Training providers participating in the scheme received purchase orders from the UWV via Peppol and then invoiced via the same route, often using order flip.
Note: the STAP scheme ended on 1 January 2024. The example illustrates how e-orders via Peppol work; similar government processes may follow the same approach.
The Peppol network supports two order profiles:
urn:fdc:peppol.eu:poacc:bis:order_only:3urn:fdc:peppol.eu:poacc:bis:advanced_ordering:3Via the eConnect PSB API, you can also process orders programmatically, including Order Response and handling changes and cancellations. Organisations that already exchange e-invoices via eConnect can add e-ordering without new infrastructure: order messages use the same API, webhooks and SMP registration as invoice messages.
With Order Only you receive the purchase order without sending a confirmation back. With Advanced Ordering there is a full order process: you can accept, reject, change or cancel the order. Via the eConnect PSB API you can process both profiles programmatically.
You need at least a Professional subscription on the eConnect platform, plus sufficient transaction credits for receiving documents and an active Peppol registration that allows you to receive orders.
With the order flip feature you convert a received purchase order into an invoice in a few clicks. The eConnect platform automatically carries over the order data (order number, lines, product codes, amounts), so you only need to review and send.
Want to receive e-orders via Peppol? View the subscription options on the eConnect platform.
Start with e-invoicing