The YouInv blog

Expert advice, practical guides and news on e-invoicing, Peppol and the digitalisation of Belgian and European businesses.

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Desk with accounting documents and a laptop

E-invoicing4 min read

E-invoicing in Belgium: what's changing for businesses

A practical guide to e-invoicing for Belgian businesses: the Peppol BIS format, compliance steps, and the mistakes to avoid when making the switch.

10 February 2026Read article

All articles

Accounting10 min read

Balance sheet and income statement of a Belgian SME

Balance sheet and income statement of a Belgian SME explained: assets and liabilities, annual accounts and filing with the Central Balance Sheet Office.

27 August 2026Read article

Hands holding financial documents next to a calculator and laptop, illustrating the preparation of the annual VAT client listing

Compliance & regulation8 min read

The annual VAT client listing in Belgium: how it works

The annual VAT client listing is a yearly obligation in Belgium: who must file it, the 250 EUR threshold, what it contains and how to submit it via Intervat.

26 August 2026Read article

Peppol8 min read

Peppol PINT: the international invoicing model

Peppol PINT explained: OpenPeppol's international invoicing model, its three content layers, and how it relates to Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 and EN 16931.

25 August 2026Read article

Belgian public administration building, illustrating B2G e-invoicing to the public sector

E-invoicing8 min read

B2G e-invoicing in Belgium: invoicing the public sector

B2G e-invoicing in Belgium: who is affected, the public-procurement timeline, the Peppol BIS format and the role of the Mercurius platform.

24 August 2026Read article

Belgian business owner reviewing registration documents at a desk, illustrating the difference between a company number and a VAT number

Compliance & regulation8 min read

Company number vs VAT number in Belgium

Company number or VAT number in Belgium: the difference, their format, when to use each, and how they appear on your invoices and on the Peppol network.

21 August 2026Read article

Accountant working out the VAT to apply on an invoice, illustrating VAT rates in Belgium

Compliance & regulation8 min read

VAT rates in Belgium: 21%, 12%, 6% and 0%

VAT rates in Belgium explained: the 21% standard rate, the 12% intermediate rate, the 6% reduced rate and the zero rate, with examples and their legal basis.

20 August 2026Read article

Purchasing manager reviewing a catalogue and an order on a computer, illustrating Peppol documents beyond the invoice

Peppol8 min read

Peppol documents: the electronic order and catalogue

Beyond the invoice, Peppol documents cover the order, the catalogue and the despatch advice. What they do, how they connect, and what is actually mandatory.

18 August 2026Read article

Business owner reviewing an invoicing document at a desk, illustrating the use of a pro forma invoice

E-invoicing9 min read

The pro forma invoice: what it is for and what it is not

The pro forma invoice explained: what it is for, how it differs from a final invoice, its VAT status, and when to issue one for your business.

17 August 2026Read article

SME owner analysing financial metrics on a dashboard shown on screen

Business management8 min read

SME financial metrics: the 6 numbers to track

The financial metrics that matter for an SME explained: margin, cash, working capital and payment delays, with the formulas and a simple dashboard.

14 August 2026Read article

Self-employed shop owner reviewing invoices, illustrating the VAT franchise scheme for small businesses in Belgium

Accounting8 min read

The VAT franchise scheme in Belgium: threshold and duties

The Belgian VAT franchise scheme explained: the €25,000 threshold, conditions, the duties that remain, and what it changes for a small business's invoicing.

13 August 2026Read article

Accountant checking the VAT on business invoices at a desk

Compliance & regulation8 min read

VAT reverse charge in Belgium: when it applies

The VAT reverse charge in Belgium: when the customer accounts for the VAT instead of the supplier, how to invoice without tax and which mention to add.

12 August 2026Read article

Accountant at a Belgian SME reviewing an e-invoice received through Peppol on a laptop

E-invoicing8 min read

Receiving e-invoices: obligation and setup for Belgian SMEs

Receiving e-invoices in B2B: the Belgian obligation since 2026, who is in scope, and how to set up receiving over the Peppol network.

11 August 2026Read article

Belgian business owner preparing a deposit invoice on a laptop at her desk

Accounting9 min read

The deposit invoice in Belgium: rules and VAT

The deposit invoice in Belgium explained: when to issue it, how VAT on an advance payment works, the mandatory details and the final settlement.

10 August 2026Read article

Belgian accountant completing a periodic VAT return on a laptop at the office

Accounting8 min read

Periodic VAT return in Belgium: deadlines and filing

The periodic VAT return in Belgium explained: monthly and quarterly regimes, filing deadlines through Intervat, payment, and the VAT chain reform.

7 August 2026Read article

Screen showing a data and file structure, illustrating the semantic model of the EN 16931 standard

Compliance & regulation8 min read

The EN 16931 standard: the invoice semantic model

The EN 16931 standard explained: the semantic model of the European e-invoice, its link to UBL 2.1, the CII syntax and Directive 2014/55/EU.

4 August 2026Read article

Person searching a business directory on a screen, illustrating a lookup in the Peppol Directory

Peppol8 min read

The Peppol Directory: check a business on Peppol

The Peppol Directory explained: what this public directory is for, how to check whether a business is connected to Peppol, and what an absence really means.

3 August 2026Read article

Accountant checking an e-invoice on a screen, illustrating the evidential value and integrity of the document

Compliance & regulation8 min read

Evidential value of an e-invoice: the guide

Evidential value of an e-invoice: the three legal guarantees (authenticity, integrity, legibility), the reliable audit trail and the role of Peppol.

31 July 2026Read article

Two company directors in a meeting at a table, illustrating an intra-Community VAT transaction between EU businesses

Compliance & regulation9 min read

Intra-Community VAT: invoicing between EU businesses

Intra-Community VAT: when to invoice without VAT between EU businesses, the exemption conditions, reverse charge and the mentions to put on the invoice.

30 July 2026Read article

Direction signs illustrating the Peppol network directory, the SMP and SML that locate the recipient of an e-invoice

Peppol8 min read

SMP and SML: the Peppol network directory explained

SMP and SML, the Peppol network directory explained: what these two services do, how they locate a recipient and what it changes for you.

29 July 2026Read article

Self-employed professional working on a laptop, illustrating e-invoicing for a small business

E-invoicing7 min read

E-invoicing for the self-employed in Belgium

E-invoicing and the self-employed: who the B2B mandate covers, what changes for a small business and how to get ready without complexity.

27 July 2026Read article

Accountant checking an invoice to correct on a laptop, illustrating how to issue an electronic credit note

E-invoicing8 min read

Electronic credit note: when and how to issue one

Electronic credit note: when to issue one, what it must contain and how it travels over Peppol in UBL 2.1 to correct an invoice you have already sent.

24 July 2026Read article

Network cables plugged into a switch, illustrating the role of a Peppol access point that routes e-invoices

Peppol8 min read

Peppol access point: what it is for

The Peppol access point explained: its real role on the network, its place in the four-corner model, your Belgian identifier and how you connect through it.

16 July 2026Read article

Business owner at a laptop, illustrating how to send an e-invoice over the Peppol network

Product & updates7 min read

Send an invoice via Peppol: a step-by-step guide

Sending an invoice via Peppol in practice: the prerequisites, what happens on the network, delivery confirmation and how YouInv handles it end to end.

7 July 2026Read article

Person organising a billing calendar on a laptop, illustrating recurring billing of subscriptions

Business management8 min read

Recurring billing: automating your subscriptions

Recurring billing: automate your subscriptions, stay compliant with the Belgian Peppol B2B mandate and collect payment automatically via SEPA direct debit.

6 July 2026Read article

Small business owner reviewing cash flow and receipts on a laptop at a desk

Business management8 min read

SME cash flow management: tracking and forecasting

SME cash flow management: how to track receipts, build a reliable forecast, steer working capital and payment terms without nasty surprises.

3 July 2026Read article

Small business owner reviewing overdue invoices at a desk to reduce late payments

Business management8 min read

How to reduce late payments: reminders and best practices

Reduce late payments in Belgium: legal payment terms, an effective reminder plan and automation to protect your SME's cash flow.

2 July 2026Read article

Business person neatly organising accounting receipts and documents on a desk

Accounting8 min read

Archiving electronic invoices in Belgium

Archiving electronic invoices: which format to keep, the seven-year legal retention period and the conditions that give your invoices evidential value.

1 July 2026Read article

Accountant reviewing an invoice and a payment schedule on a laptop in a Belgian office

Accounting7 min read

B2B payment terms in Belgium: what the law says

B2B payment terms in Belgium: what the law of 2 August 2002 requires, the 60-day cap, the 30-day default term and what a late payment costs the debtor.

30 June 2026Read article

Accountant matching bank payments to invoices on a laptop

Accounting8 min read

Bank reconciliation: automating payment matching

Automated bank reconciliation: how structured communication and the CODA file match your payments to your invoices without manual data entry.

29 June 2026Read article

Person sorting through folders of archived invoices on office shelving

Compliance & regulation7 min read

How long to keep invoices in Belgium

How long to keep invoices in Belgium: the ten-year legal retention period, when it starts, the special longer cases, and the rules for archiving e-invoices.

23 June 2026Read article

Person checking the details of an invoice at a desk with a calculator and documents

Compliance & regulation9 min read

Mandatory invoice details in Belgium

Mandatory invoice details in Belgium: the full list, the VAT number rule, the legal basis in the VAT Code and what changes with Peppol e-invoicing.

19 June 2026Read article

European Union flag in front of an institutional building, illustrating the ViDA VAT in the Digital Age reform

Compliance & regulation8 min read

ViDA: VAT in the Digital Age in Europe

ViDA, the EU's VAT in the Digital Age reform: its three pillars, the timeline through 2035 and what it changes for Belgian businesses.

18 June 2026Read article

European institutional building, illustrating Directive 2014/55/EU on e-invoicing in public procurement

Compliance & regulation8 min read

Directive 2014/55/EU: e-invoicing in public procurement

Directive 2014/55/EU explained: what it requires for e-invoicing in public procurement, how it relates to EN 16931 and Peppol, and who it affects.

17 June 2026Read article

Network cables connected to a switch, illustrating the Peppol four-corner model that links two businesses through their access points

Peppol8 min read

The Peppol four-corner model explained simply

The Peppol four-corner model decoded: the role of each corner, how an invoice finds its recipient and what this design changes for you.

16 June 2026Read article

Computer screen showing structured code, illustrating the Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 format of an e-invoice

Peppol8 min read

Peppol BIS Billing 3.0: what the format contains

Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 decoded: what this invoice profile really requires, how it relates to EN 16931 and UBL 2.1, and what it changes for your invoices.

15 June 2026Read article