What Peppol is and how Access Points work
Lesson 12 of 22 6 min read
The Peppol network in plain terms, the role of an Access Point, the Live and Test networks, and where Peppol stands in the UK.
Peppol often comes up when a public-sector body, or a large customer, asks for invoices "in e-invoice format". This lesson explains what Peppol is, how documents travel across it, and what Supply Lens does as your Access Point, so you can answer that request with confidence.
Peppol in one paragraph
Peppol (Pan-European Public Procurement Online) is a network that lets businesses and government bodies exchange electronic documents such as invoices, orders and catalogues, securely and in a standard way. Instead of each pair of companies agreeing their own format and connection (as with retail EDI), everyone on Peppol uses the same document standards and the same network.
How is that different from EDI?
| Retail EDI | Peppol | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets the format | Each retailer, in its own specification | The Peppol standards, shared by everyone |
| How you connect | A separate route per retailer (VAN, SFTP, AS2, API) | One registration through an Access Point |
| How a partner finds you | Codes exchanged during onboarding | Your Peppol Participant ID |
| Typical use | Retailer orders, despatch advices, invoices | Invoices and credit notes, also orders |
Access Points
You don't connect to Peppol directly. An Access Point is a certified, secure gateway that connects a business to the Peppol network. To register as a Peppol Participant you must connect through an accredited Access Point provider, and Supply Lens is one.
Your invoice leaves Supply Lens, crosses the network, and is delivered to the buyer through whichever Access Point they've chosen. You don't need to know which provider they use: the network finds them from their Participant ID.
Live and Test networks
Peppol has two networks, and every message in Supply Lens is marked with the one it used:
| Live | The live Peppol network (SML). Real documents to real trading partners. |
|---|---|
| Test | The test network (SMK). For trying messages out without sending them for real. |
You choose the network each time you create or upload a message.
Is Peppol mandatory in the UK?
Not currently. But many public-sector bodies accept or prefer Peppol documents, and adoption continues to grow across industries.
What if my customer isn't on Peppol?
You can still send them documents, just not through the Peppol network. Supply Lens offers alternative delivery methods; talk to the customer success team about the options.
Meet Ashby Joinery
Ashby Joinery makes bespoke fitted furniture and has just won a contract to refit a county council's library branches. The council's accounts team tells Ashby they prefer to receive invoices over Peppol. Ashby has no EDI experience and no developers. They already have a Supply Lens organisation, so they decide to use Supply Lens as their Access Point. We'll follow Ashby through the rest of the course.
Recap
- Peppol is a shared network for exchanging electronic documents like invoices, orders and catalogues.
- Unlike retail EDI, everyone uses the same standards, and you connect once.
- You join through an accredited Access Point, and Supply Lens is one.
- Messages go over the Live network (SML) or the Test network (SMK), chosen per message.
- Peppol isn't mandatory in the UK today, but many public bodies accept or prefer it; non-Peppol customers need another delivery method.
Quick guides for this topic
Your progress is saved in this browser. Create a free account to keep it everywhere, take quizzes and earn certificates.