German freelancers
Freelancers already need to receive compliant structured invoices. An API helps when invoice data comes from custom forms, automation, or internal tooling instead of a desktop invoicing app.
Germany mandate timeline
XRechnung API
German businesses have needed to receive structured e-invoices since January 1, 2025, while issuing deadlines arrive in 2027 for large businesses and 2028 for everyone else.
If you are replacing brittle XML scripts or moving away from factora.software after the June 15, 2026 shutdown, the main risk is producing files that fail validation after they have already entered billing or audit workflows.
XRechnung 4.0 watchValidation endpointBusiness-scoped API keys
01QuoteCash
Generation
POST /api/v1/invoices/xrechnung validates required invoice fields before building XML so incomplete payloads fail early instead of producing unusable output.
02QuoteCash
Validation
POST /api/v1/validate accepts raw XML and returns structured validation feedback so pipelines can reject invalid files before delivery or storage.
03QuoteCash
Access model
Public API access is tied to business-scoped keys, plan quotas, and optional Stripe metered usage reporting when billing metering is enabled.
API details
How QuoteCash handles XRechnung generation
QuoteCash exposes XRechnung generation at POST /api/v1/invoices/xrechnung and validates payloads before building the XML. The route checks mandatory fields such as VAT IDs, issue dates, postal data, and other format-critical invoice attributes.
For existing documents, POST /api/v1/validate accepts XML and returns structured feedback with errors and warnings. That matters more now that XRechnung 4.0 was announced by KoSIT in March 2026, because teams need a repeatable way to catch format drift as EN 16931 changes land.
Access is controlled with database-backed API keys scoped to a business and manageable from the dashboard. Public requests still follow plan-based quotas, and successful API-key calls can also be emitted as Stripe usage records for the active subscription when metering is enabled.
Audience fit
Who is this for?
Belgian SMBs
Cross-border teams can use the same stack when they need German XRechnung output while planning for PEPPOL obligations at home. That reduces the number of invoice rulesets finance teams glue together manually.
SaaS developers
Billing products need deterministic backend generation and validation, not a manual export screen. The route fits checkout, subscription, and ERP sync flows without adding a separate XML layer.
Agencies and resellers
Agencies inheriting compliance deadlines need customer isolation and clear revocation paths. Business-scoped keys are easier to hand over cleanly than shared export credentials.
ERP integrators
Integrators need explicit validation failures and predictable quota behavior. That is easier to operationalize than embedding a one-off XML library inside middleware.
Search intent
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is XRechnung mandatory for small businesses in Germany?
- German businesses have been required to be able to receive structured e-invoices since January 1, 2025. The obligation to issue structured e-invoices starts on January 1, 2027 for large businesses and January 1, 2028 for all businesses.
- What changed with XRechnung 4.0?
- KoSIT announced XRechnung 4.0 in March 2026. The release is based on EN 16931-1:2026, so integrations need to track schema and validation updates closely.
- Can I validate an existing XRechnung XML before sending it?
- Yes. QuoteCash exposes POST /api/v1/validate so you can submit XML for validation and inspect structured feedback before you send or archive the document.
- How do I migrate from factora.software after the shutdown?
- If you used Factora before its dashboard closed on June 15, 2026, the main migration task is replacing generation and validation calls without breaking your billing workflow. QuoteCash provides API-key access for both in one stack.
- How long do electronic invoices need to be stored in Germany?
- Under GoBD, electronic invoices must be stored for 10 years. That makes validation and predictable XML generation important for later audit and retrieval workflows.