How to open an XRechnung XML file
Updated 2026-10-05
You received an invoice as an .xml file and it opens as a wall of tags. That is normal: XRechnung and other e-invoices are made for software, not for people. Here is how to read them.
Option 1: free online viewer
Upload the file to the einvoicegen viewer. It shows the invoice as a readable document (seller, buyer, line items, VAT, totals, bank details) and checks it against the official XRechnung and EN 16931 rules. It works with:
- XRechnung in CII and UBL syntax
- ZUGFeRD and Factur-X PDFs (the embedded XML is extracted)
- Peppol BIS / EN 16931 UBL invoices
The file is processed in memory and not stored. You can print the result or save it as PDF from your browser.
Option 2: your accounting software
Most current accounting tools can import e-invoices directly. If yours cannot, a viewer is the quickest workaround.
Option 3: a text editor (not recommended)
You can open the XML in any editor and search for the amounts. In CII files, the total due is in DuePayableAmount; in UBL files it is PayableAmount. This is error-prone and does not tell you whether the invoice is valid.
The invoice is "not valid": what now?
The viewer lists every rule the file breaks, with the official rule code (for example BR-DE-15 for a missing buyer reference). Forward the list to the sender and ask for a corrected invoice. Under German rules, an e-invoice with formal errors may need to be reissued before you can deduct input VAT; ask your tax advisor if in doubt.
Need to send an e-invoice?
Create a valid XRechnung and ZUGFeRD invoice in 2 minutes, in English. Free preview, validated with the official KoSIT validator.