E-invoicing
How to open and read an XRechnung file
An invoice arrives as an .xml file, and double-clicking shows a jumble of angle brackets – or nothing at all. The file isn't broken: it's an XRechnung, Germany's e-invoice format. Here's how to turn it into an invoice you can read, check and file.
Get started: drop the XRechnung or ZUGFeRD PDF into the viewer and read it as a normal invoice. Free, no upload.
Open e-invoiceWhy an XRechnung only shows code
An XRechnung is a pure data file in XML following the European standard EN 16931. It's made for accounting software that reads invoice number, amounts and bank details automatically – not for people. There's no page layout, logo or typography in it.
So your browser or text editor only shows lines like <cbc:PayableAmount currencyID="EUR">994.69</cbc:PayableAmount>. To read the invoice you need a viewer that turns the data back into an invoice view.
The invoice stays with you. The viewer on melon.tools only reads the file in your browser. Names, addresses and bank details are not uploaded.
Open an XRechnung in three steps
- Save the file. Save the e-mail attachment to your computer – it's often named after the invoice number, e.g.
RE-2026-0142.xml. - Open it in the viewer. Drop the file into E-Invoice Viewer. It reads XRechnung in both syntaxes (UBL and CII) plus ZUGFeRD and Factur-X PDFs.
- Read, check, print. The invoice appears with seller, buyer, line items, VAT and bank details. The arithmetic check is on the right. “Print / save as PDF” creates a PDF view.
No file at hand? The viewer has a built-in sample XRechnung.
XRechnung, UBL, CII or ZUGFeRD – drop the file in and read it as a normal invoice.
What's where
EN 16931 gives every invoice field a number (“Business Term”, BT). The viewer translates them into familiar labels:
| In the view | Field | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice number, date | BT-1, BT-2 | As on any invoice |
| Buyer reference / Leitweg-ID | BT-10 | For German public bodies the Leitweg-ID, otherwise often an order number or contact |
| Delivery date / period | BT-72, BT-73/74 | When goods or services were supplied |
| Line items | BG-25 | Quantity, unit (e.g. “h” from the code HUR), unit price, VAT rate, amount |
| VAT per rate | BG-23 | Net amount and VAT per rate, with exemption reason if any |
| Amount due | BT-115 | What should be paid – after deducting prepaid amounts |
| IBAN, BIC, reference | BT-84, BT-86, BT-83 | For the bank transfer |
Attachments such as timesheets or delivery notes can be embedded in an XRechnung. The viewer lists them on the right and downloads them on click.
ZUGFeRD: the PDF with XML inside
Many businesses send a ZUGFeRD or Factur-X invoice instead of plain XML. It looks like a normal PDF but also contains an embedded XML file with the same data. You can open the PDF as usual; you only need the viewer to see or check the structured data.
- The XML is what counts. If PDF view and embedded data differ, the German Ministry of Finance says the XML part prevails.
- MINIMUM and BASIC WL profiles carry no line items and don't count as an e-invoice under German VAT law.
- No XML in the PDF? Then it's a regular PDF invoice, and the viewer tells you so.
Check, pay, keep
- Arithmetic check: the viewer shows whether line items, net, VAT and total add up. It doesn't replace a full validation against the XRechnung rules – that's what the official KoSIT validator does.
- Mandatory details: the seller's tax number or VAT ID, delivery date and VAT breakdown are shown at the bottom and in the details.
- Keep the original: archive the XML file itself. A printout or PDF made from it is a reading aid, not the e-invoice.
Need to issue e-invoices yourself? The e-invoicing in Germany guide covers deadlines and a free way to do it.
Open your XRechnung now
Read XRechnung (UBL, CII) and ZUGFeRD as a normal invoice, check the amounts, print or save as PDF – free, no upload.
Frequently asked questions
How can I open an XRechnung for free?
For example with the E-Invoice Viewer on melon.tools. It runs in your browser, without installation and without upload.
Why does my browser show the XRechnung as code?
An XRechnung is a plain XML file without layout. A viewer translates the data into a readable invoice.
Can I convert the XRechnung to PDF?
For a reading copy, yes: choose “Print / save as PDF” in the viewer. You still have to keep the original XML file.
What's the difference between UBL and CII?
They're two XML syntaxes for the same invoice data. XRechnung allows both, ZUGFeRD uses CII. The viewer reads both.
Is my invoice uploaded?
No. The file is only read in your browser.
Does the viewer check whether the XRechnung is valid?
It checks whether the amounts add up. A full validation against the XRechnung rules is done by the official KoSIT validator.
What is a Leitweg-ID?
It's the routing address of German public bodies for e-invoices and goes in the buyer reference field (BT-10).
Sources
- Questions and answers on e-invoicing, German Federal Ministry of Finance (in German).
- XRechnung, Coordination Office for IT Standards (KoSIT).
- ZUGFeRD, Forum elektronische Rechnung Deutschland (FeRD).
- KoSIT validator – the official validation tool for XRechnung.