Peppol, short for Pan-European Public Procurement On-Line, is the system that enables companies and public administrations across different countries to exchange documents, data, and electronic invoices through a certified and secure network. Over the years, this network has been adopted globally for the transmission of business and administrative documents between companies in different nations, as well as between these and public authorities. Today, Peppol covers the entire e-procurement process and is used by nearly 1.5 million companies in 98 registered countries. While Peppol is fast becoming the standard solution for B2G (Business-to-Government) invoicing, its B2B use cases, especially in Italy, are still relatively uncommon.

Here we present the Azerouno case, showcasing how the company uses A-Cube’s Peppol APIs to manage the document exchange cycle among suppliers who use its ERP software—and beyond.

We spoke with Luca Peirotti, founder and CEO of Azerouno S.r.l.

Can you give us a brief overview of Azerouno—your industry, size, and B2B transaction volume?
Azerouno is a forward-looking software house founded in 2004. We were already talking about Industry 4.0 back in 2008, when we launched Concept/TIME, a solution for time tracking and production progress monitoring on the shop floor. Over the years, we’ve specialized in creating advanced, reliable, and easy-to-use software for the metalworking, carpentry, and sheet metal industries.

Our strength lies in anticipating change—embracing challenges, identifying new solutions, and imagining the factory of tomorrow. We operate from two locations (Cuneo and Padua), serve around 650 clients across Italy, and have approximately 10,000 daily users of our applications.

Why did you choose a B2B Peppol network for document exchange?
The idea came from direct experience. Azerouno has always grown through word of mouth and customer satisfaction—our clients are our best ambassadors. Many of them recommend our ERP to their suppliers, explaining how they use it and helping us acquire new users. Since many of our clients collaborate in networked supply chains, they often asked: “Why not develop a system to manage Excel, PDF, or technical and commercial document exchanges automatically? We’re doing this via email—can’t it be automated?”

That’s where the idea came from: creating a server-based data exchange solution using a standardized format. Our goal was to enable structured document exchange within the supply chain processes for Concept users. However, since we adopted an open standard, the solution can easily be extended to scenarios where parties use third-party ERPs such as SAP or Microsoft Business Central.

What’s the most common use case for this solution?
Our goal is to digitize the entire process—from request for quotation (RFQ) to delivery note (DDT)—eliminating manual data entry and the errors caused by email and PDF-based management.

In a typical flow, the production department generates a purchase request, which becomes a purchase order sent to the supplier through the Peppol network. The supplier’s software automatically receives the coded documents, including any attached technical drawings. Inside our ERP, Concept, the user receives the request and, with one click, can generate the quotation, create the items, and send the quote through the Peppol network.

The supplier then receives a priced order and can generate and send back the order confirmation through the same network, including details such as production times, planned delivery dates, and status updates. When the goods are ready, a notification is sent to indicate order fulfillment. Currently, this happens via an email notification module, but it will soon be replaced by a Peppol message.

At the time of shipment, the delivery note (DDT) is generated, uploaded into the digital documents, and thus completes the RFQ–DDT cycle. Finally, the supplier issues the invoice, automatically pre-filled with data from the order. The buyer receives it and the system reconciles it automatically—closing the loop.

What challenges did you encounter while developing this solution?
The exchange of documents won’t take place only between users of our ERP, Concept, but potentially with any external software. Some fields within the Peppol standard naturally require interpretation and proper mapping to ensure accurate alignment between different platforms. We did come across a few issues in this area, which we resolved by referring to the official documentation. Our goal is to release the solution by the end of the year so we can begin testing it in real-world contexts.

These features also open the door for your clients to Europe, don’t they?
Absolutely. Any client enabled to send and receive this type of order will have their own identifier and officially become part of the Peppol network. This means they’ll already be ready to exchange documents with customers and suppliers across Europe—and anywhere else this standard is being adopted. It also aligns with the ViDA directive (VAT in the Digital Age), the reform introduced by the European Commission to modernize VAT management in the digital economy and increase the traceability and transparency of international financial operations.

How was your experience integrating A-Cube’s Peppol APIs?
It was very straightforward. The technical documentation provided was exceptionally clear and comprehensive. We were already familiar with the quality of A-Cube’s solutions, since Azerouno has been a client since 2018, when we first integrated their e-invoicing APIs.

Discover more:
Azerouno’s website
A-Cube Peppol API