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PPF Electronic invoicing: everything you need to know about the Public Billing Portal and its alternatives
PPF Electronic invoicing: everything you need to know about the Public Billing Portal and its alternatives
Temps de lecture : 4 minutes
Initially planned as the free solution for issuing and receiving electronic invoices, the Public Billing Portal (PPF) was finally abandoned in 2024. Nevertheless, the reform of electronic invoicing in France continues: all companies will have to be ready to send and receive dematerialized invoices between 2026 and 2028. What does the end of the PPF mean for your company? What alternatives do you have to implement? We take stock.
Sommaire
What exactly was the PPF?
Le Public Billing Portal (PPF) was at the heart of the French government's strategy to generalize the electronic invoicing . Imagined as a free, public tool was designed to simplify compliance for companies, particularly TPE and PME with new tax obligations.
Le PPF was to enable all structures, whatever their size or technical resources, to manage their electronic invoices ensure the tax data transfer administration, and to guarantee traceability transactions.
A public platform at the heart of the reform
Le PPF was presented as the technical foundation the reform of electronic invoicing in France.
Its role was to ensure comprehensive access to electronic invoicing, by giving all companies the opportunity to issue and receive electronic invoices at no extra cost.
Designed by AIFE (Agence pour l'Informatique Financière de l'État) and supervised by the DGFiP the Public Billing Portal was to facilitate the transition of smaller companies often less equipped with digital solutions.
PPF features
Beyond its centralizing role the PPF had to offer several essential features:
L' issuing and receiving electronic invoices in the formats imposed by the reform: Factur-X , UBL or CII .
La automatic transmission of tax data (e-reporting) to the tax authorities, making it possible to pre-filling of VAT returns and a reducing tax fraud .
La centralized exchanges via a national directory listing all French companies, to facilitate the routing of invoices to the right destination.
Le PPF was to become a key tool to ensure conformity and fluidity of the electronic invoicing in France.
Why has the Public Billing Portal been abandoned?
The PPF was intended to enable all French companies, including VSEs and SMEs, to switch to electronic invoicing at no extra cost.
It was to receive, issue and e-report invoices to the tax authorities. But the project was officially abandoned in October 2024.
Official reasons
The Ministry of the Economy explains that the private ecosystem Partner Dematerialization Platforms (PDP) is sufficiently mature to take over.
Over 70 PDPs have already been registered or are in the process of being validated.
They offer comprehensive solutions Our solutions are tailored to all company sizes, and offer advanced services (ERP integration, automation, payment tracking).
A complex and costly project
The development of the PPF technical difficulties : interoperability with PDPs, management of millions of transactions per day, data security.
These constraints have generated delays and significant additional costs . Faced with these obstacles, the government chose to focus on regulating PDPs and maintaining the central business directory.
What does this mean for French companies?
L' abandoning the Public Billing Portal (PPF) does not call into question the reform of the electronic invoicing . All VAT-registered companies must be prepared to comply with the VAT regulations. new framework imposed by the tax authorities.
The obligation remains unchanged
Le official reform timetable is maintained, despite the disappearance of the PPF as a billing solution. Visit electronic invoicing is gradually becoming mandatory for all French companies.
September 1, 2026 all companies will have to be able to receive electronic invoices whatever their size.
September 1, 2027 obligation to issue electronic invoices for PME and micro-companies .
Visit large companies and ETI will have to start the emission from 2026 .
Even without PPF the reform is continuing and imposes complete dematerialization B2B and B2G exchanges.
The obligation to use a private PDP
In the absence of Public Billing Portal all companies will have to go through a compulsory Partner Dematerialization Platform (PDP) approved.
These platforms ensure transmission of electronic invoices the e-reporting tax data and the legal archiving .
They offer services adapted to all company sizes, but they also represent an additional cost especially for TPE and micro-companies who were initially due to benefit from a free with the PPF .
Visit TPE will have to equip themselves with a billing software compatible with a PDP or opt directly for a offers PDP simplified.
What are the alternatives to PPF for electronic invoicing?
With the abandonment of the Public Billing Portal (PPF), French companies have to find other solutions to meet their electronic invoicing obligations from 2026.
The reform remains in force, and Partner dematerialization platforms (PDP) are becoming essential for issuing, receiving and transmitting electronic invoices. Some companies, particularly those working with public bodies will continue to use Chorus Pro for their B2G exchanges.
Partner Dematerialization Platforms (PDP)
Visit PDP are private, state-approved platforms that are taking over from the PPF in the reform.
They provide emission the reception the transmission and the archiving of electronic invoices between companies, while guaranteeing the e-reporting tax data to the tax authorities.
Each PDP must :
Be certified by the DGFiP.
Support all three official formats : Factur-X , UBL , CII .
Ensuring traceability and the integrity invoices.
Offer complementary services such as ERP integration the payment tracking and the secure archiving (minimum 6 years).
Example: A B2B SME will have to choose a PDP to transmit its invoices to its customers and carry out e-reporting.
The case of Chorus Pro for public invoices (B2G)
Even after the PPF the portail Chorus Pro remains the mandatory platform for transmitting electronic invoicing to public authorities (B2G transactions).
Since 2020, Chorus Pro has been used by all companies working with public customers local authorities, hospitals, ministries, etc.
This portal allows you to file , follow and manage B2G invoices, guaranteeing compliance with reform standards.
For these public invoices, nothing changes: the use of Chorus Pro remains mandatory and independent of the PDP system.
Example: A service company invoicing a town hall should continue to use Chorus Pro even if it chooses a PDP for its other private customers.
How to choose the right solution after abandoning the PPF?
With the abandonment of the Public Billing Portal all companies are now required to equip themselves with a Partner Dematerialization Platform (PDP) approved. But between the technical complexity, the varied offers and the sometimes opaque pricing, it's hard to find your way around.
Criteria for choosing a PDP
Before choosing a solution, it is essential to check a few basic points:
Compliance with imposed formats Factur-X, UBL, CII. Without these, it's impossible to be in good standing.
Integration with your management tools Whether you use an ERP system or simple billing software, PDP should facilitate your exchanges, not complicate them.
Price list Many incumbents charge a lot for services that are not always suitable for VSEs/SMEs. Watch out for hidden fees and complex subscriptions.
Customer support Important in the event of problems with invoice transmission or tax obligations.
Examples of solutions available on the market
Some players, such as Sage or Cegid offers, mainly aimed at large companies. These solutions are comprehensive, but often cumbersome to set up and costly This can be a hindrance for smaller structures.
Other players such as Pennylane are aimed at medium-sized businesses, but regularly add paying options or require specific integrations.
At Hero we've kept things simple: one turnkey solution , compliant with legal requirements without unnecessary extra cost. Designed for SMEs, VSEs and the self-employed It allows you to issue, receive and archive your electronic invoices in just a few clicks, with an easy-to-use interface. tarif transparent .
Open a free accountHeropay supports you in electronic invoicing
The abandonment of Public Billing Portal (PPF) does not stop the reform, but complicates the transition for many companies. At Heropay we decided to propose a solution progressive , simple and accessible to all professionals.
Our goal: supporting you through the entire e-invoicing chain step by step.
What we do for you :
June - July 2025 : possibility issue electronic invoices directly from your Heropay account. Simple, compliant, without tearing your hair out over the format (Factur-X, UBL or CII).
Summer 2025 : receipt and payment of your electronic supplier invoices via Hero. You centralize everything from a single interface, with a complete overview of your cash flows.
September - October 2025 launch of our financing solutions . You can finance your electronic invoices directly via Hero to improve your cash flow without going through a traditional bank.
Late 2025 connection to PDP partner network to ensure the transmission of your invoices to the authorities and your partners, in compliance with the official government directory.
2026 : Heropay devient Partner Dematerialization Platform (PDP) for complete management of your invoices, from filing to archiving, including e-reporting and transmission.
