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Dictionary

This page explains the terminologies used in the documentation.

Access Point (AP)​

An access point is a facilitator that can be used to send and receive messages in for example Peppol or other channels. Both the sender and receiver of a document use an access point. You can think of it as a mailserver.

Channel​

A channel is a delivery network that eCourier uses to exchange documents. eCourier supports Peppol (European and international) and NemHandel (Denmark only). See PEPPOL and NemHandel.

Company​

A company is a legal entity that can have multiple participants.

CVR​

CVR (Centrale Virksomhedsregister) is the Danish Central Business Register company number. It is commonly used as a recipient identifier on NemHandel and in Peppol schemes such as DK:CVR.

Document​

A document is a structured business message exchanged through eCourier (for example an invoice). In the documentation and API, “document” and “message” mean the same thing unless stated otherwise.

E-invoicing​

E-invoicing (electronic invoicing) means sending and receiving invoices as structured electronic documents via networks such as Peppol or NemHandel, instead of informal channels like e-mail PDFs. The main difference between electronic invoicing and classic invoicing is that the files are machine-readable and structured consistently in XML indstead of a PDF or similar.

EAN invoice​

EAN invoice is an informal term—often used in Denmark and the Nordics—for electronic invoices delivered through networks like Peppol. It is not the same as a retail EAN barcode number; addressing on Peppol typically uses schemes such as GLN, VAT, or national identifiers.

EAN number​

EAN number is an older name for the organisation identifier that is now standardised and referred to as GLN (Global Location Number) in Peppol and NemHandel addressing. If you see “EAN number” in legacy materials, treat it as the same role as a GLN for network routing.

Endpoint identifier​

An endpoint identifier is how a participant is addressed on a channel: an identifier scheme (for example GLN, DK:CVR) plus the value (the actual number or code). In eCourier, participants are configured with the scheme and value expected by Peppol or NemHandel.

GLN​

GLN (Global Location Number) is a GS1 identifier (ISO 6523 ICD 0088) used as a Peppol and NemHandel endpoint identifier for many organisations.

OIOUBL​

OIOUBL (OIO Universal Business Language) is the Danish XML standard for electronic business documents. NemHandel uses OIOUBL; see NemHandel.

Participant​

A participant is an address on a channel that can send or receive documents (messages). To exchange a document, your trading partner must have a participant as well; that participant may be registered at any access point—not necessarily eCourier. You can think of a participant like an e-mail address or phone number: a stable identity that is reachable network-wide on Peppol or NemHandel, independent of which provider hosts it.

In the eCourier platform, a company can have multiple participants.

Peppol BIS​

Peppol BIS (Business Interoperability Specifications) defines the XML document formats used on the Peppol network—for example Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 for invoices. See PEPPOL.

Test mode and Live mode​

Test mode routes traffic to test networks; messages are not legally binding production traffic. Live mode uses production Peppol and NemHandel networks; documents are treated as real, legally relevant exchanges. See Test vs. Live mode.