Question 1

How do I create an account?

Accepted Answer

Go to invoicing.estica.be and click "Create your account". You'll need your VAT number to set up your company profile. Estica retrieves your company details automatically from the official register.

Question 2

Is a subscription required to send invoices?

Accepted Answer

Yes. To send invoices via Peppol, an active Plus Subscription is required. If you work with a mandate company that uses Estica, they may assign a Plus Seat to you — in that case no action is needed on your end. Otherwise, purchase a Plus Subscription directly from your account settings.

Question 3

Is Estica only for Belgian companies?

Accepted Answer

No. Estica is built for the Belgian market and is particularly relevant given Belgium's Peppol e-invoicing mandate, but it is not limited to Belgian companies. Any company invoicing Belgian contractors, or contractors working for Belgian firms, can use Estica.

Question 4

Does Estica receive Peppol invoices as well?

Accepted Answer

No. Estica handles outgoing Peppol invoices only — invoices you send to your clients. For receiving incoming Peppol invoices from your own suppliers, use your accounting software or contact your accountant. Most accounting tools have a dedicated Peppol receiving inbox.

Question 5

Do I need to register separately for Peppol?

Accepted Answer

No. Estica handles your Peppol access and delivery automatically. You create an account, set up your invoices, and Estica sends them via the Peppol network on your behalf.

Question 6

How does the mandate system work?

Accepted Answer

The contractor initiates the mandate. They go to Contacts in their Estica account, search for the firm by name or VAT number, and send a mandate request. The firm must have an active mandate subscription before the contractor can find them. Once the firm accepts, they can manage invoice details (amount, timing, reimbursable costs) and review before invoices go out. The invoice is technically issued by the contractor and delivered via Peppol to the firm.

Question 7

Who sends the invoice under a mandate — the contractor or the firm?

Accepted Answer

The contractor. A mandate gives the firm the ability to manage invoice details and timing, but the invoice is legally and technically issued by the contractor. The firm receives it in their Peppol inbox. This is different from self-billing, where the firm is the invoicing party.

Question 8

Does the contractor lose control of their invoices?

Accepted Answer

No. The contractor retains full visibility of all their invoices at any time. They can also issue additional invoices or credit notes independently of the mandate.

Question 9

Can a contractor work with multiple firms?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A contractor can grant mandates to multiple companies. Each mandate is managed separately — the mandate only covers invoicing between that contractor and that specific firm. It does not give the firm access to invoices for the contractor's other clients.

Question 10

What does the firm need to receive mandates?

Accepted Answer

The firm must have an active Mandate subscription in Estica. Without it, contractors cannot find them in the system and cannot send a mandate request.

Question 11

What is self-billing?

Accepted Answer

Self-billing is a VAT arrangement where the client (the firm) issues the invoice in the contractor's name, rather than the contractor issuing it themselves. This is legally distinct from the mandate system. Under a mandate, the contractor is still the invoicing party. Under self-billing, the firm is. Belgian VAT law requires a prior written agreement between both parties before self-billing can take place (Circulaire AAFisc nr. 53/2013).

Question 12

What is the difference between a mandate and self-billing?

Accepted Answer

With a mandate: the contractor sends the invoice to the firm — the firm manages the details. Invoice flows contractor → firm via Peppol. With self-billing: the firm issues the invoice in the contractor's name. Invoice flows firm → contractor via Peppol. These are two legally distinct situations with different VAT treatment and different required mentions on the invoice.

Question 13

What mentions are required on a self-billing invoice?

Accepted Answer

Self-billing invoices must carry the mention "invoice issued by the customer" to be VAT-compliant. If the VAT reverse charge applies (e.g. for lawyer employees under Circulaire AAFisc nr. 47/2013), the relevant legal reference must also be included. Estica supports both standard and reverse-charge self-billing.

Question 14

Can a contractor set up self-billing without their own Estica account?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in a true self-billing arrangement. The firm can create a "self-biller" contact directly — the contractor does not need to create their own Estica account in this case. This is only available for actual self-billing arrangements, not for standard mandate-based invoicing.

Question 15

Who receives the self-billing invoice via Peppol?

Accepted Answer

In a self-billing setup, the contractor receives the invoice in their Peppol inbox. The firm creates and sends it, but it is addressed to and received by the contractor.

Question 16

Can I send a credit note?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Credit notes can be issued at any time, by the contractor or by the firm managing the mandate. They are generated in the correct format and sent via Peppol.

Question 17

What about expense reimbursements?

Accepted Answer

Reimbursable expenses can be added to any invoice. They are tracked separately and included automatically in the invoice total. The mandate company can add costs on the contractor's behalf.

Question 18

What format are invoices sent in?

Accepted Answer

Invoices are sent in UBL 2.1 XML format via the Peppol network. This is the correct format for Belgian B2B e-invoicing compliance.

Question 19

What's the difference between Invoicing Plus and the Mandate plan?

Accepted Answer

Invoicing Plus (€6/month) is for self-employed professionals who manage their own invoicing or accept mandates from a firm. The Mandate plan (€50/month) is for companies that want to receive mandates from contractors and manage their invoicing flow centrally. Plus Seats for contractors are purchased separately by the mandate company.

Question 20

What happens if I send more than 10 invoices per month?

Accepted Answer

Each plan includes 10 invoices per month. Additional invoices are charged at €0.10 each. Usage resets on the first day of every month.

Question 21

Can the mandate company provide a subscription to their contractors?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Mandate companies can purchase Plus Seats and assign them to their contractors. A seat is tied to a specific mandated user. If the contractor already has their own active Plus Subscription, no seat needs to be assigned.

Frequently asked questions

Getting started

Mandates

Self-billing

Invoicing & features

Pricing & plans