Write your first invoice, step by step

An invoice bills a supply of goods or services under § 14 (1) of the German VAT Act (UStG). For a regular invoice, § 14 (4) UStG lists the required details: names and addresses of issuer and recipient, the issuer's tax number or VAT ID, the date of issue, a sequential invoice number, quantity and kind of supply, the supply date when it differs from the issue date, the amount, and the tax breakdown or a note that an exemption applies.

Small businesses under § 19 UStG use the shorter list in § 34a of the VAT Implementing Regulation (UStDV): names and addresses, a tax number, VAT ID, or small-business ID, the issue date, quantity and kind of supply, the amount as a single sum, and a note that the small-business exemption applies. A sequential number and the supply date are not on that minimum list, though both remain good practice and Jupiter ERP still issues numbers from your range.

Neither § 14 nor § 34a requires bank details. They are usual so the customer can pay. Whether the small-business exemption fits your turnover and situation is a question for your tax advisor. Chambers of commerce overviews of mandatory fields (linked in the sources) help you check the list; they do not replace the statute or advice on special cases such as reverse charge or intra-EU supplies.

New accounts start with a 14-day trial: the full product, no credit card, and no automatic charge. During the trial the documented limits include 25 documents and 10 contacts. Use that window to finish first steps and send a real PDF once, so you know the flow before Free limits apply.

First steps asks for the company, tax treatment, documents, and a number range. Small businesses choose § 19 UStG there. New line items then start at 0% VAT, and the § 19 note is printed on the invoice. Add the customer as a contact, or import contacts from a CSV file. Enter the line, amount, and due date, and check the PDF preview before you send.

Setup turns the e-invoice on by default. The PDF then contains ZUGFeRD 2.x with the EN 16931 profile. You can open a received structured file in the public e-invoice viewer without an account to see how the data looks on the other side.

After the trial you stay on Free if you do not choose a paid plan: 5 documents per month, invoices only, 10 contacts, 1 user, 100 MB storage, plus text templates, tasks, and time tracking. Quotes start at Basic. Credit notes follow the paid document ladder with Basic. The cash-basis profit statement and DATEV export start at Business. Dunning starts at Enterprise.

Five documents per month is enough for many founders who invoice a few customers. If you need quotes in the same system, plan for Basic or use the trial to test the full document chain. Free is not a cut-down 'demo forever' of every module; it is a lasting €0 invoice tier with hard caps.

ZUGFeRD in the PDF remains available when e-invoicing is enabled, including on Free. Filing incoming e-invoices as expense receipts in the panel starts at Business. The viewer on the website stays usable without login for reading files you already have.

Under § 34a UStDV the invoice shows a single sum and a note that the small-business exemption under § 19 UStG applies. Do not print a tax rate and tax amount on those supplies. Do not deduct input VAT as a small business. If you later switch to regular taxation, the document rules and e-invoice issuing duties change with that status; confirm the switch date with your advisor.

Small businesses must still be able to receive structured e-invoices from domestic business suppliers. Issuing an other invoice (for example paper or a PDF without structure) can remain allowed for § 19 supplies under § 34a sentence 4 UStDV even after the general issuing transition ends. Customers can still ask for a structured invoice when the statute does not yet require it. Agree the format early so payment is not delayed.

Jupiter ERP applies the tax treatment you set. It does not verify whether your prior-year turnover keeps you inside the exemption. Treat the product as the drafting tool, and treat the advisor as the eligibility check.

Incomplete addresses, a missing tax number, and a reused invoice number are the classic failures. Fill master data once in first steps, then reuse it. Preview the PDF every time until the layout feels familiar. If you claim an e-invoice, open the file in a viewer that shows the XML, not only the visual page.

Do not invent a number outside the range. Do not edit a locked document by silently replacing a PDF in a folder. If you need a correction, use a credit note or a new invoice according to your advisor's process. Keep bank details in master data so SEPA payers see an IBAN without typing it into every document.

This article is orientation. Special regimes, foreign customers, and construction withholding belong with your tax advisor. The linked UStG text, IHK field overview, ministry e-invoice FAQ, and FeRD ZUGFeRD pages are the public starting points when you want to read the primary sources yourself.