Glossary for DMS, e-invoicing and document processes

Accounts payable, also called the AP workflow, covers the entire process from accepting an incoming invoice through to archiving: capture, checking, approval and posting. Digitized accounts payable automates capture and pre-checking, while approval stays with your team; that reduces idle time, errors and manual effort.

AP workflow is short for accounts payable workflow, the digitized handling of incoming invoices: capture, classification, plausibility checking, approval by your team and handover to the finance system. In OXS.eco this sequence is configured as a workflow per customer, see accounts payable.

An audit trail means the system automatically records who did what with a document and when, from creation through changes and access to forwarding or deletion. The log cannot be altered afterwards. In a DMS context, the audit trail is central to demonstrating evidence to auditors and authorities.

Audit-proof archiving means that documents are retained unalterably, completely, traceably and for the legally prescribed duration. GoBD, HGB and AO define the exact requirements, including retention periods of 6, 8 or 10 years depending on the document type.

A digital case file bundles all documents belonging to one customer, case, project or supplier in one central place. Unlike a folder structure, the digital case file offers versioning, full-text search, role-based access and links to workflows.

The digital mailroom bundles all incoming documents from the various channels (e-mail, scan, upload, SFTP) in one central place. Documents are classified automatically and assigned to the right case, clerk or workflow.

A document management system (DMS) is software for the structured capture, filing, search and processing of digital documents. OXS.eco combines DMS functions with workflows, digital case files, e-invoicing and audit-proof archiving in one platform.

Document type mapping assigns incoming documents to a defined document type (incoming invoice, delivery note, contract, dunning letter, claim document, etc.). This classification is the basis for the downstream workflows: which fields are extracted? Which approval path applies? Which ERP interface receives the handover? OXS.eco learns the mapping per tenant from training examples.

An e-invoice contains structured, machine-readable invoice data, unlike a PDF, which is only readable visually. The relevant German formats are XRechnung and ZUGFeRD. Since 1 January 2025, domestic companies have had to be able to receive e-invoices in B2B business; the obligation to send them applies, after transition periods, from 2028 at the latest (§ 27 (38) UStG).

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is the standardized electronic exchange of business documents between systems, typically purchase orders, delivery notes and invoices. Common standards are EDIFACT and ANSI X12.

EDIFACT is the international standard for electronic data interchange in business (UN/EDIFACT). In logistics and freight forwarding, EDIFACT is often used for orders, dispatch advices and freight documents.

Migration of an existing DMS (typically ELO or d.velop) to a new platform. The critical points are: taking over file structures and metadata, preserving the audit trail (retention obligation), mapping permissions, and proving completeness to auditors. MAAS plans migrations of existing archives on a project basis, with an custom quote.

EN 16931 is the European standard that defines the semantic model for electronic invoices. It specifies which data fields (buyer, seller, amounts, taxes, payment terms) a conforming e-invoice has to contain. XRechnung and ZUGFeRD are based on this standard. EN 16931 is the foundation of the German 2025 e-invoicing mandate.

Factur-X is the French name for the hybrid e-invoice format ZUGFeRD: a PDF/A-3 with embedded structured XML. Both terms denote the same format and are used synonymously at European level.

Full-text search lets you search all contents of a document archive, not only by file name or metadata but by any term in the document text. It requires OCR-based text recognition for scanned documents.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) governs how personal data is handled in the EU. The parts relevant to document processes are above all retention periods, deletion obligations, the right of access and the protection of special categories of data (Art. 9).

The GoBD (German principles for the proper keeping and retention of books, records and documents in electronic form and for data access) define how companies have to retain tax-relevant documents digitally. The core principles are immutability, traceability, completeness and access protection.

Indexing is the capture of metadata for a document (for example document type, date, sender, invoice number) so that it can later be found quickly and assigned automatically. OCR provides the basis for automatic indexing.

The invoice register (German: Rechnungseingangsbuch) is a chronological, gap-free register of all incoming invoices, with date of receipt, sender, amount and status. It supports the GoBD requirement for complete and orderly capture and helps you demonstrate in a Betriebsprüfung that no incoming invoice is missing. In OXS.eco the Invoice Register is an optional module (REB): it keeps the register automatically, classifies invoices, extracts the fields and prepares the account assignment.

The journal entry workflow describes the path from the checked voucher to the coded journal entry in the finance system (for example Diamant). Based on supplier, document type and history, OXS.eco proposes an account and a cost center; once your team has approved it, the journal entry is handed over in structured form. Important: a proposal is not a posting. The final posting happens in the finance system.

Metadata is structured information about a document (for example creation date, document type, author, invoice number or file reference). It is the basis for full-text search, automatic assignment, deadlines and the audit trail.

Multi-tenant software can manage several organizational units (sites, subsidiaries, departments) in one instance, while data and access rights stay strictly separated. Relevant for companies with several locations or group structures.

Optical character recognition (OCR) converts scanned documents and image files into searchable, machine-processable text. In a DMS context, OCR is the basis for automatic indexing, invoice recognition and full-text search.

OCR confidence is a probability value (typically 0 to 100 %) that text recognition returns for each extracted field. A high value means the field was recognized with certainty, a low one means it was uncertain. Low confidence values indicate which fields your team should check specifically.

The Onlinezugangsgesetz (OZG) obliges federal, state and municipal authorities to make administrative services available digitally. For document processes in public authorities, this means building inbound, processing and archiving steps that run fully digitally.

PEPPOL (Pan-European Public Procurement On-Line) is a European network for the secure electronic exchange of business documents, e-invoices in particular. In Germany, PEPPOL is one of the transmission routes through which public sector contracting authorities accept XRechnung invoices.

A REST API is a standardized programming interface through which systems can exchange data and documents automatically. OXS.eco offers a REST API for integration into ERP, TMS, CRM and accounting systems.

The retention period defines how long companies have to keep business-relevant documents. In Germany the periods are 6 years (business correspondence), 8 years (accounting vouchers and invoices, since 2025) or 10 years (books and annual financial statements) under § 147 AO and § 257 HGB. Personal data carries additional deletion obligations from the GDPR. In OXS.eco you can store periods per document type; reminders for expiring periods are configurable, and your team makes the deletion decision.

The three-way match is a checking method in accounts payable: the incoming invoice is reconciled against the purchase order and the goods receipt note. Quantities, prices and terms have to match. If all three agree, the responsible team approves the invoice. Common in wholesale and manufacturing; it surfaces incorrect deliveries, price differences and unauthorized orders.

The Verfahrensdokumentation describes in a traceable way how tax-relevant documents are captured, processed, archived and deleted. It is required by the GoBD (margin no. 151 ff.) and is one of the records regularly requested in a Betriebsprüfung, the German tax audit. The documentation covers system architecture, process descriptions, the permission model, retention and deletion rules, and contingency and migration plans. For the product-related parts (system description, permissions, archiving), MAAS provides documentation on OXS.eco within the project.

A digital workflow controls the structured course of a task (for example the multi-stage approval of an incoming invoice). It defines responsibilities, sequences, deadlines and escalation rules, and replaces manual forwarding by e-mail.

XRechnung is the German standard for e-invoices in public procurement, based on the European standard DIN EN 16931. The format is purely structured XML, without an embedded PDF. In B2B, XRechnung has been usable as an admissible format since the 2025 e-invoicing mandate; in B2G (public sector) it is largely mandatory.

ZUGFeRD is a hybrid e-invoice format: a PDF/A-3 for visual viewing with embedded XML for machine processing. It combines human readability with structured data for systems and counts as an e-invoice in Germany from version 2.0.1 onwards, with the exception of the MINIMUM and BASIC-WL profiles.