What is a GLN number?

GLN stands for ‘Global Location Number’ and is a unique 13-digit code. You can use it to uniquely identify a company, location or specific department of a company. GLN numbers are already widely used in logistics, but are now also appearing in e-invoicing. You can also send an e-invoice via Peppol to a customer with a GLN number.

Why is a GLN number used?

In Belgium, a VAT number is a unique identifier for a business. But what if your company has several specific departments that, for example, manage/receive their own deliveries, invoicing, ...? In such a case your VAT or company number does not work as an identifier. A GLN number can then be assigned as an ‘extra identification layer’. Example: a hospital group with one VAT number that assigns a unique GLN number to each of its departments/sites. This way an e-invoice can be sent straight to the right department. 

How do you get a GLN number?

As a company, you have to request GLN numbers via the GS1 online platform. Because there is only one point where you can activate such a number, the GLN number is internationally standardised. It is always unique and is recognised worldwide.

How can you use a GLN number for e-invoicing?

A business entity must be known on the Peppol network via a unique Peppol address, your Peppol ID. Such an address or identifier always consists of two parts: a scheme and an id.

A Peppol Identifier Scheme refers to the type of data. Examples of schemes are Belgian company numbers (KBO), Belgian VAT numbers, Dutch VAT numbers, Dutch KVK numbers, and so on. Schemes can be indicated with either a numeric notation or a text notation. For example, the scheme code for a Belgian VAT number is “BE:VAT”, and the corresponding numeric code is “9925”. Depending on the application, either notation or both together can be used.

The actual “identifier” within a scheme is a unique code per company for that scheme. For example: the VAT number of Company A is BE0123456789. The notation “SCHEME:IDENTIFIER” is often used, which is then simply called “the identifier”. For Company A this would be, for example, “9925:BE0123456789”.

Besides the common scheme for VAT or company number, you can also have a Peppol Identifier based on your GLN number. In that case your Peppol ID is composed as follows:

• Scheme: 0088
• Identifier: (for example:) 0847973000005
• The Peppol ID then becomes “0088:0847973000005”

As a company with a GLN number

Just because your department has a GLN number does not mean that this number automatically acts as an active Peppol Identifier! To use a GLN number for sending and receiving via Peppol, you must actively register it with your chosen Peppol Access Point. The Access Point then publishes your GLN number in the Peppol Directory: from that moment your GLN number can be used as a digital address for e-invoicing.

onFact is a Certified Peppol Access Point: so via onFact you can also have your GLN number registered for Peppol.

As a business that wants to invoice a customer with a GLN number

When you create an invoice in onFact, the software automatically detects whether your customer can be found on the Peppol network based on their VAT or company number. For GLN numbers, however, there is no automatic detection, because these numbers can only be looked up via the GS1 database. To send an invoice via Peppol to a GLN number, your customer must therefore explicitly communicate their GLN number.

Do you know your customer's GLN number? Then you can easily set it in onFact as the preferred address for Peppol delivery. On this manual page you can read how to easily set a GLN address for your customer. When you create an invoice for this customer in the future, onFact will automatically suggest sending via the GLN number.