Dear Odoo Team,

I am currently using the Odoo Online Free Plan. I understand that Odoo Online technically runs on the Enterprise edition, but the Free plan comes with functional restrictions and no paid license.

I would like to request that structured electronic invoicing (EN 16931 compliant formats, such as XRechnung and ZUGFeRD) be made available in the Free plan, at least as a basic export functionality for legal compliance.

Regulatory Context (Germany & EU)

• In Germany, structured e-invoicing (XRechnung / EN 16931 compliant formats) is already mandatory for public authorities and mandatory for domestic B2B transactions as of 2026. Traditional PDF invoices are no longer sufficient.

• At the EU level, Directive 2014/55/EU mandates EN 16931 compliant electronic invoices for public procurement across all member states. Many EU countries are also expanding mandatory B2B e-invoicing under VAT digitalization initiatives (ViDA).

Structured e-invoicing is therefore no longer a premium feature — it is a legal requirement.

Issue with the Free Plan

While advanced automation, integrations, and full EDI frameworks belong in paid plans, the ability to generate legally compliant invoice formats is fundamentally different.

Without this functionality in the Free plan:

• The system is effectively unusable for small businesses in Germany

• Its practical use across the EU is limited

• The Free plan becomes unsuitable for real commercial activity, restricting it mainly to private or experimental use

This is particularly concerning because startups and freelancers — the typical users of the Free plan — are exactly the group most affected by new e-invoicing mandates.

Historical Context

I am aware that in Odoo version 17, there was a brief capability to export an XRechnung (XML) file. However, this functionality disappeared in the following version, which has made legal compliance with structured e-invoicing more difficult for small businesses using the Free plan.

I am curious if there is a specific reason this feature has not been reinstated in the Free plan — is it primarily a strategic decision due to the broad user base of Odoo, or simply not considered a priority?

Request

I respectfully suggest:

• Enable basic EN 16931 compliant XML export (XRechnung / ZUGFeRD basic profile)

• Without advanced EDI automation

• Purely as a compliance feature

This would ensure that Odoo Online Free remains legally usable for small businesses in Germany and across the EU, while still preserving the added value of paid Enterprise plans.

Thank you for your consideration.

Version: Odoo Online Free Plan (runs on Enterprise code, functional restrictions apply, no paid license) – Odoo 19.0+e (Enterprise-Edition)