Archive e-invoices from your email automatically – local, no subscription
More and more invoices arrive as structured e-invoices, and most of them come by email. Mail Archive detects XRechnung, ZUGFeRD/Factur-X, Peppol, FatturaPA, KSeF and other European formats in your attachments, shows them in readable form and keeps the original files unchanged on your computer. For your accountant, you export one ZIP file with originals, an overview and checksums.
Available on the Mac from version 1.3. The Windows version with these features is coming soon to the Microsoft Store.
Why e-invoices need a proper home
An e-invoice is not a PDF for the eye but a structured data file, usually XML. Some formats are pure XML (XRechnung, Peppol, FatturaPA), others embed the XML in a PDF (ZUGFeRD, Factur-X). Rules on who must send or receive them, and for how long they must be kept, differ from country to country.
- EU: The VAT in the Digital Age (ViDA) package was adopted on 11 March 2025. Member States may introduce mandatory e-invoicing under certain conditions, and digital reporting based on e-invoices applies to cross-border B2B transactions from 1 July 2030. (European Commission)
- Example Germany: Since 1 January 2025, every domestic business must be able to receive e-invoices; an email inbox is enough for that. Invoices must be kept for eight years, and for an e-invoice at least the structured part must be kept intact in its original form. A printout does not contain that part. In a hybrid invoice, the XML data prevail over the PDF image. (German Federal Ministry of Finance, FAQ, questions 8, 12, 12a and 13, in German)
- Other countries: Requirements and formats vary. A country overview is available from the Berlin Chamber of Commerce (EU country factsheets). Ask your accountant or tax adviser what applies to you.
This page is not legal or tax advice.
From email attachment to invoice archive
Detected automatically
Mail Archive checks attachments by their content, not their file name: XML files, ZUGFeRD and Factur-X PDFs, signed .p7m files and even invoices inside a winmail.dat.
Readable view
Seller, line items, totals, tax and payment details as a clear invoice instead of XML code. Save the XML with one click.
All invoices in one overview
Filter by year, month and status, search by seller. Mark each invoice as “Open” or “Paid” and add a note; a change log keeps track.
Export for your accountant
One ZIP file with all original attachments, a CSV overview for Excel and a file with SHA-256 checksums.
Check integrity
When an invoice is captured, Mail Archive stores a checksum of the file. Later, one click shows whether everything still matches.
Everything stays on your computer
No upload, no cloud. Your invoices don’t leave your computer – unless you connect an AI app yourself (AI access/MCP).
E-invoice formats Mail Archive detects
| Format | Common in | Arrives as |
|---|---|---|
| Peppol BIS (UBL) | cross-border, many EU countries | XML attachment |
| XRechnung (UBL and CII) | Germany | XML attachment |
| ZUGFeRD 2 / Factur-X | Germany, France | PDF with embedded XML |
| ZUGFeRD 1.0 | older invoices | PDF with embedded XML (basic data only) |
| FatturaPA | Italy | XML, also signed as .p7m |
| ebInterface 3.0–6.1 | Austria | XML attachment |
| Facturae 3.x | Spain | XML attachment |
| KSeF FA(1)–FA(3) | Poland | XML attachment |
| ISDOC | Czech Republic, Slovakia | .isdoc or .isdocx |
| eSLOG 2.0 | Slovenia | XML attachment |
Mail Archive shows the data contained in the invoice. It does not validate the invoice technically. Encrypted PDF files cannot be checked for embedded invoices.
Turn on e-invoices
Add an account
When you add an account, there is a switch “Use for e-invoices”. If it is on, Mail Archive checks this account’s attachments. If it is off, the mails are only archived.
Choose existing accounts
For accounts already in your archive, turn the switch on in the account settings. Mail Archive then checks the mails already archived, and every new sync after that.
View an invoice
Detected invoices get an “E-invoice” chip in the mail. One click shows the readable view. You can also open a single XRechnung, Factur-X or Peppol file directly, without any archive.
Overview and export
Under E-invoices you see all invoices. With “Export for tax adviser” you pick a month, quarter, year or custom period and create the ZIP file.
In the EU, EEA, Switzerland and Serbia the feature is on by default. Elsewhere it starts switched off and can be turned on in the settings.
What’s in the ZIP file
- Originals, byte-identical: every invoice file exactly as it arrived by email, named like
2026-03-14_Seller_InvoiceNumber.xmlor.pdf. If the invoice came inside a winmail.dat, the invoice itself sits next to it and the winmail.dat goes to theoriginale/folder. uebersicht.csv: one row per invoice with invoice date, due date, seller, VAT ID, buyer, invoice number, type (invoice/credit note), net, tax, gross, amount payable, currency, buyer reference, format, status, note, file name and SHA-256. The file is laid out for German Excel: semicolon separator, decimal comma, UTF-8 and German column headings.pruefsummen.txt: the SHA-256 checksum of every file in the ZIP, in the commonsha256sumformat, so anyone can trace that nothing was changed.
If a file no longer matches the checksum stored at capture time, or is missing, the overview says so. With Business you can create one ZIP file per month or per quarter.
What each plan includes
| Feature | Free | Pro | Pro Plus | Business |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detect e-invoices | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Readable view, save XML | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Overview with filters | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Export for your accountant (ZIP, CSV, checksums) | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Check integrity | – | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Batch export per month or quarter | – | – | – | ✓ |
| Price | €0 | €14.99 one-time | €39.99 one-time | €129.99 one-time |
All plans are one-time purchases, no subscription, VAT included. See pricing.
What Mail Archive is not
Mail Archive supports keeping your e-invoices: originals stay unchanged and can be traced with checksums. Mail Archive is not a certified archiving system and does not replace tax advice. Keep an additional backup of your archive, for example on an external drive.
Whether your record keeping meets every requirement in your country is best clarified with your accountant. You can hand them the export directly.
Questions about e-invoices
How do I open an XRechnung or Peppol invoice?
These invoices are XML files without a visual part. Open the file directly in Mail Archive, or click the “E-invoice” chip in the mail. The invoice appears in readable form with line items and totals. This works in every plan, including Free.
Is a ZUGFeRD or Factur-X viewer included?
Yes. Mail Archive reads the XML embedded in the PDF and shows it in readable form. You can still open the PDF itself or save the XML separately.
Are all my accounts scanned automatically?
No. You decide per account with the switch “Use for e-invoices”. Accounts without it are only archived.
Does Mail Archive check whether an invoice is correct?
No. It shows the data contained in the invoice and does not validate it. Checking the content is up to you or your bookkeeping.
Can I delete invoices by mistake?
Mail Archive warns you before you delete mails that contain e-invoices. The retention clean-up in Business skips mails with e-invoices; they stay in the archive until you delete them yourself.
Is this a subscription?
No. Detecting and viewing are free. Overview, export and integrity check come with Pro Plus (€39.99) and Business (€129.99), each a one-time purchase.
Mail Archive does more
Your e-invoices, neatly filed
Download Mail Archive for free and detect e-invoices. Overview and accountant export come with Pro Plus and Business.