A Peppol despatch advice is the structured document used to communicate shipment information after an order is being fulfilled.

In a broader procure-to-pay workflow, it helps connect what was ordered with what was actually shipped.

Why despatch advice matters

For teams that only think about invoices, despatch advice can feel outside the main rollout. But once customers want broader operational visibility, shipment documents become more important.

They help communicate:

  • what has been dispatched
  • quantities and item details
  • shipment timing
  • references that link back to earlier documents

That makes downstream matching and support easier.

A practical takeaway

Despatch advice is part of the document ecosystem that sits around invoicing. Even if it is not a phase-one requirement, it often becomes relevant for customers that want more than basic billing exchange.

If that broader scope matters now, read What Is a Peppol catalogue? , What Is a Peppol order? , What Is a Peppol order response? , and How to support multi-country e-invoicing with one API .