> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.arc.cdata.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# ZUGFeRD Connector

> Configuration and usage guide for the CData Arc ZUGFeRD connector.

export const SlasTab = ({siteName = "CData Arc"}) => <>
    <p><em>Settings related to configuring Service Level Agreements (SLAs).</em></p>
    <p>
      SLAs enable you to configure the volume you expect connectors in your flow to send or receive, and to set the time frame in which you expect that volume to be met. {siteName} sends emails to warn the user when an SLA is not met, and marks the SLA as <em>At Risk</em>, which means that if the SLA is not met soon, it will be marked as <em>Violated</em>. This gives the user an opportunity to step in and determine the reasons the SLA is not being met, and to take appropriate actions. If the SLA is still not met at the end of the at-risk time period, the SLA is marked as violated, and the user is notified again.
    </p>
    <p>
      To define an SLA, toggle <strong>Expected Volume</strong> on, then click the <strong>Settings</strong> tab.
    </p>
    <img src="/public/images/sla_empty.png" alt="SLA Empty" />
    <ul>
      <li>If your connector has separate send and receive actions, use the radio buttons to specify which direction the SLA pertains to.</li>
      <li>In the <strong>Expect at least</strong> portion of the window:
        <ul>
          <li>Set the minimum number of transactions you expect to be processed (the volume)</li>
          <li>Use the <strong>Every</strong> fields to specify the time frame</li>
          <li>Indicate when the SLA should go into effect. If you choose <strong>Starting on</strong>, complete the date and time fields.</li>
          <li>Check the boxes for the days of the week that you want the SLA to be in effect. Use the dropdown to choose <strong>Everyday</strong> if necessary.</li>
        </ul>
      </li>
      <li>In the <strong>Set status to 'At Risk'</strong> portion of the window, specify when the SLA should be marked as at risk.
        <ul>
          <li>By default, notifications are not sent until an SLA is in violation. To change that, check <strong>Send an 'At Risk' notification</strong>.</li>
        </ul>
      </li>
    </ul>
    <p>
      The following example shows an SLA configured for a connector that expects to receive 1000 files every day Monday-Friday. An at-risk notification is sent 1 hour before the end of the time period if the 1000 files have not been received.
    </p>
    <img src="/public/images/sla_defined.png" alt="SLA Configuration Example" />
    <Note>
      You can turn off SLA alerts if necessary. This can be useful during maintenance windows. Click <strong>Settings</strong> on the navbar, then navigate to <strong>Alerts &gt; General Alerts</strong>. Click the tablet and pencil icon to edit, and uncheck the <strong>SLA Alerts</strong> setting.
    </Note>
  </>;

export const AlertsTab = ({siteNameShort = "Arc"}) => <>
    <p><em>Settings related to configuring alerts.</em></p>
    <p>
      Before you can execute Service Level Agreements (SLAs), you need to set up email alerts for notifications. By default, {siteNameShort} uses the global settings on the <a href="/26.3/self-hosted/en/getting-started/administration/settings/alerts">Alerts</a> tab. To use other settings for this connector, toggle <strong>Override global setting</strong> on.
    </p>
    <p>
      By default, error alerts are enabled, which means that emails are sent whenever there is an error. To turn them off, uncheck the <strong>Enable</strong> checkbox.
    </p>
    <p>
      Enter a <strong>Subject</strong> (mandatory). Check <strong>Allow {siteNameShort}Script in Subject</strong> to use {siteNameShort}Script in the <strong>Subject</strong> field. When you select this, the <strong>{siteNameShort}Script Editor</strong> button appears (<img src="/public/images/rest_arcscript_editor.png" alt="arcscript editor button" style={{
  display: 'inline',
  verticalAlign: 'middle',
  margin: 0
}} />).
    </p>
    <p>
      Optionally, enter a comma-separated list of <strong>Recipient</strong> emails.
    </p>
  </>;

export const Message = () => <>
    <p><em>Message settings determine how the connector searches for messages and manages them after processing.</em></p>
    <p><strong>Note:</strong> The settings below are deprecated and hidden by default. They appear only on connectors where they were previously enabled or configured to a non-default value. To retain copies of successfully processed files, right-click the connector in the flow, choose <strong>Show Success Path</strong>, and connect the success path to a <a href="/26.3/self-hosted/en/connectors/file">File connector</a>.</p>
    <table>
      <thead>
        <tr><th>Setting</th><th>Description</th></tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td><strong>Save to Sent Folder</strong> (Deprecated)</td>
          <td>Copies files processed by the connector to the Sent folder. Disabled by default. Files saved to the Sent folder are not covered by <a href="/26.3/self-hosted/en/getting-started/administration/settings/encryption-at-rest">Encryption at Rest</a>.</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td><strong>Sent Folder Scheme</strong> (Deprecated)</td>
          <td>Groups files in the <strong>Sent</strong> folder by the selected time interval. Only relevant when <strong>Save to Sent Folder</strong> is enabled.</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </>;

export const MiscConnector = () => <>
    <p><em>Miscellaneous settings are for specific use cases.</em></p>
    <table>
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th>Setting</th>
          <th>Description</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td><strong>Other Settings</strong></td>
          <td>Enables you to configure hidden connector settings in a semicolon-separated list (for example, <code>setting1=value1;setting2=value2</code>). Normal connector use cases and functionality should not require the use of these settings.</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </>;

export const Logging = () => <>
    <p><em>Settings that govern the creation and storage of logs.</em></p>
    <table>
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th>Setting</th>
          <th>Description</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td><strong>Log Level</strong></td>
          <td>The verbosity of logs generated by the connector. When you request support, set this to <strong>Debug</strong>.</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td><strong>Log Subfolder Scheme</strong></td>
          <td>Instructs the connector to group files in the Logs folder according to the selected interval. The <strong>Weekly</strong> option (which is the default) instructs the connector to create a new subfolder each week and store all logs for the week in that folder. Leaving this setting blank tells the connector to save all logs directly in the Logs folder. For connectors that process many transactions, using subfolders helps keep logs organized and improves performance.</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td><strong>Log Messages</strong></td>
          <td>Check this to have the log entry for a processed file include a copy of the file itself. If you disable this, you might not be able to download a copy of the file from the <strong>Transactions</strong> tab.</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </>;

export const MacrosExamples = ({extraMacros = []}) => <>
    <p>
      Some macros, such as %Ext% and %ShortDate%, do not require an argument, but others do. All
      macros that take an argument use the following syntax: <code>%Macro:argument%</code>
    </p>

    <p>Here are some examples of the macros that take an argument:</p>

    <ul>
      <li>%Header:headername%: Where <code>headername</code> is the name of a header on a message.</li>
      <li>%Header:mycustomheader% resolves to the value of the <code>mycustomheader</code> header set on the input message.</li>
      <li>%Header:ponum% resolves to the value of the <code>ponum</code> header set on the input message.</li>
      <li>%RegexFilename:pattern%: Where <code>pattern</code> is a regex pattern. For example, <code>%RegexFilename:^([\w][A-Za-z]+)%</code> matches and resolves to the first word in the filename and is case insensitive (<code>test_file.xml</code> resolves to <code>test</code>).</li>
      <li>%Vault:vaultitem%: Where <code>vaultitem</code> is the name of an item in the <a href="/26.3/self-hosted/en/getting-started/administration/settings/global-settings-vault">vault</a>. For example, <code>%Vault:companyname%</code> resolves to the value of the <code>companyname</code> item stored in the vault.</li>
      <li>%DateFormat:format%: Where <code>format</code> is an accepted date format (see <a href="/26.3/self-hosted/en/scripting/value-formatters/date-formatters#sample-date-formats">Sample Date Formats</a> for details). For example, <code>%DateFormat:yyyy-MM-dd-HH-mm-ss-fff%</code> resolves to the date and timestamp on the file.</li>
      {extraMacros.filter(item => item.example).map(item => <li key={`ex-${item.name}`}>{item.example}</li>)}
    </ul>

    <p>You can also create more sophisticated macros, as shown in the following examples:</p>

    <ul>
      <li>Combining multiple macros in one filename: <code>%DateFormat:yyyy-MM-dd-HH-mm-ss-fff%%EXT%</code></li>
      <li>Including text outside of the macro: <code>MyFile_%DateFormat:yyyy-MM-dd-HH-mm-ss-fff%</code></li>
      <li>Including text within the macro: <code>%DateFormat:'DateProcessed-'yyyy-MM-dd_'TimeProcessed-'HH-mm-ss%</code></li>
    </ul>
  </>;

export const MacrosTable = ({siteName = "CData Arc", extraMacros = []}) => <>
    <p>
      Using macros in file naming strategies can enhance organizational efficiency and contextual
      understanding of data. By incorporating macros into filenames, you can dynamically include
      relevant information such as identifiers, timestamps, and header information, providing
      valuable context to each file.
    </p>

    <p>{siteName} supports these macros, which all use the following syntax: <code>%Macro%</code>.</p>

    <table>
      <thead>
        <tr><th>Macro</th><th>Description</th></tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr><td>ConnectorID</td><td>Evaluates to the ConnectorID of the connector.</td></tr>
        <tr><td>ConnectorName</td><td>Evaluates to the name of the connector. Enables you to include the connection name in file names or paths: for example, to tag backup files by which database connection produced them.</td></tr>
        <tr><td>Ext</td><td>Evaluates to the file extension of the file currently being processed by the connector.</td></tr>
        <tr><td>Filename</td><td>Evaluates to the filename (extension included) of the file currently being processed by the connector.</td></tr>
        <tr><td>FilenameNoExt</td><td>Evaluates to the filename (without the extension) of the file currently being processed by the connector.</td></tr>
        <tr><td>MessageId</td><td>Evaluates to the MessageId of the message being output by the connector.</td></tr>
        <tr><td>RegexFilename:<em>pattern</em></td><td>Applies a RegEx pattern to the filename of the file currently being processed by the connector.</td></tr>
        <tr><td>Header:<em>headername</em></td><td>Evaluates to the value of a targeted header (<code>headername</code>) on the current message being processed by the connector.</td></tr>
        <tr><td>LongDate</td><td>Evaluates to the current datetime of the system in long-handed format (for example, Wednesday, January 24, 2024).</td></tr>
        <tr><td>ShortDate</td><td>Evaluates to the current datetime of the system in a yyyy-MM-dd format (for example, 2024-01-24).</td></tr>
        <tr><td>DateFormat:<em>format</em></td><td>Evaluates to the current datetime of the system in the specified format (<code>format</code>). See <a href="/26.3/self-hosted/en/scripting/value-formatters/date-formatters#date-formats-with-literal-characters">Sample Date Formats</a> for the available datetime formats.</td></tr>
        <tr><td>Vault:<em>vaultitem</em></td><td>Evaluates to the value of the specified vault item.</td></tr>
        {extraMacros.map(item => <tr key={item.name}>
            <td>{item.name}</td>
            <td>{item.description}</td>
          </tr>)}
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </>;

export const Performance = () => <>
    <p><em>Settings related to the allocation of resources to the connector.</em></p>
    <table>
      <thead>
        <tr>
          <th>Setting</th>
          <th>Description</th>
        </tr>
      </thead>
      <tbody>
        <tr>
          <td><strong>Max Workers</strong></td>
          <td>The maximum number of worker threads consumed from the threadpool to process files on this connector. If set, this overrides the default setting on the <a href="/26.3/self-hosted/en/getting-started/administration/settings/performance-settings">Performance Settings</a> portion of the <a href="/26.3/self-hosted/en/getting-started/administration/settings/advanced-settings">Advanced Settings</a> page.</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td><strong>Max Files</strong></td>
          <td>The maximum number of files sent by each thread assigned to the connector. If set, this overrides the default setting on the <a href="/26.3/self-hosted/en/getting-started/administration/settings/performance-settings">Performance Settings</a> portion of the <a href="/26.3/self-hosted/en/getting-started/administration/settings/advanced-settings">Advanced Settings</a> page.</td>
        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>
  </>;

export const siteNameShort = "Arc";

export const siteName = "CData Arc";

The ZUGFeRD connector generates ZUGFeRD files from PDF and XML invoice files, or extracts invoice XML files from ZUGFeRD files.

## Key Capabilities

* German e-invoicing standard combining PDF and XML with bidirectional processing (extract XML or generate ZUGFeRD files)
* Support for versions 1.0, 2.0, 2.1 with multiple conformance levels (MINIMUM, BASIC, EN 16931, EXTENDED, and XRECHNUNG)
* PDF/A-3 format support for embedding machine-readable XML in human-readable PDFs with Batch Group processing

## Overview

The ZUGFeRD connector facilitates the exchange of electronic invoices by integrating the ZUGFeRD (Zentraler User Guide des Forums elektronische Rechnung Deutschland) standard, which combines human-readable and machine-readable data in a single document. It is based on the PDF/A-3 standard, which allows for the embedding of XML data in a PDF file. This hybrid format ensures that the invoice can be easily read by humans while also being processed automatically by computer systems. The ZUGFeRD connector allows you to interact with ZUGFeRD files in two ways:

* [Parsing a ZUGFeRD file](#parsing-a-zugferd-file)
* [Generating a ZUGFeRD file](#generating-a-zugferd-file)

The connector determines which to do based on the type of input provided.

## Connector Configuration

This section contains all of the configurable connector properties.

### Settings Tab

#### Configuration

*Settings related to establishing the connection.*

| Setting                   | Description                                                                                     |
| ------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Connector Id**          | The static, unique identifier for the connector.                                                |
| **Connector Type**        | Displays the connector name and a description of what it does.                                  |
| **Connector Description** | An optional field to provide a free-form description of the connector and its role in the flow. |
| **Version**               | The ZUGFeRD version to use in the generated ZUGFeRD file.                                       |

#### Advanced Settings

*Settings not included in the previous categories.*

| Setting                 | Description                                                                                                                       |
| ----------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Conformance Level**   | The conformance level to use in the generated ZUGFeRD file. Options are: BASIC, EXTENDED, MINIMUM, BASIC WL, EN 16931, XRECHNUNG. |
| **Invoice Description** | The free text description to use in the generated ZUGFeRD file.                                                                   |

### Advanced Tab

#### Message

<Message />

#### Logging

<Logging />

#### Other Settings

| Setting              | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Processing Delay** | The amount of time (in seconds) by which the processing of files placed in the **Transactions** tab is delayed. This is a legacy setting. Best practice is to [use a File connector](../flows/designing-a-flow#interacting-with-the-local-file-system) to manage local file systems instead of this setting. |

#### Miscellaneous

<MiscConnector />

### Automation Tab

#### Automation Settings

*Settings related to the automatic processing of files by the connector.*

| Setting  | Description                                                                    |
| -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Send** | Check this to have the connector automatically send files when they are ready. |

#### Performance

<Performance />

### Alerts Tab

<AlertsTab />

### SLAs Tab

<SlasTab />

## Parsing a ZUGFeRD file

The connector expects to receive a PDF file as input, which it reads to extract the attached XML to send down the flow.

### Handling Multiple Attachments

You might receive PDF files containing multiple attachments. By default, the connector passes all the attachments down the flow, adding headers to each message:

* ZUGFeRD-File-Index: The attachment number for each attachment
* ZUGFeRD-File-Count: The total number of attachments on the email
* ZUGFeRD-File-Name: The original PDF file name
* ZUGFeRD-File-Description: The description of invoice XML and attachments
* ZUGFeRD-File-Parameters: Other file parameters of invoice XML and attachments
* ZUGFeRD-File-Relationship: The file relationship of invoice xml and attachments. Invoice XML is usually "Alternative", and attachments are "Data", "Supplement", and so on.
* ZUGFeRD-File-Subtype: The file subtype of invoice xml and attachments. This is usually the MIME-Type of the file, such as text\xml or application\pdf.

## Generating a ZUGFeRD file

The connector expects a Batch Group containing exactly one PDF Batch Message and exactly one XML Batch Message. Use the [Batch Create](./batch-create) connector to create these Batch Groups before sending them to the ZUGFeRD connector in your flow. If you include more than one PDF or XML Batch Message, or if either is missing in the Batch Group, an error is thrown.

All of the ZUGFeRD specific settings in the UI (Version, Conformance Level, and Invoice Description) are only used to generate a ZUGFeRD file. Parsing does not involve these settings at all.

* **Version**: Controls the ZUGFeRD version used when generating files. {siteNameShort} supports versions 1.0, 2.0, and 2.1.

* **Conformance Level**: The ZUGFeRD standard primarily includes the following conformance levels:
  * MINIMUM
    * Contains the most basic invoice information, such as invoice number, date, and amount.
    * Data is embedded in PDF/A-3 format, facilitating human readability and simple system processing.

  * BASIC
    * Builds upon the MINIMUM level by including more structured data, such as buyer and seller details, tax information, and payment terms.
    * Suitable for scenarios requiring moderate automation.

  * BASIC WL
    * Similar to BASIC but tailored for specific use cases, often including additional fields for certain industries or regions.
    * Enhances interoperability in specialized contexts.

  * EN 16931 (COMFORT)
    * Complies with the EU standard EN 16931, providing complete structured data for highly automated processing.
    * Ideal for complex business processes and system integration.

  * EXTENDED
    * Expands on EN 16931 by allowing the inclusion of industry- or company-specific additional information.
    * Designed for businesses with unique requirements.

  * XRECHNUNG
    * A German-specific profile based on ZUGFeRD, aligned with the XRechnung standard for public sector invoicing.
    * Ensures compliance with German public procurement regulations.

* **Invoice Description**: PDF readers surface an optional description for attachments on PDFs. This setting controls what description is used for the XML attachment.

### Generating a Sample File

To generate a sample file that you can use for testing, navigate to the connector's **Transactions** tab and click the **Generate sample file** <img src="https://mintcdn.com/cdata-arc/6KwLqCromZpN96Gn/public/images/generate_test_file.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=6KwLqCromZpN96Gn&q=85&s=0bfa401c4cfd1c8252d546d3492f10fb" alt="Generate sample file" noZoom style={{ display: "inline-block", verticalAlign: "middle", height: "0.9em", margin: 0 }} width="26" height="29" data-path="public/images/generate_test_file.png" /> button. This creates a PDF file in the Send folder. When the connector processes the PDF, it generates an XML output file with the extracted invoice data from the PDF.

## Macros

<MacrosTable />

### Examples

<MacrosExamples />