Chorus Pro & France’s PPF Portal: Mandatory E-Invoicing System for B2G & B2B

France is transitioning from traditional invoicing to a structured e-invoicing system. Chorus Pro, initially for B2G transactions, is evolving into the Public Invoicing Portal (PPF) to support nationwide B2B e-invoicing and e-reporting compliance.

Key Takeaways 

Chorus Pro is France’s official B2G e-invoicing platform; since 2020, all suppliers must use it for public-sector invoices.

• It will evolve into the PPF, the central hub for future B2B e-invoicing and e-reporting under the 2026–2027 mandate.
• Businesses must use structured formats like Factur-X, UBL, or CII, replacing paper/PDF invoices entirely.
• PPF will manage the national directory of businesses and route invoice data to tax authorities via certified platforms (PDP/PA).
• ERP readiness, secure authentication, VAT mapping, and platform registration are mandatory for compliance.
• Businesses familiar with Chorus Pro can transition smoothly to PPF, as both use similar validation, routing, and data standards.

What Is Chorus Pro?

Chorus Pro is France’s national e-invoicing platform, operated by AIFE (Agence pour l’Informatique Financière de l’État). Launched in 2017, it was designed as a central gateway for business-to-government (B2G) invoicing, allowing suppliers to submit electronic invoices to public sector entities.

Since January 1, 2020, all businesses regardless of size must submit invoices to public administrations exclusively through Chorus Pro. This includes central ministries, local authorities, hospitals, universities, and any other publicly funded organization.

E-Invoicing Mandate and Chorus Pro

France is shifting from paper/PDF invoices to structured electronic invoicing to tighten VAT control, reduce fraud and automate reporting. The legal framework now requires almost all domestic B2B invoices to transit through certified e-invoicing platforms connected to the tax authority. Chorus Pro, originally built for public-sector (B2G) invoices, is being extended and rebranded within this framework as the Public Invoicing Portal (PPF), making it the state backbone of the new system.

• The e-invoicing mandate requires French VAT-registered businesses to issue and receive invoices in structured electronic formats (Factur-X, UBL, CII) instead of traditional PDFs or paper.
• The rollout is phased: all businesses must be able to receive e-invoices by 1 September 2026, with large/medium companies issuing from that date and SMEs/micro-enterprises following by 1 September 2027.
• Alongside e-invoicing, e-reporting obligations require businesses to transmit key transaction data (e.g. certain B2C and cross-border operations) to the tax authority through connected platforms.
• Historically, Chorus Pro served only as the mandatory portal for B2G invoicing, validating, routing and tracking invoices sent by suppliers to French public entities.
• This B2G experience and infrastructure are reused in the reform: Chorus Pro evolves into the PPF, which underpins the national e-invoicing network rather than being just a standalone portal.

From Chorus Pro to the PPF (Public Invoicing Portal)

Chorus Pro is today’s state portal for B2G e-invoicing in France: all suppliers to French public entities must submit their invoices through it. The PPF (Portail Public de Facturation) is essentially the evolution of Chorus Pro to support the nationwide B2B e-invoicing and e-reporting mandate. In simple terms:

Same backbone, wider scope

• Chorus Pro is built for invoices to the public sector.
• PPF extends this infrastructure to all French VAT-registered businesses for B2B flows and transaction reporting.

New role: central hub, not the only “portal”

• PPF maintains the national directory of businesses and their chosen platform (public or private).
• It acts as a data hub: collects invoice and reporting data and passes it to the tax authority.
• Certified private platforms (PDP/PA) handle most day-to-day sending/receiving, especially for B2B.

Chorus Pro doesn’t disappear

• It remains the mandatory entry point for B2G invoices.
• Technically, it becomes one component of the wider PPF architecture.

Relationship to Future B2B E Invoicing

Chorus Pro remains crucial even as France transitions to mandatory B2B e invoicing under the PPF ecosystem.

• The PPF incorporates technical concepts that already exist in Chorus Pro, such as structured formats and standardized validation.
• Businesses familiar with Chorus Pro will more easily adapt to the upcoming B2B reforms.
• Both platforms rely on controlled data exchange, secure authentication and automated processing.

How Chorus Pro Works?

Chorus Pro standardizes the way invoices are transmitted, validated and monitored, providing a structured, auditable and secure environment for B2G invoicing. Here is how it works

Onboarding and Account Configuration

To use Chorus Pro, suppliers must register their organization and set up appropriate user access. The system verifies companies through official identification and requires structured permission assignment.

• Suppliers register using their SIREN or SIRET identifiers, ensuring alignment with official French business directories.
• The administrator configures the organization profile and assigns access permissions to different users.
• Invoice submitters prepare and send invoices through the platform.
• Validators perform internal reviews before submission when companies have multitier processes.
• Viewers can monitor invoice status without participating in the submission workflow.

Creating and Submitting Invoices

Chorus Pro supports several invoice submission methods to accommodate varying levels of digital maturity among suppliers.

• Manual entry through the portal lets users create invoices by filling out structured fields such as invoice number, VAT data and purchase order references.
• File upload supports structured electronic formats including Factur X, UBL XML and CII XML.
• System to system integration allows automated submission through ERP systems using APIs or EDI connections.
• Automated integration helps reduce manual data entry, errors and processing time while enabling high volume transactions.

Invoice Routing and Validation

After submission, the platform validates invoices and directs them to the correct public entity.

• Syntactic validation ensures the format is correct and all mandatory fields are complete.
• Semantic validation checks critical content such as SIRET codes, VAT details and order references required by public sector buyers.
• Route assignment uses organizational identifiers to send the invoice to the correct department or accounting office.
• Validation outcomes determine whether the invoice progresses for approval or must be corrected.

Invoice Lifecycle Tracking

Chorus Pro provides real time visibility into every stage an invoice goes through.

• Suppliers can track statuses such as submitted, received, under validation, accepted or rejected.
• Rejection notices include explanations to help suppliers correct and resend the invoice.
• Payment confirmations appear once the public buyer’s system notifies Chorus Pro.

Communication and Issue Resolution

The platform includes internal communication features that help suppliers and public buyers resolve issues efficiently.

• Messaging tools allow users to exchange information linked to a specific invoice.
• Buyers can request clarifications or additional documentation directly through the system.
• Suppliers can respond and upload supporting documents without using external channels.
• Conversations remain attached to the invoice, ensuring full traceability.

Integration with Public Sector Systems

Chorus Pro interacts directly with the internal systems used by public organizations.

• Public buyers connect their financial or accounting systems to Chorus Pro to automatically retrieve and process invoices.
• Validation and approval workflows occur within each entity’s internal ERP environment.
• Status updates, including acceptance or payment, are synchronized back to Chorus Pro.
• Integrated systems reduce manual handling and accelerate the administrative process.

How to Sign Up for Chorus Pro?

Creating an account on Chorus Pro is the first step for any supplier issuing electronic invoices to French public-sector entities. The registration process is designed to securely identify your company and assign user roles.

Steps to Sign Up for Chorus Pro

1. Go to the Chorus Pro Portal and select the option to create a new account.
2. Choose the “Organisation Account” Option and register your company using its SIRET number. Chorus Pro automatically verifies the business identity.
3. Provide details such as your name, email address, and contact information. This creates the first user profile linked to the company.
4. Set a secure password and configure two-factor authentication if required.
5. Click the activation link sent to your email to confirm your account.
6. Once logged in, define the appropriate roles (administrator, invoice issuer, viewer, etc.) for yourself and any colleagues.
7. Add additional SIRET units if your business operates multiple establishments.
8. Configure services, contact points, and notification preferences.

How to Generate an E-Invoice Using Chorus Pro

Chorus Pro is the official French government platform for issuing electronic invoices to public-sector entities. It allows suppliers to create, submit, and track structured e-invoices required for B2G (business-to-government) transactions.

1. Log in to Chorus Pro with your company account using your SIRET and secure authentication.
2. Go to the Invoicing menu and choose the option to create a new invoice.
3. Enter the customer’s SIRET or search for the correct public administration.
4. Enter mandatory information such as invoice number, date, purchase order reference (if required), line items, VAT rates, and amounts.
5. Upload supporting documents such as delivery notes, contracts, or order confirmations.
6. If uploading a file, use a supported format such as PDF, Factur-X, UBL, or CII. If entering information manually, Chorus Pro generates the structured format automatically.
7. Review all fields and confirm accuracy.
8. Send the invoice to the selected public entity.
9. Monitor the lifecycle of the invoice through statuses such as received, under validation, rejected, accepted, or paid.
10. If the invoice is rejected, Chorus Pro provides a reason code. Correct the issue and resubmit.

Key Features of Chorus Pro

Chorus Pro functions as a centralized platform for electronic invoicing between suppliers and French public-sector entities. Its features reflect France’s objectives of process standardization, transparency, and simplification of administrative flows.

Transitioning to PPF for B2B

While Chorus Pro remains the mandatory platform for B2G transactions, PPF will serve as the national directory and data hub for B2B invoicing.  All platforms will report invoice data to the tax authorities and maintain synchronization with a central directory of recipients, which stores preferred channels and formats by SIRET number.

Businesses will have two options for compliance:

1. Use a certified PDP, which handles invoice exchange and reporting while integrating with the PPF.
2. Connect directly to the PPF portal, mostly suitable for very small or low-volume businesses.

Integration Requirements

Businesses must ensure:

• ERP compatibility: Systems must support structured e-invoice generation.
• Secure access: Use of digital certificates and two-factor authentication is mandatory.
• VAT-compliant mapping: Invoice fields must be properly aligned with French VAT rules.
• Platform registration: Companies must declare their PDP or OD to the PPF directory.

Conclusion

Chorus Pro standardizes how suppliers issue, submit, and track invoices sent to French public entities, using structured formats that enable automation, transparency, and secure data exchange. As France prepares for its ambitious B2B e-invoicing and e-reporting mandate, this infrastructure is evolving into the Public Invoicing Portal (PPF) a national hub that will route invoices, manage the directory of businesses, and transmit transaction data to the tax administration.

While Chorus Pro will continue to handle all B2G invoices, the PPF will extend these capabilities to all French VAT-registered businesses, making structured e-invoicing (Factur-X, UBL, CII) the new standard for both public-sector and private-sector transactions. Together, Chorus Pro and the PPF represent the backbone of France’s move toward a fully digital and automated VAT ecosystem.