ZUGFeRD 1.0

June 10, 2026 · View on GitHub

Source: docs/1.0/Das-ZUGFeRD-Format_1p0.pdf (Das ZUGFeRD-Format Version 1.0, AWV e.V., 2014). Section 7 "Einbettung in eine PDF/A-3-Datei".

Scope: requirements that apply to the PDF carrier file only.

Headline diffs vs 2.0.1:

  • Different URI namespace: urn:ferd:pdfa:CrossIndustryDocument:invoice:1p0# (uses ferd, not zugferd, with version 1p0). 2.0.1 changes to urn:zugferd:pdfa:…:2p0#.
  • Schema prefix is zf (not fx).
  • Embedded XML file name is ZUGFeRD-invoice.xml (mixed-case in the doc; some implementations treat it case-insensitively, but the fixed string in the spec is mixed case). 2.0.1 uses lowercase zugferd-invoice.xml.
  • Profiles are BASIC, COMFORT, EXTENDED. No MINIMUM, no BASIC WL, no EN 16931 (COMFORT), no XRECHNUNG.
  • AFRelationship is always Alternative at document level. No profile-dependent matrix.
  • zf:Version value is 1.0 (decimal form). The URN uses 1p0.
  • No PDF/A-4f option.
  • Attachment formats: PDF, TXT, GIF, TIFF, JPG, CSV, XML. No JSON, no XLSX, no ODS (those appear later — XLSX/ODS in 2.2 for EXTENDED only, 2.3 for all profiles; JSON in 2.2).
  • 1.0 is a pure ZUGFeRD release, predating the convergence with Factur-X. There is no France-side rule set.

1. Carrier format

  • PDF envelope SHALL conform to PDF/A-3 (ISO 19005-3, based on ISO 32000-1 = PDF 1.7). (§7 intro.)
  • No PDF/A-4f option.
  • PDF/A-3 conformance level (3a / 3b / 3u) is irrelevant. (§7 intro.)
  • The source PDF SHALL be PDF/A-3 compliant before the embedded data. (§7 intro.)
  • Exactly one invoice data document per PDF/A-3 document. (§7 intro, §7.2.1.)
  • The XML SHALL be embedded with relationship type Alternative at document level. (§7 intro, §7.2.2.)
  • No PDF filename convention.

PDF/A-3 derived constraints (§7.1)

  • XMP extension schema declaring the PDF/A property and conformance level.
  • All metadata SHALL be embedded as XMP.
  • All fonts SHALL be embedded (full or used-glyph subset).
  • No external (third-party) files except via the PDF/A-3 associated-file mechanism.
  • No active content (JavaScript actions, Flash animations).
  • Permitted embedded image formats: CCITT Group 3, CCITT Group 4, JBIG2, JPEG, JPEG2000. (Explicit whitelist in §7.1 — same as 2.2+.)
  • No encryption, no authorization control.

2. Embedded structured invoice file

2.1 File name

  • ZUGFeRD-invoice.xml — fixed (mixed-case as documented).

2.2 MIME type

  • text/xml (always). (§7.2.)

2.3 File specification dictionary / stream

  • The XML SHALL be embedded via a PDF file specification dictionary. (§7.2.)
  • The stream dictionary SHOULD have a /Params entry containing at least /ModDate. (§7.2.)
  • The embedded document SHALL be added to the /Names object tree.
  • The XML SHALL be registered as an Associated File at document level: /AF array on the document catalogue references the file specification dictionary. (§7.2.1.)

2.4 AFRelationship (§7.2.2)

  • Always Alternative for the ZUGFeRD invoice XML. No profile-conditional matrix exists in 1.0.
  • The other PDF/A-3 values (Data, Source, Supplement, Unspecified) are described for completeness but are not selected.

3. PDF/A XMP extension schema ZUGFeRD (§7.3)

PropertyValue
Extension schema nameZUGFeRD PDFA Extension Schema (some places: ZUGFeRD Schema)
URI (namespace)urn:ferd:pdfa:CrossIndustryDocument:invoice:1p0#
Schema prefixzf

Notes:

  • The URN SHALL terminate with #.
  • The extension schema definition SHALL be embedded in every PDF/A document; an external reference is not sufficient.

XMP fields under the zf: namespace

FieldDescriptionExample
zf:DocumentTypeAlways INVOICE.INVOICE
zf:DocumentFileNameEmbedded XML file name; SHALL match /F in the file specification dictionary. Fixed to ZUGFeRD-invoice.xml.ZUGFeRD-invoice.xml
zf:VersionVersion of the XML schema for the invoice data.1.0
zf:ConformanceLevelProfile of the XML invoice data: BASIC, COMFORT, EXTENDED.BASIC

Worked example (§7.3, Beispiel 43):

<rdf:Description rdf:about=""
    xmlns:zf="urn:ferd:pdfa:CrossIndustryDocument:invoice:1p0#">
  <zf:DocumentType>INVOICE</zf:DocumentType>
  <zf:DocumentFileName>ZUGFeRD-invoice.xml</zf:DocumentFileName>
  <zf:Version>1.0</zf:Version>
  <zf:ConformanceLevel>BASIC</zf:ConformanceLevel>
</rdf:Description>

4. Additional attachments (§7.4)

  • PDF/A-3 permits arbitrary additional embedded files (XLSX, ODS, CAD PDF/DWG, JPEG/PNG, XML…).
  • ZUGFeRD does not require additional XMP metadata for non-invoice attachments; standard PDF/A-3 embedding suffices.
  • The receiver SHOULD be able to handle at least these attachment formats (per MUG rule 11, adapted for ZUGFeRD):
    • PDF
    • TXT
    • GIF
    • TIFF
    • JPG
    • CSV
    • XML

(No JSON, XLSX or ODS in the "expected to be handled" list of 1.0. These appear in later versions.)

5. Securing, transfer, archiving

Not detailed at the PDF-carrier level in section 7 of the 1.0 spec. ZUGFeRD 1.0 predates the Factur-X §4 "How to secure" guidance and the later EN 16931 references. Tax / audit considerations are covered in other sections of the 1.0 document outside the PDF requirements proper.

6. Versioning

  • Spec version: 1.0 (release year 2014, AWV e.V.).
  • URN segment: 1p0.
  • zf:Version value: 1.0.
  • XML BT-24 specification identifier convention not yet aligned with EN 16931 (predates the European Norm).