OVT-tunnus (Finland)

The OVT-tunnus is Finland's identifier that acts as an electronic address for routing invoices.

Definition

The OVT-tunnus (literally "OVT identifier", where OVT is the Finnish term for electronic data interchange) is the electronic addressing identifier used in Finland to designate the issuer or recipient of an electronic invoice.

It acts as the party's address in exchanges, much like a qualified endpoint on an invoice.

How it works

The OVT-tunnus is typically built from the Finnish Business ID (the legal company identifier known as the Y-tunnus), with a prefix and, most often, an optional suffix that distinguishes several delivery points within the same organisation.

• It is used in the national Finvoice format.
• It also serves as a routing identifier on the PEPPOL network, where it is attached to the appropriate electronic address scheme.

Good to know

The OVT-tunnus shows how a national legal identifier can act as the basis for an electronic routing address. In an EN 16931 compliant invoice, this kind of address is qualified by the corresponding EAS scheme.

The ability to add a suffix is useful for large organisations that manage several inboxes or operating entities.