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E-Directory

The E-Directory screen is the user-facing search tool for finding a French company in the INSEE registry (recherche-entreprises.api.gouv.fr) and checking whether the matching SIREN / SIRET entries are reachable on the PPF directory for electronic invoice delivery.

Use this page when:

  • you need to look up a customer's exact SIREN / SIRET before issuing an invoice;
  • you want to confirm a buyer is registered on the Plateforme Publique de Facturation (PPF) and ready to receive an electronic invoice;
  • you are debugging an addressing rejection (e.g. REJ_ADR) and need to verify the directory state for a specific identifier.

The page applies regardless of source system — JD Edwards, SAP, NetSuite or a custom ERP.

The two underlying lookups are independent and have different roles:

  • INSEE search — verifies that the company exists and pulls its name, address, administrative state. Free public API, no credentials needed.
  • PPF directory check — verifies that the SIREN / SIRET is registered as a recipient on the Plateforme Publique de Facturation. Uses the credentials configured in Configuration → System → e-directory.

See the Configuration → System → e-directory page for the broader context — credentials, search roles and the PPF / INSEE distinction.

At a glance​

E-DirectorySearch companyCompany name, SIREN (9 digits) or SIRET (14 digits)…🔍 SearchNAME · SIREN · SIRET · ADDRESS · STATE · PPF DIRECTORYACME Manufacturing123 456 789 · 12345678900012 · 12 rue de Rivoli, 75001 ParisActive✓ ReachableACME Logistics123 456 789 · 12345678900037 · 8 av. du Général Leclerc, 92100 BoulogneActiveNot reach.ACME Old SARL123 456 789 · 12345678900029 · 4 rue Lafayette, 75009 ParisClosed— skipped3 results · INSEE registryINSEE registry is queried first (free public API). The PPF directory check runs on each match using the credentials configured under Configuration → System → e-directory.One search fieldname · SIREN · SIRET — auto-detectedPPF reachable badgeReachable / Not / ClosedINSEE administrative stateActive / Closed — skip closed

How a search runs​

👤 Queryname · SIREN · SIRET🔍 INSEErecherche-entreprises.api.gouv.fr📋 Results tableSIREN / SIRET rows📡 PPF directory/api/check-directorySearchmatchesper row✓ reachablegreen chip⚠ not foundorange chip✕ errorred chip

The two lookups happen in sequence: INSEE first to populate the rows, then a parallel PPF check per row. The user sees the table fill in two passes.

Search section​

A single input + button at the top of the page.

ElementBehaviour
Search fieldFree-text query: company name, partial name, SIREN, SIRET, or any combination. Press Enter or click Search to submit.
Search buttonTriggers the INSEE lookup. Disabled while a search is in progress and when the field is empty.

The query is sent to recherche-entreprises.api.gouv.fr server-side; the API returns matching companies with their full establishment data.

Results table​

After the search, the table populates with one row per match. Each row corresponds to either a SIREN (the legal entity) or a SIRET (a specific establishment of the entity).

ColumnDescription
TypeColoured badge — SIREN (blue, the legal entity) or SIRET (grey, a specific establishment).
IdentifierThe 9-digit SIREN or 14-digit SIRET.
NameLegal name (nom_raison_sociale).
AddressFull postal address of the establishment.
StateActive (green) when the establishment is administratively active; C (red) when ceased.
DirectoryResult of the PPF directory check — see below.

Directory check states​

The Directory column is populated automatically right after the search lands — one PPF call per row. While calls are in flight, rows display a spinner. Each row eventually resolves to one of:

✓Reachable— Registered on the PPF, ready to receive electronic invoices.
✗Not found— Not in the PPF directory; an invoice would return a routing error (REJ_ADR).
⚠Error— The PPF call failed (network, credentials). The API message is shown next to the icon.
⟳Loading— PPF call in flight; the row will resolve to one of the states above.

Result count​

Above the table, a small label indicates the number of results returned by INSEE for the query (e.g. 12 results).

Tips & best practices​

  • Search by name first, then narrow down. INSEE returns the legal entity (SIREN) and its establishments (SIRET) — picking the right SIRET avoids the common "right SIREN, wrong establishment" mistake when issuing invoices.
  • A red Not found is not always permanent. A buyer may not yet be registered on the PPF; ask them to register before re-trying. The directory state changes daily as more companies subscribe to the PPF.
  • Cross-check the active state. A Ceased establishment cannot receive an invoice even if it appears in the PPF directory. Always check the State column before trusting an electronic-address mapping.
  • For batch lookups, prefer the API. The page does one search at a time. To validate a directory of customers in one pass, call /api/insee-search and /api/check-directory directly — see References → API Reference for the schemas.
  • A directory error often means a credentials issue. Repeated Error states on rows that should resolve typically come from misconfigured PPF credentials in Configuration → System → e-directory — fix them there before rerunning a search.