Digital solutions have become an increasingly integral part of the modern business marketplace. Those who fail to keep up with at least some degree of digitalization risk falling behind their competition and losing out on potential opportunities, potentially finding themselves locked out of entire markets.
A growing number of countries are now mandating the use of e-invoicing for business conducted within their jurisdiction, aiming at streamlining financial processes, reducing fraud and improving tax collection. This means that it is no longer simply best practice to follow e-invoicing compliance regulations but a legal requirement in order to operate in those markets.
If you are looking to find out what every business needs to know about e-invoicing compliance and how to avoid falling foul of regulations then read on.
What is e-invoicing compliance?
Electronic invoicing is the generation, transmission, and processing of invoices in a digital format, rather than using paper-based traditional systems. Switching over to a digital invoicing system has a lot of benefits for businesses, from saving time and costs to improving accuracy and efficiency within the financial system.
But one of the biggest reasons to utilize e-invoicing is the increasing number of countries that are now mandating the use of e-invoices in order to operate in their territories. This is where e-invoicing compliance comes in, as it involves adhering to the legal, technical, and procedural requirements established by the relevant tax authorities.
The use of e-invoicing allows governments to ensure that all collected invoices are accurate, verified, and easily traceable to monitor transactions more effectively and minimize errors. Following e-invoicing compliance means greater transparency for businesses, as well as reduced odds of disputes.
The key requirements for meeting e-invoicing compliance standards
Aside from simply using e-invoicing software, there are a few major requirements when it comes to compliance. The exact details of what a government requires will vary from country to country, with some having stricter regulations than others. But, in general, the aspects that need to be considered are:
Invoice format
In order to meet e-invoicing compliance requirements, invoices need to adhere to certain standardized formats. Which format you need to use will depend on the local mandate, but common choices are formats such as XML, UBL, or EDIFACT.
If the wrong format is used, then invoices can be rejected and payments delayed.
Government portal integration
In several jurisdictions – but not all – there is a requirement for e-invoices to be transmitted directly to the government tax authorities for approval before they can be sent to the buyer, supplier or vendor. The need for real-time reporting means that businesses need to use invoicing systems that can integrate with the required government platforms or portals, to ensure seamless data exchange.
Digital signatures and authentication
To ensure the authenticity and integrity of e-invoices, many territories require them to be digitally signed with certified electronic signatures. Utilizing a dedicated e-invoicing platform with existing authentication capabilities saves the headache of having to implement a fresh solution.
Data requirements and validation
Another stipulation of e-invoicing compliance is the use of specific mandatory data fields, including tax identification numbers and transaction codes. If the correct fields are not present, then the authorities are likely to reject the invoice, causing costly delays.
Automated validation processes that e-invoicing software can offer work to ensure that all the required data is both present and accurate. By crosschecking with other data sources, the risk of errors or omissions is reduced.
Archival and storage
Naturally, compliance doesn’t end with the issuing and processing of invoices. It is a common requirement for businesses to store their e-invoices for a specific period of time – usually between five to ten years – in a format that is easily accessible for auditing purposes.
Dedicated e-invoicing platforms have the capacity to handle much of the heavy lifting when it comes to meeting compliance requirements. So, there is no excuse not to consider implementing e-invoicing software in order to keep your business competitive in the international market.
