Glossary · electronic invoicing · e-invoice
E-invoicing: definition
E-invoicing is the issuing, sending and receiving of invoices as structured data (for example in the UBL format) that software can read automatically. A PDF sent by email is not a structured e-invoice.
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Structured e-invoice or digital invoice?
A PDF is a picture of an invoice: someone has to read it and type it in again. A structured e-invoice holds each piece of data in a precise field (number, date, VAT, amounts, lines), so the customer's software can import it without re-entry.
This is a key step towards a paperless office: fewer typing errors, faster processing and invoices that reach the accounts on their own.
E-invoicing around the world
A growing number of countries require structured e-invoices, often first for invoices to public bodies, then between businesses. Formats, networks and deadlines differ from one country to another: check the rules that apply wherever you invoice.
Even where it is not required, e-invoicing saves time for both sides and helps invoices get paid sooner.
E-invoicing in Eazyclick
In the Quotes & invoices module, every invoice can go out as a structured e-invoice, checked before sending, and your suppliers' invoices arrive in the same workspace, ready for your accountant. Ziggy, Eazyclick's AI assistant, tracks payments and suggests reminders.
Related terms
- UBL UBL (Universal Business Language) is an open, standard XML format for business documents such as invoices, credit notes and orders, published by the OASIS standards body and widely used for e-invoicing.
- Credit note A credit note is a document that cancels or corrects all or part of an invoice already issued.
Further reading
Practical guides
Questions about E-invoicing
Is a PDF an e-invoice?
Not a structured one. A PDF can be attached to an e-invoice, but where structured e-invoicing is required, the PDF alone does not replace it.
Is e-invoicing mandatory?
It depends on the country and on who you invoice. More and more countries require it, first for the public sector and then between businesses. Check the rules in each country where you invoice.
What should e-invoicing software do?
Send and receive structured invoices, check them before sending, export them for your accountant, and ideally handle quotes, reminders and payment links in the same place.
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