Digital transformation is advancing across all areas of business, with invoicing being no exception. Electronic invoicing now plays a pivotal role as a standardised format for digital billing. But what exactly is eInvoicing, and why was it implemented?

The eInvoicing Standard

The EU eInvoicing standard (EN 16931) provides a unified electronic invoicing format developed in response to EU Directive 2014/55/EU. This XML-based data format enables standardised digital invoicing, ensuring interoperability between different systems and platforms. Through standardisation, businesses and public institutions can exchange invoices more efficiently, quickly, and accurately.

This XML-based data format enables standardised digital invoicing, ensuring interoperability between different systems and platforms. Through standardisation, businesses and public institutions can exchange invoices more efficiently, quickly, and accurately.

Legal Requirements and Timeline

eInvoicing represents both technological progress and legal compliance. It implements the EU standard EN 16931, which mandates the use of structured XML format for electronic invoice exchange. Since November 2020, suppliers to public institutions have been required to issue electronic invoices.

Furthermore, from January 1, 2025, another significant legal regulation will come into effect. As part of the Opportunities for Growth Act, the issuance of electronic invoices will gradually become mandatory in the B2B sector in Germany. This underscores the growing importance of digital processes and promotes efficiency and transparency across all business transactions.

The Business Impact of EN 16931

The adoption of standardised electronic invoicing delivers numerous benefits. It marks a crucial step towards the paperless office, accelerates payment processes, and enhances regulatory compliance. Invoice processing becomes both efficient and sustainable, offering businesses significant time and cost savings while optimising internal procedures.

EMA is Your Complete eInvoicing Solution

Our EMA live archive naturally supports your transition to electronic invoicing. EMA will support all EU eInvoicing standards, archiving electronic invoices securely and compliantly—as reliably and effortlessly as you've come to expect for all documents.

More than an Archive

Additionally, EMA offers a few special highlights:

• Using EMA's Attribute Editor, you can enhance eInvoices with additional metadata and keywords. This enables simple categorisation and organisation of payment flows. Learn more about the Attribute Editor here.

• For workflows still requiring paper invoices, EMA serves as an easy-to-use conversion tool. When needed, you can convert electronic invoices to professional paper format.

• EMA's digital signatures ensure that outgoing invoices in your archive receive additional protection against manipulation. This allows you to easily verify invoice authenticity at any time.

Choose EMA for a cutting-edge solution that not only meets the latest standards but also enhances your digital processes, ensuring your business stays ahead of the curve!