The Future of Invoicing: How E-Invoices Compare to Paper and PDFs

The evolution of invoicing: From paper to digital future

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Invoicing has come a long way since its humble beginnings. For decades, paper invoices were the standard, requiring manual processing and physical storage. While this traditional method was well-known, it brought significant inefficiencies: high printing and postage costs, substantial time delays, and frequent errors due to manual data entry.

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The advent of digital technology has fundamentally transformed the invoicing landscape. Transitioning to PDF and image-based invoices marked a significant improvement, allowing businesses to send invoices via email and store them electronically. This change reduced some costs and streamlined the process to a degree. However, the need for manual data entry persisted, and the risk of errors remained.

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Today, we stand at the threshold of a new era in invoicing with the emergence of true electronic invoices. Structured e-invoices, using formats like XML, represent a major leap forward as they enable full automation and integration with accounting systems. This modern approach promises unprecedented efficiency, cost savings, and environmental benefits, positioning businesses for success in an increasingly digital world.

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Examining the progression from paper to PDF and now to structured e-invoicing reveals a future brimming with potential for innovation and efficiency in financial processes.

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Comparing paper, PDF, and e-invoices

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Paper invoice

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• Format: Traditional form of invoicing with physical paper documents.
• Creation: Manually created and printed.
• Transmission: Sent by mail or fax.
• Processing: Manual data entry into accounting systems.
• Archiving/storage: Requires physical storage space; cumbersome to manage and retrieve.
• Efficiency: Time-consuming and prone to human error.
• Costs: Higher costs for printing, postage, and storage.
• Environmental impact: Significant paper waste and CO2 emissions: Paper invoices contribute significantly to deforestation, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. The production of paper causes trees to be felled, large amounts of water and energy to be consumed and greenhouse gases and pollutants to be released. The transportation and disposal of paper invoices further increase the ecological footprint. Read more about the ecological footprint of paper invoices in our blog here.
• Benefits:
  • Generally understood and accepted.
  • Requires no technical or digital knowledge.
• Disadvantages:
  • Requires printing, postage, and manual processing.
  • Prone to loss or damage, delivery and processing delays, and human errors.
  • High costs and environmental impact.

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PDF/image invoices

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• Format: Digital files (PDF, JPG, PNG) that replicate the appearance of a paper invoice.
• Creation: Can be created using accounting software or scanned from paper.
• Transmission: Sent via email or uploaded to portals.
• Processing: Requires manual data entry or OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software for data extraction.
• Archiving/storage: Digitally stored; easier to manage and retrieve than paper, but can become disorganised without proper systems.
• Efficiency: Faster processing than paper but still prone to errors and delays due to manual handling.
• Costs: Lower postage and printing costs, but software costs may apply.
• Environmental impact: Less paper waste than paper invoices but not fully optimised. Emails and PDF or image files still generate substantial digital "waste" through the energy and resources used in creating, transmitting, and storing of electronic documents. Users still tend to print PDF invoices and treat them like paper invoices, thereby neutralising the potential reduced environmental impact that PDFs cause.
• Benefits:
  • Easy creation with software like Adobe Acrobat or online invoicing tools.
  • Easy to send via email, saving on printing and postage costs.
  • Already a digital document, so no scanning needed for digitisation.
• Disadvantages:
  • Lack of structured data makes processing and analysis difficult.
  • Still requires manual processing or unreliable OCR.
  • Not fully integrated with automated systems, leading to potential inefficiencies.

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Structured electronic invoices

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• Format: Structured electronic data sets with standardised data fields and formats for easy processing.
• Creation: Automatic creation by accounting or ERP systems.
• Transmission: Instant delivery via secure electronic data interchange (EDI), e-invoicing platforms, or email.
• Processing: Fully automated integration into the recipient's accounting systems.
• Archiving/storage: Digital storage with automatic indexing and retrievability.
• Efficiency: High efficiency with minimal human intervention, reducing errors and processing times.
• Costs: Significant long-term cost savings through automation.
• Environmental impact: Minimises environmental impact, contributing to sustainability by avoiding paper use, reducing deforestation, lowering water and energy consumption, and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
• Benefits:
  • High efficiency and precision through automation.
  • Compatible with specific e-invoicing standards such as XML or EDI.
  • Seamless integration with accounting systems for automated processing without manual intervention or data entry.
  • Greater efficiency, fewer errors, and enhanced security compared to paper or PDF invoices.
  • Significant cost savings and environmental benefits.
• Disadvantages:
  • Requires compatible systems and may need some technical expertise.
  • Setup and integration costs may apply depending on the chosen solution.

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Visual comparison (summary)

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In conclusion

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In summary, while paper and PDF invoices have their place, structured electronic invoices offer a more efficient, accurate, and environmentally friendly invoicing solution. Adopting structured e-invoices can streamline your invoicing process, improve data accuracy, and contribute to more sustainable business practices.

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Our SME solution Banqup makes it easy to create and send EN-compliant structured e-invoices (such as XRechnung and ZUGFeRD). Sign up for our free solution today to experience how simple it can be to switch to e-invoicing!

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