Electronic Invoicing

When Tradeshift launched a couple of years ago, their 'free invoicing' mantra wasn't actually a new idea. Many suppliers were already able to e-invoice for free albeit in a limited way, but Tradeshift made it a bigger deal and they have changed the e-invoicing landscape forever. We'll see more 'free' e-invoicing happen this year - and not just from the smaller players. But just as the electronic invoicing world is coming to terms with the Tradeshift model - they've done it again - this time in a highly original way. This is going to change the rules of the game big time.

Today, we're delighted to welcome a guest post from Lars Rolf Jacobsen - Financial Solutions Manager at Tradeshift. Size matters. Throughout history, it has always been the case that the bigger company in a relationship has all the power. And financial transactions are no exception to this rule. But the rise of the internet has leveled the playing field in some aspects of business. Now, any small company can use Skype to communicate for free with suppliers and buyers across the world. Whole workforces can be recruited and managed through the web, meaning that talent is cheaper and easier to control. And with e-commerce, any company can market and sell a product to a global audience.

OB10 have just announced an important partnership with Buzón E, a Mexican government accredited e-Invoicing solution provider. This strengthens OB10's service in terms of both compliance and local presence. According to the press release "The partnership with Buzón E will offer OB10’s depth of knowledge in purchase-to-pay automation and flexible technology to more organizations operating in Mexico, delivering improved payment performance and guaranteed compliance with suppliers."

Let's get something straight at the outset. I'm not about to suggest that users of e-invoicing networks will want to use them to play Farmville. But what I can see is that the transactional platforms will become free to use as service providers offer other value added services and I want to explain why.

It was a great day for Ireland and a great day for Celtrino, the Irish supply chain document automation people. Yesterday was e-day, the day that the launch was announced of Ireland's the first Government and public sector e-Invoicing project. It's a pilot and the objective is to establish a proven, interoperable network of trusted service providers capable to accepting, routing and delivering e-Invoices.