E-invoicing transformation: How companies can get it right or (very) wrong

When faced with e-invoicing mandates, many organizations delay proactive preparation and then jump into reactionary mode. They rush to implement quick fixes, often resulting in fragmented processes and missed opportunities. The alternative? Taking a strategic pause. 

It isn't about procrastination — it's about thoughtful preparation. It involves establishing empowered leadership for the transformation and gathering the stakeholders from across your organization, including AP, AR, Tax, IT and Procurement. As our e-invoicing transformation playbook illustrates, companies that bring together cross-functional teams to assess their current state and future needs achieve better outcomes. 

"Digital transformation, regardless of what you're trying to transform, always needs the right leadership. If it doesn't have the right leadership, if it doesn't have the right sponsorship, it doesn't work," Anderson emphasizes. 

During this pause, ask fundamental questions: Where do you want your business to be in five years? What will the e-invoicing landscape look like in your markets? How can compliance requirements become a catalyst for positive change?

When organizations face e-invoicing mandates, there's often a temptation to simply bolt new compliance solutions onto existing systems. Anderson cautions against this approach: 

"I don't like the idea of bolt-ons, because you'll put one bolt-on and another bolt-on, and then another bolt-on, and then things won't work correctly. They won't support your process. There'll be bits of data in one system, bits of data in another system. It's going to be a pain to make sense of anything." 

Our e-invoicing transformation playbook scenarios demonstrate this reality clearly. Companies that attempt to preserve legacy systems by adding compliance layers often end up with disjointed processes that undermine the very automation they're trying to achieve. 

The alternative course of action can be painful but necessary. Sometimes you need to "pull the Band-Aid off," as Anderson puts it. This might mean reconfiguring your systems or even replacing components that aren't fit for purpose in the new e-invoicing landscape. 

"Automation is a nice to have. It's something that you should have. It's 2025. Compliance is a must have. You can't not be compliant," Anderson states. "If your automation solution or your ERP doesn't enable you to comply with legislation, it's probably not fit for purpose." 

As e-invoicing mandates emerge in different countries, many multinational organizations respond by adding local service providers for each market. This approach creates a complex web of vendors and systems that becomes increasingly difficult to manage. 

"Purchasing a single solution that can support you far and wide has benefits," Anderson explains. "It's easier to manage one relationship than it is to manage 100 plus wherever and whenever countries come with mandates." 

The consequences of fragmentation extend beyond just vendor management. Data becomes siloed, visibility decreases, and the ability to derive strategic insights diminishes. Moreover, each new integration point creates another potential point of failure. 

Instead of doubling down on a fragmented approach, organizations should step back and consider centralization. A unified e-invoicing solution that can handle compliance across multiple jurisdictions provides not just operational efficiency but strategic advantages: 

"Your data, importantly, is in a centralized position or centralized place. So you have access to that data. You can mine that data. You can use that data for other things. You move from just complying with the law to actually benefiting from it yourself," Anderson notes. 

Perhaps the most powerful insight Anderson offers is reframing how we view e-invoicing mandates. Rather than seeing them as burdensome compliance requirements, we can view them as catalysts for positive change: 

"In the past, if you wanted to optimize or improve departments within the business, you would need a business case. You'd need to compete against other initiatives. You'd need to gather the stakeholders and get them to be supportive of what you're trying to achieve. Some of that goes away. Obviously, the need to have the stakeholders aligned stays, but this is a perfect opportunity. You have to make the change anyway. So use that as your impetus." 

This perspective aligns perfectly with our playbook's message: e-invoicing transformation isn't just about compliance — it's about seizing an opportunity to improve your entire business operation. 

As e-invoicing mandates continue to spread globally, organizations have a choice in how they respond. They can view these requirements as unwelcome impositions, or they can embrace them as opportunities for meaningful transformation. 

As Anderson concludes: "For e-invoicing, it's the perfect opportunity for many organizations to take that step into the future... and to look at how they can improve their own processes and not just comply with the law."