Regulatory updates - Singapore

Participants in the InvoiceNow network will have new functionalities to facilitate invoice automation. Advanced Ordering will support purchase orders, their variances, and cancellations. A new document specification, SG BIS Order Balance, has been created to complement the features from Advanced Ordering.

The approval, picking, and invoicing processes can be significantly automated for sellers. InvoiceNow's new functionality will allow vendors to create invoices directly from purchase orders received from public entities. For procuring agencies, approval and accounting of invoices can be automated, and ordering can be structured using catalogues.

The main activities supported by this implementation include:

• Initial order from buyer — supports the structured ordering of goods or services using free text or identifiers. The ordered products may originate from a paper or electronic catalogue;
• Change of order from buyer — allows modifications based on new requirements or other reasons. Changes must be completed before the order is prepared for delivery. The seller can either accept or reject these changes;
• Change of order from seller — enables modifications to previously accepted orders, such as changes in delivery dates or product replacements. The buyer can either accept or reject these changes;
• Cancellation of order from buyer — permits cancellations before the order is prepared for delivery. The buyer and seller may establish agreed-upon deadlines for cancellation. The seller can either accept or reject the cancellation;
• Cancellation of order from seller — allows cancellations due to lack of delivery capacity or other reasons. As noted above, the buyer and seller may have agreed-upon deadlines for cancellation. The buyer must confirm receipt of the cancellation.

Government vendors will be the first to access this feature, as government systems will be ready for trials beginning September 2025. More information can be found in BIS Advance Ordering 3.0 and Order Balance v1.

Accredited Access Points have a crucial role in the GST InvoiceNow Requirement, as they create and maintain the connectivity gateways (i.e., Access Points that function as access nodes on the InvoiceNow network; they also ensure compliance to the Peppol standards and routing of invoices to the correct destination Access Points).

Access Points have undergone an extensive onboarding process to be acknowledged as Accredited Access Points by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). On April 2, 2025, the IMDA published an official list of Accredited Access Point Providers.

Pagero has successfully met all the requirements and has been recognized by the IMDA as an Accredited Access Point. This accreditation allows Pagero to offer a compliant solution to international and domestic businesses operating in Singapore.

GST-registered businesses will be required to adopt the GST InvoiceNow Requirement progressively, starting with mandatory participation of newly incorporated companies that register for GST voluntarily. Currently, mandatory participation is not applicable to new compulsory GST registrants. However, there are plans to extend this obligation to new compulsory GST registrants and remaining GST-registered businesses.

Click here to read more details.

Following the announcement of the Singapore GST InvoiceNow Requirement, the IMDA released the PINT updates and outlined the implementation timelines at the Peppol access point meeting in July.

Starting 1 April 2025, it is mandatory for all InvoiceNow network participants within the Peppol framework to at least have the registration for the PINT SG capability to receive invoices. On the other hand, service providers must support sending and receiving PINT SG, including invoices and credit notes, beginning January 2025.

Peppol specifications update in May 2024

New Element:

• Added UUID field to capture the document identifier when creating the tax invoice and credit note

New Business Rules:

• Added new GST rule to ensure the UUID information is available in the tax invoice and credit note
• Added GST rules to ensure the supplier and customer postal address information (address line 1 and postal code) is available in the tax invoice and credit note
• Added new GST code to handle different GST scenarios.

Peppol specifications upcoming update in November 2024

New Business Rules

• Add GST rules to ensure the supplier UEN information is available in the tax invoice and credit note
• Add GST rules to ensure the supplier and customer meet the tax credit note requirements (Note field and Preceding invoice field)

The IMDA has released the InvoiceNow Technical Requirements (version 1.1), which includes technical guidance and the invoice data submission process flow required for suppliers and buyers.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) API is estimated to be released in September.