The dematerialization platform for invoices: what is its use and what are the issues?

Digitalization is progressing rapidly in companies, including very small businesses. And financial management and accounting are no exception to this trend. The sending or receiving of invoices is now often done in dematerialized form. Professionals thus use a platform of dematerialization of invoices for their operations. We will see in this article all that this implies. 

What is a dematerialization platform for invoices?

Invoice dematerialization platform: definition

An invoice dematerialization platform is a tool that will facilitate the transmission of invoices between a supplier and a customer. This type of platform has three main missions:

• Allow a supplier to issue dematerialized invoices and the customer to receive them;
• Simplify relations with the tax authorities;
• Speed up invoice processing and simplify invoice storage.

Services offered by dematerialization platforms for invoices

Depending on the invoice dematerialization platform, the services offered to companies may vary. However, most of the time, they offer the following services:

• Provide the ability to issue, receive and transmit invoices;
• Check the conformity of the invoices;
• Transmit the company's financial data to the tax authorities and to the public directory;
• Manage the status of invoices.

To improve the daily accounting management of companies, some platforms of dematerialization of invoices take advantage of additional services:

• Automation of expense report processing;
• Automation of supplier invoices;
• Budget monitoring tool;
• Collaborative accounting management.

The advantages of turning to a dematerialization platform for invoices 

The benefits of these dematerialization platforms are numerous for companies. They save a considerable amount of time by optimizing recurring accounting tasks, particularly through the automation of supplier invoices.

This time saving promotes the productivity of accounting teams. CFOs and their staff can finally focus on their core business: financial analysis and consulting.

Finally, thanks to financial reporting tools, companies can have better visibility and control of their day-to-day financial activity.

What is the difference between a dematerialization platform for invoices and a partner dematerialization platform?

A distinction must be made between invoice dematerialization platforms and partner dematerialization platforms. Two terms that are frequently used, but which correspond to different concepts.

Focus on the partner dematerialization platform (PDP)

Unlike a dematerialization platform for invoices, a partner dematerialization platform, or PDP, must be registered by the administration for a renewable period of three years.

When a partner platform receives a registration, this means that it meets the requirements imposed by the regulatory framework. Only authorized partner platforms will be able to offer services in accordance with the decree on electronic invoicing.

Dematerialization of invoices: what obligations?

PDPs will be implemented progressively as part of the electronic invoicing reform. As of July 1, 2024, companies subject to VAT in France will have to be able to receive invoices in electronic format (associating structured data with the dematerialized invoice). Large companies will also have to issue them. This obligation to issue invoices will be extended to small and medium-sized companies on January 1, 2025, and then to small companies on January 1, 2026. 

Companies will be able to find the list of partner dematerialization platforms online. They will have the freedom to choose the invoice issuing and receiving platform that corresponds to them to manage their daily accounting.

Focus on the future public billing portal

To meet the challenges of dematerialization of invoices for companies, the French administration plans to set up a public invoicing portal as part of the reform. The use of this portal will be free for companies but its services will be more limited than those offered by a partner dematerialization platform.

This public portal will not allow you, for example, to benefit from an archiving service or a functionality to help manage a financial follow-up. 

How to choose the right dematerialization platform for your invoices?

Analyze the specific needs of the company in terms of accounting management

In order to choose the right paperless billing platform for your company, start by asking yourself what your needs are. Depending on the process you already have in place, analyze the features you already have and determine which ones you might be missing.

Then, take the time to study the offers of the different invoice dematerialization platforms. Depending on the costs to be associated and your internal reorganization, determine which one will suit you best.

Opt for a tool that is both simple and intuitive

In addition to the functionalities related to the good management of your daily accounting, the objective is to facilitate its method of e-invoicing (electronic invoicing) and e-reporting (the transmission of invoicing data to the tax authorities). For this, we can only advise you to turn to a simple and intuitive platform. Nowadays, most invoice dematerialization platforms focus on the user experience.

Your entire accounting team must be able to manage the company's daily accounting without difficulty. Choose a solution that you can easily integrate with your accounting software so as not to modify their usual work environment.

Turn to a collaborative tool

In addition to managing the company's incoming and outgoing flows, collaborative invoice dematerialization platforms offer many advantages. In particular, they allow you to work together to manage your accounting online.

Invoice dematerialization platform: what you need to know

The State plans to completely dematerialize invoices issued and received by companies by the year 2026. Its objective is to lighten the accounting of companies, to fight against tax fraud but also to simplify the VAT declaration.

Companies will therefore have to turn to an electronic invoice solution to comply with the regulatory framework. They will have the choice between several dematerialization platforms certified by the State.

In order to adapt their current processes to the upcoming changes, we invite companies to turn to electronic invoicing now. Choose your platform according to your needs and the services offered.