The Future of E-Invoicing and E-Procurement: Insights from the 4CEE Future Finance Event
During the recent 4CEE Future Finance event at Hotel Papendal, the future of financial processes was the central theme. One of the most attended break-out sessions was “What will e-invoicing and e-procurement look like in the future?”, presented by Justin de Jager (Solventis | Peppol.nu) and Jaap Jan Nienhuis (Traderinterop | 4CEE).
In this article, we share the key insights from this session about the upcoming revolution in digital invoicing and the growing importance of Peppol.
The Current Situation: Breaking Down Silos
As the speakers emphasized, every company is part of a chain where data exchange with customers and suppliers is essential. Yet, this exchange still often occurs manually and is prone to errors.
The cause? Companies have invested heavily in optimizing, digitalizing, and automating their own processes. Also in the area of purchase-to-pay processes, it can be seen that ERP packages – in which companies process their orders, invoices, and other trade documents – largely operate as isolated silos. “Sharing data from ERP packages is possible, but often under the technical conditions of the organization with the least dependency in a deal.”
“Sharing data from ERP packages, where both business partners benefit, is still in its infancy. Yet, major changes are taking place: real-time data sharing between ERP software is becoming increasingly common. E-invoicing is the first manifestation of this. But this is just the beginning.”
Peppol: From Individual Platforms to Open Ecosystem
An important theme during the session was the evolution of e-invoicing. In the past, each major purchaser had its own platform, which meant that suppliers had to repeatedly adapt to different systems. This significantly increased costs and complexity. Jaap Jan explains how Peppol is fundamentally changing this situation. “Peppol is an open network that enables companies and governments to exchange electronic invoices and other business documents securely and standardized. It functions as a reliable alternative to email, but specifically for invoices, purchase orders, and other ‘purchase-to-pay' messages.”
European Legislation as a Catalyst
Participants gained insight into how European legislation is accelerating the adoption of e-invoicing. Since April 18, 2019, government organizations in the Netherlands are legally required to be able to receive e-invoices. With the arrival of the ‘VAT in the Digital Age' (ViDA) legislation, this goes even further: companies will then be required to report VAT-related information almost in real-time for cross-border trade.
This means that even companies that do not work with governments must switch to e-invoicing via networks such as Peppol. Although the Netherlands has not yet announced an official obligation for e-invoicing between businesses (B2B), according to Justin de Jager, it seems only a matter of time.
Why Invest in Peppol Integration Now?
Both speakers emphasized that companies would do well to invest in Peppol integrations now, for various reasons:
• More efficient operations: direct communication between software packages reduces manual entry • Reducing errors: Standardized data exchange prevents interpretation differences • Meeting compliance requirements: Being prepared for current and future legislation • Being ready for international transactions: Peppol works cross-border
Peppol: More Than Just Invoicing
An interesting insight from the session was that Peppol encompasses more than just e-invoices. The network also supports other documents such as purchase orders, order confirmations, and shipping notices.
The expectation is that the network will further expand with new message types, allowing more and more business processes to be digitalized.
The Future: Real-Time Data Exchange
The speakers outlined a vision of the future in which real-time data exchange between companies becomes the norm. E-invoicing is just the first step in a broader transformation of how companies communicate and do business. By investing now in the right technology and processes, companies can stay ahead in this development.
Anticipating Change
It was clear from the presentation that the time of voluntary digitalization is over. With the ViDA legislation approaching and the increasing importance of real-time VAT reporting, now is the time to act.
Peppol offers a robust and future-proof solution for e-invoicing and data exchange.
4CEE Future Finance
The session “What will e-invoicing and e-procurement look like in the future?” was part of the broader 4CEE Future Finance event, where experts like Remy Gieling (AI keynote) and Robin van Galen (Sport keynote) shared inspiring insights about the future of financial processes.
The event offered various breakout sessions on topics such as AI & RPA, credit management, and FP&A, alongside plenty of networking opportunities.
Want to Know More About E-Invoicing and Peppol?
Get in touch, via info@solventis.nl, with our experts to discuss how your organization can optimally prepare for the future of e-invoicing and e-procurement.
This article is based on the breakout session “What will e-invoicing and e-procurement look like in the future?” during the 4CEE Future Finance event on April 9, 2025, at Hotel Papendal, Arnhem.
