What is e-invoicing?
By Tim White · Glossary · Last updated
E-invoicing means sending an invoice as structured data in a standard format, such as UBL or a national standard, that the buyer's system reads directly. There's no PDF to interpret and nothing to extract. A growing number of countries require it for some or all business-to-business sales.
Emailing a PDF isn't e-invoicing
A PDF sent by email travels electronically, but it's still a picture of an invoice that someone or something has to read. A true e-invoice is the data itself, often exchanged over a network like Peppol or a government platform. When a supplier says they 'do e-invoicing', ask which one they mean.
Where extraction still fits
Most small businesses receive a mix: a few structured e-invoices, plenty of PDFs, some HTML receipts and photos of paper bills. Until the PDFs and paper go away, you need a way to turn them into the same clean data. InvoiceJet handles that document side. An invoice that already arrives as structured data doesn't need it.
Common questions
Does InvoiceJet send or receive e-invoices?
No. It works on documents: PDFs, images, HTML and forwarded emails. It doesn't connect to e-invoicing networks.
What formats are used for e-invoicing?
UBL and country-specific standards are common, often exchanged over networks such as Peppol. The format depends on the country and its tax rules.
Sources
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