Euroports Belgium e-invoicing

The European Union is working hard to progress on software use for invoice processing. An obligation for business-to-business to implement e-invoicing is coming our way in the next few years.

Euroports is taking the lead in implementing e-invoicing ahead of most companies. We will transition to e-invoicing together with our business partners and collaborate to reduce paper usage and administrative efforts and smoothen our payment process. We will be setting new cornerstones.

Therefore, we have created a program to onboard all our suppliers to e-invoicing.

Over the coming weeks, our suppliers will be invited to join us in automating and synchronizing our administrative process, enabling both of us to benefit from electronic data exchange.

E-invoices have some benefits compared to invoices in hard copy or PDF:

1. Allows invoices to be handled and archived more efficiently;
   • Always routed correctly
   • Invoices are entered directly into the system and information is assigned to the correct fields
   • No risk of malfunctions in scanning or OCR
2. Removing the manual work of entering the invoice information into an Access Point system;
3. Cost savings in printing, postage, intra-office routing, archiving, and in human resources;
4. Reduction of ecological footprint.

E-invoices:

• Contain data in a structured form and can be automatically imported into Accounts Payable systems. They do not include a visual presentation of the invoice data although they can be temporarily rendered during processing or transposed into visual formats.
• The visual format is secondary and the objective in automation is not to view the invoice, except in irregular cases. A visualized, human-readable version of the invoice may be created for reading purposes and may flow within the structured message, but it is not considered part of the invoice itself.

E-invoices are not:

• Unstructured invoice data issued in PDF or Word formats;
• Images of invoices such as JPG or TIFF;
• Unstructured HTML invoices on a web page or in an email;
• OCR (Scanned paper invoices);
• Paper invoices sent, like images, via fax machines.

The use of e-invoices requires two key functions:

• The e-invoice needs to be created with the correct structure.
• The e-invoice needs to be transferred from the seller’s system to the buyer’s system.

The European standard on e-invoicing, EN16931, defines the structure of an eInvoice and various options for transmitting the invoice. Invoices that comply with the European standard on e-Invoicing must be in a structured data e-invoice format.

Euroports relies on Basware as its P2P-application. Basware e-Invoice Receiving service connects the customer to Basware Network and enables e-invoice delivery to the customer’s accounts payable system in a single electronic format, regardless of its origin.

Multiple methods:

1. Using Basware e-invoice Sending service
2. Using other e-invoicing services connected to Basware Network (Interoperability)
3. Connection to PEPPOL network
4. Via Basware Portal using invoice key-in

In the coming weeks Euroports will invite suppliers in several waves for onboarding in e-invoicing. E-invoicing is available at Euroports starting April 15th, 2024. After a transition period, ending 31st of July 2024, we expect all our suppliers to be ready to send e-invoices through one of the available methods.

Euroports counts on its suppliers to cooperate and to support us in the onboarding process.

Euroports would like to ask its suppliers to do the following when sending the first e-invoice:

• Please contact accountspayable.be@euroports.com after sending the first e-invoice. It allows us to confirm if it is well received in our system.
• Please make sure the PO-number is clearly mentioned on the invoice.

In case of further questions or remarks, please contact e-invoicingbe@euroports.com.

Link to Euroports e-invoicing information package for business partners