Electronic invoicing for suppliers can mean many different things, but in the e-Procurement world it focuses on cXML, XML or EDI. When your buyer uses an e-Procurement system to manage their suppliers you might be asked to submit invoices electronically to their e-Procurement system.
An electronic invoice is no different in content from a paper invoice. It includes invoice numbers, line items, part numbers, prices, shipping and tax. The only difference is that information is sent in an electronic format such as cXML, XML or EDI. The most common format for e-Invoices on e-Procurement platforms is cXML. It is the most flexible format and easiest to implement. Examples of e-Procurement systems that use cXML are Ariba, Coupa and SciQuest.
XML invoices are less common, but frequently found in Oracle platforms.
A third e-Invoicing option is EDI. Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is an older file format used by the retail, grocery and automotive industry and involves exchanging files via a private network between your system and your buyers’ system. It is the most involved platform and can be quite time consuming to implement.
Greenwing Technology supports all e-Invoicing standards so no matter what your buyer uses you know your system can support any format. Contact Us at 1-877-415-3237 to learn more about e-Invoicing for your buyers.
Watch our video to explain how electronic invoices (and purchase orders) work in an e-Procurement system.