Benefits of the E-Invoice: Time, Money & Fewer Errors

Updated: 2026-06-25

The e-invoice is not just a legal obligation — it brings tangible benefits. Those who switch early save time and money and reduce errors in their accounting.

1. Faster processing and payment

Because the invoice data is available in structured form, accounting software can read it directly and queue it for payment. There is no more manual retyping, matching or chasing up illegible documents. Invoices are approved faster — and paid faster.

2. Fewer errors

Every manual step is a potential source of error: mistyped amounts, wrong tax rates, overlooked line items. With the e-invoice, the values move from source to accounting without any media break. This noticeably lowers the error rate.

3. Lower costs

No printing, no paper, no postage, no physical archive. Bitkom puts the savings at around €4.50 per invoice for the sender and roughly €11.20 for the recipient compared with a paper invoice. With several hundred invoices a year, this quickly adds up.

4. Easier and secure archiving

E-invoices can be stored in an audit-proof, space-saving way. The retention period for invoices was shortened in 2025 from ten to eight years. What you need to watch out for is covered under Archiving e-invoices (GoBD).

5. Automation from start to finish

E-invoices are the foundation for end-to-end (straight-through) processes: from sending through checking to booking, with no manual intervention. Those who use interfaces such as Peppol can even exchange invoices fully automatically.

6. Environment and compliance in one

Less paper means less resource consumption. At the same time, you fulfil the e-invoice mandate that has applied since 2025 — so you hit two birds with one stone.

Get started now

The benefits don’t require expensive software: you can create an e-invoice for free in your browser and check it. Try it right away in the tool.