ŠAVŠ/TAČR Digital Czechia in a Digital Europe

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Electronic Invoicing and its Use in European Union Member States Josef Horák Electronic invoicing is a new and important tool that is used for the secure and fast transfer of an invoice between two participating entities. Put simply, the process involves the electronic exchange of an invoice between the supplier and the customer. The task of electronic invoicing is to replace the already obsolete issuance of printed invoices and their subsequent physical handover by post or other courier service. Electronic invoicing is also a tool that increases the credibility of the business process. From the data trail left by electronic invoicing, it is always clear whether, by whom and when the document was issued and, at the same time, whether the recipient actually received the document or not. An electronic invoice must fulfil a number of requirements. One of the most important requirements is the data format, which must be structured. This format enables further electronic data processing in accordance with Directive 2014/55/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on electronic invoicing in public procurement. 1 Electronic invoicing must not be understood as the digitalization of paper invoices into DOC, PDF or other unsuitable file formats. Although these documents can be sent and received in electronic form, they can no longer be effectively worked with and imported into business information systems. All data must be manually rewritten and re- entered so that it can be subsequently used and processed in the field of financial accounting, managerial accounting or controlling.

1 The organisational units of the state and the Czech National Bank must accept and process electronic invoices as of 18th April 2019.