Businesses Urge E-Invoicing Standard as Errors Persist

A Censuswide survey of 550 business buyers across the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Australia, commissioned by B2B payments platform TreviPay, found recurring problems in order-to-cash processes. Thirty percent of respondents reported incorrect invoices, 31% reported limited ERP integration, 31% reported inconsistent invoice formats and 34% reported delays in approval workflows. The survey captured responses from buyers that handle billing and collections across multiple systems and teams.

Respondents said inconsistent invoice formats and fragmented workflows often force manual intervention when data or processes do not align. The survey described many billing steps as automated in isolation but the overall end-to-end process as fragmented because different systems and departments handle parts of the cycle.

Larger organisations placed greater emphasis on ERP integration, purchase controls and governance, while mid-sized companies reported prioritizing flexibility and speed.

Inez Berkhof-Hollander, TreviPay’s vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said finance teams face pressure from cash flow demands and regulatory change as countries move to mandate how invoicing is done.

The report notes governments are moving toward mandated e-invoicing. The UK announced in 2025 that it will require e-invoicing for all VAT invoices from 2029. Businesses responding to government consultations highlighted the need for standardisation to improve interoperability and reduce cross-border administrative burdens. The Peppol framework was identified by some respondents as a reference model for aligning national approaches.

Alex Harris, parts sales manager at DAF Trucks, indicated his company is waiting for UK authorities to decide a format before committing development resources. The Netherlands is adopting Peppol, and Harris said a matching UK standard would allow one e-invoicing system to support operations in both countries. DAF uses TreviPay for centralised billing, which allows customers a single credit line and flexible invoicing when vehicles are serviced in different locations.

The survey also examined use of artificial intelligence in finance. Organisations with 500 or more employees were more likely to be looking to streamline processes and reduce manual tasks with AI (20%) compared with 9% of firms with 100 to 200 staff. Nearly all companies reported concerns about a lack of internal expertise and about meeting regulatory requirements, and fewer have embedded AI across the full order-to-cash process.

Survey respondents said common e-invoicing standards and better ERP interoperability could reduce manual handling, cut errors and speed approvals. They asked for clearer national rules and technical standards so invoicing systems can work together across borders and between different enterprise platforms.