e-Invoicing
A buyer-centric service where the Buyer approaches its Suppliers requesting that they send electronic invoices. e-Invoicing is usually an integrated solution whereby the supplier sends data that can be processed by the Buyer’s accounting or ERP system (eliminating any manual intervention). Electronic invoices can be sent directly from the Supplier to the Buyer or via a Service Provider. e-Invoicing is the typical regime in the B2B environment.
e-Billing
A supplier-centric service where the Supplier approaches its customers to send electronic invoices to them. Electronic invoices can be sent directly from the Supplier to the Buyer or via a Service Provider. e-Billing is less complex than e-Invoicing, the Supplier may simply send pdf invoices by email. e-Billing is the typical regime in the Business to Consumer environment.
Service Provider
An organisation that takes electronic invoices from Suppliers and delivers them to Buyers. A Buyer and Supplier may select different service providers but for the end to end transmission to be effective, the two service providers must have interoperation arrangements in place.
Interoperation
The arrangement where two Service Providers agree to exchange electronic invoices ie a Supplier can send an e-Invoice to its selected Service Provider, who in turn routes to the Service Provider selected by the Buyer, the Buyer’s Service Provider will send the e-Invoice to the Buyer.
Network Provider
A service provider that connects directly to both the supplier and the buyer. The supplier or buyer is required to make only one connection to the network provider, enabling them to connect to multiple buyers and/or suppliers. With an e-Invoicing network, there is no requirement to interoperate as connection is independent of data format and a global network enables the flow of data cross-border.
Supplier
The supplier of the goods or services and the sender of the invoice.
Buyer
The recipient of the goods or services and the receiver of the invoice
